Customers weigh in on drive- through decorum
DEAR ABBY: May I comment on the letter from “Working the Window in Georgia” ( Jan. 22), the drive- through worker who said people should have their orders ready when they pull up to the speaker? Many drive- through restaurants place their speakers in FRONT of the first menu you see. Unless you frequent the restaurant, it’s impossible to know what you want until you reach the menu.
Also, if “corporate” is timing their employees, then maybe they should dispense with having the employees greet customers with a long list of item suggestions before taking the order. Those of us at the other end of the speaker often cannot understand a word being said, either because the speaker isn’t working properly, the order- taker has a thick accent, or the person is speaking too fast. – PEGGY IN THORNTON, COLO.
DEAR PEGGY: My readers agree with you 100 percent! Their biggest “beef” is the order menu being located only at the order window/ speaker. Fastfood corporate America, please take notice. Read on:
DEAR ABBY: How are we supposed to have any idea of what to order when we don’t see the menu until we pull up to the window? This is especially true when I try a new restaurant. If restaurants post anything before that, it is usually just a list of their most expensive combo meals. Sometimes the prices aren’t even listed at the preview menu window
Here are some suggestions for people working the windows:
1. I may not know your menu. So please give me a chance to look it over. If you don’t want new customers to know what you offer, then I’ll be happy to take my business elsewhere.
2. I know you are reading from a script, but if I don’t want a combo meal, please do not ask me repeatedly if I want one.
3. Give me a chance to check my order when you hand it to me. I am really tired of getting to my destination only to find out my order is wrong.
4. Do not argue with me if I want to verify that my drink is a diet drink. I am diabetic and a nondiet soda could make me very sick.
5. Please understand that even if I don’t have the radio on and there is no background noise, I may still have trouble understanding you. Perhaps
D a t e b o o k the speakers are bad or I am slightly hearing- impaired.
6. Please give me a straw if I order a drink.
I have worked fast food before, and I know from experience it is not an easy job. Yes, there are rude customers, but there are also rude employees. I know that from experience, too. – LIBBY IN LITTLE ROCK, ARK.
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I attended his nephew’s out- of- state wedding. A few weeks before, I had shipped a beautiful, expensive set of porcelain dishes from a high- end designer store. The nephew commented, “Those dishes don’t go with anything we have.” Should we request they be returned or ignore their lack of appreciation? – APPALLED AUNT IN ARIZONA
DEAR APPALLED: Your nephew’s comment was extremely rude. If he and his bride weren’t registered, and their preference of a china pattern wasn’t clearly stated, you did the best you could under the circumstances and were generous.
Most high- end stores have websites that display their inventory. Rather than ask for the gift back ( which would be equally rude), suggest he and his Mrs. go online and exchange the dishes for a pattern of their choice. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby at http:// www. Dearabby. com or P. O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069. Abby shares more than 100 of her favorite recipes in two booklets: “Abby’s Favorite Recipes” and “More Favorite Recipes by Dear Abby.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $ 14 ( U. S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Cookbooklet Set, P. O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054- 0447. ( Shipping and handling are included in the price.)