“Anita…”
“Welcome to (fill in the blank), may I take your order?”
“Yeah, I need a (fill in the blank), and two large (fill in the blank) with extra (fill in the blank). Oh yeah… and ahhh… gimme (fill in the blank).”
I have never worked at a place with a drive thru. But for a short time in high school I worked at a Dairy Queen, catering to folks stopping in on their way to Lake Tahoe skiing trip. I stood at the counter with a half smile, pretending I wasn’t the guy that was making four dollars an hour to make them shakes and have them complain about them.
I think at some point every teenager, with the thought that they have an opinion that matters, should work in a fine fast food establishment. A fine food establishment where for hours upon hours you are treated like you are simply the lowest form of human on the planet. Where after three hours of being ordered around and treated like crap, then and only then, have you made enough money to purchase a movie ticket. Three more hours and you will have enough cash to pay for a date, assuming the grease from said establishment, in compliance with adolescence has completely disfigured your face and you are actually able to get a date.
And my favorite line? I heard this morning, from the woman behind me in the Starbucks drive through. With my window still down, sitting between the intercom and the window, I hear this.
“Yeah, I need a large mocha.”
“I need a…”. I hate that for some reason. It’s probably one of those things that just sticks out to me, but I cant stand it. Do you really “need a” anything from Starbucks? Do manners and common courtesy no longer matter when you are talking to someone, simply because they are are at a drive thru window, or a fast food counter? What happened to “Can I please get a…” or maybe even, “Yes, I’d like…”, but why, “I need a…”?
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say something. If someone is asking you if they can take your order for something, especially food, you will never, ever, ever “need” anything from them. If someone is standing in front of you, willing to serve you eight hours a day, for the price of movie tickets, there is less “need” in your life than you think.
Just a thought.
Not a chance. Uniform=my slave. Gimmee gimmee I neeeed I neeeeed.
What I really need is someone to install a speaker at a drive through that works.
You’d think that maybe they just speak that way at the drive thru because they’re not face to face, however, having worked at Starbucks before (never in a drive thru) I heard “I need a…” repeatedly. Often it came in a whisper because they didn’t want to person they were on the phone with to know that they were ordering their coffee while having a conversation. I cringed everytime and it’s nice to know someone else notices this atrocity.
I never use the term “I need a…” either when I’m ordering. I usually say, “GOOD MORNING, or GOOD AFTERNOON, How are you today?” as soon as they ask if they can help me. They’re usually pleasantly surprised and say, “Fine, how are you?” Then I tell them I’d like a (fill in the the blank) please. Then I say thank you, sir (or ma’am)…even if they’re 16. Always. My motives aren’t entirely pure though…I sometimes do it because it really embarrasses my teenagers. Oh yeah, and hopefully, nobody has ever spit in my food or drink. ;
And what is the picture at the top of your blog?
dude i love your thoughts here……………..i have worked with the general public for all my adult life & iv seen all sorts of really nasty & ignorant people! It does NOT change when you are working in “Christian” work……..that took some getting used to but after 3 years of “Christian” work i sometimes am stunned by how awful some people can be.
My local coffee hang out doesn’t even ask me what i want anymore, they know i NEED a double espresso with a “little bit” of water on top & at Starbucks in town at least 3 of the staff know i NEED a mocha fra-pacino (son of al) when i go in there!!!
Anita can be quite the selfish woman who think she needs the caffeine that she has allowed her body become addicted to. I think what she needs is a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. My first job was as a barista in a little cafe on Catalina Island for a summer. I honestly did not notice whether or not people pulled the “I need a” card, but people were often rude, unjustifiably demanding, and believed we should kowtow to them because they condescended to enter our establishment…that does not negate the fact that we are human too, and would not mind an “I’m fine thanks, how are you” in response to our “How are you doing today?” Working in retail and accounting is the same way…what is boils down to is that people just do not care anymore (forgive my generalization).
Haha this is reeeeally good.
The only problem is that in my city the people that are serving you are mean, too. I need to move! But I love socializing with the baristas at Starbucks. They’re so nice there
Brody, you’re cooool.
I hate the “I Need Tickets” signs that scalpers hold up at ballgames and concerts. I always say, ‘You don’t need tickets. You want tockets, so you can sell them to me at triple the price.’