Fast Food Etiquette

When was the last time you walked into a fast food restaurant and they got your order wrong? How did you react? Why did you react the way you did? Did you get angry? Before you blow up at the person behind the counter at Taco Bell, or scream at the individual on the other side of the drive-through window at McDonalds, here are some things to consider.

What kinds of people work at fast food restaurants? I'm sure most of you already know the answer to this. It's mostly high school students and those who are not capable of doing much else. Does this make them lazy? I certainly don't think so. Some people work at fast food to pay for college tuition or to help them get started on furthering their education.

Have you ever worked in a fast food restaurant? During any rush, be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner, the environment isn't exactly ideal. The air is filled with grease and chaos. Occasionally, mistakes are made. Everyone makes mistakes, and forgetting to add extra ketchup or accidentally putting cheese on your plain hamburger is not something that should cause any sort of an outburst. These people are merely doing their jobs. They are not trying to irritate or anger you. They are not out to ruin your lives by not super-sizing your meal.

People who work at fast food restaurants are just regular people like you and me. They are there to provide a service, and most do the best that they can. Have you ever been yelled at by a fast food service worker for changing your order six times before finally settling on the first thing you told them you wanted? You may be thinking, "Of course not, I'd have them fired if they did." Put yourself in their shoes. How frustrating would that be for you, and then be the one getting screamed at for messing up the order?

Another thing to keep in mind is that the people that take the orders aren't the same people that cook them. If you look at the receipt they give you after you've ordered, most of the time you'll notice that right there, in print, is what you ordered. Does it match up with what you actually received? Of course not. What does this mean? Well, my friends, this suggests that the person taking the order did type it in correctly, and the mistake was made after it was out of this particular person's hands. What's the point in venting your anger to someone with no control over the situation?

When we are very young, many of us (not all of us) are taught manners. Manners can be all the difference between being viewed as a kind, respectful man or woman or a spiteful, hostile individual. Recall these little bits of information the next time you are ready to shake your fist at the person behind the counter at Burger King. Cool down, take a deep breath, and politely ask for them to fix your order. Remember, it takes much more effort to frown than it does to smile.