Seven Tips For Proper Drive Thru Etiquette
Drive thru workers are a special breed. Having known some in my lifetime quite well, I can vouch for the fact that they are just like us. They are generally extremely smart and capable of juggling many things at one time. In fact, most of them would run rings around the people that treat them like trash at the drive thru. Some people enter a drive thru and suddenly get transformed into absolute ogres. Both the people in line with them and the workers behind the speaker can catch their wrath. Nobody truly knows why, but I assume it has something to do with being in a hurry.
That said, here are seven tips on drive thru etiquette that will keep you from being an ogre:
- Don’t scream your order at the window - Speak in a loud, clear voice but don’t yell. The drive thru worker has a speaker directly in his ear and will be deafened if you do.
- Don’t beep at other drivers - Nine times out of ten, beeping at another driver is totally uncalled for. They are either locating their change, correcting their kids, or any number of other things that might delay them for that five seconds. You will live. Don’t honk and tell me….er ...them... to hurry.
- Go inside if there are problems with your order - Most problems can be fixed easily at the window, but head inside if it is going to take more than a few minutes. I don’t want to wait on you to ask why you can’t get a Big Mac at Chick-Fil- A or why you can no longer get a Super Size at McDonald's.
- Learn the lingo - Rest assured that the person behind the microphone will figure out what you are asking for regardless, but if you know what you are ordering it goes much smoother. If you are at McDonalds, you get certain things with a meal. Know this and the ordering process is quick. Be confused and you will end up ordering all three items separately and then get angry because you didn’t get the combo. This is why new customers probably should go inside.
- Get off your cell phone - Here is a novel thought.... If you are talking to a speaker that can’t see you while still yakking on the cell phone, they are not going to know who you are talking to. You might end up ordering something really strange so beware.
- If you drive the Grave Digger monster truck, shut it down - You would be shocked at how many don’t. They want to hear the engine rumble instead. This also goes for rock concerts coming out of your stereo.
- Be nice and use your manners - I refuse to explain this one.
Drive thrus can be efficient and pleasant experiences if we manage to all work together. Certainly not all drive thru problems are due to the customers, but I bet you might be surprised at how many are. Consider the list above if you don’t believe me. How many times have you seen such behavior?
Could you work under such circumstances? Think about it.
