Hi, how was your day? I am sorry about yesterday. I was overpowered all day by Excel and Math. It's called school work. I wish I could have gotten away from the stress by going to the park to read a book on my Kindle G3, but time did not permit me. The weather was gorgeous in Richmond VA. What was it like in your area? Nevertheless, I am focused on the prize not the size or volume of what I have to go through to get there. One day, really soon, I would be smiling to the bank. Do the best you can to learn as much as you can. Knowledge is power! Try to learn something new every day. Just thought I needed to mention that.
Nevertheless, I promised that on Monday I would have continued with my tell all. Since I was unable to be with you yesterday, I would address that point today.
How to place and order
Most fast food restaurants have a Dining Room (DR) and or a Drive-Thru (DT). Placing an order at the DT of the DR requires one to consider some variables. However, I wish to list a few basics one should consider during or prior to placing an order. They are pretty much obvious, but somehow, many customers fail to comply.
1. Have your money or card ready to pay for your order.
2. Make up your mind as to what you want before you get to the speaker or register.
At the Drive - Thru
The DT at most fast food restaurants is known or should I say was designed to provide fast
food fast. These stores have a timer which records the time each customer spends from start
to finish in the DT. At the end of the day, the average time each car stayed in the lane (from the speaker until the car leaves the window), is generated by a timing system and analyzed by managers.
At the company I worked for, there were daily, weekly and monthly competitions, which allowed the winners to walk away with a trophy and a monitory prizes.
In order to make everyone happy throughout the experience, there are a few things customers can do. In addition to the two basic steps above, customers needs to state clearly what they would like to have. Most restaurants have Combos, saying what you would like for you drink and side all in one statement is perfect. For example be:
Order Taker: Hi, how may I take your order or would you like to try a combo? (either)
Customer: Hi, may I have a number 2, no pickles with a garden salad as my side and a sprite no ice.
OT: Thank you. Your total is….
C: Thank you.
Placing an order in this manner makes work light for the workers in the store listening in on
the headsets and it strengthens the chances of the customer being served accurately and
reduces the wait time.
Should a customer have a large order, the same approach is applicable. However, it would help if the customer states same to the OT from the outset. This approach may most likely have the same result as if it were a small order. Customers will have their order ready by the time they get to the window.
Now, once the order was placed, the customer would be told the total and asked to move to the window (first or second). Some stores have one window, while some have two. Depending on the time of the day, most stores with two windows would have a cashier at the first window to receive payments. After paying he/she is sent to the second window to pick up their food. Once one would have received his/her drink(s) and bag(s), the faster he/she moves away from the window the better it would be for the team that is working on that shift. However, it is the customer’s right to check his/her orders before moving from the window.
Adding to an order at the window is permitted. However, it is disruptive when there is a line of vehicles behind that customer. Nevertheless, adding at the first window is fine. Trying to add at the second window may be impossible if one is paying with a card. Otherwise the customer would be asked to rejoin the line.
Ordering in the dining room
The dining room service time is seldom recorded. However, providing fast accurate service is still the expectation. My advice is pretty much the same as for the DT. If a customer is unsure about what he/she wants, I suggest that he/she stand on the side and give way to the next customer. There is more leeway when placing an order in the dining room.
I trust that this advice was of some help. Later on in another post I would address the cashiers and what they need to do to make the customer’s experience welcoming.
What were some of your experiences when placing orders at fast food restaurants?
Tomorrow, we would take a look at what the experience is like when customers and order takers are nice and respectful.
Have a blessed night.
Nickey
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