Fast food restaurant pet peeves

[Stradling]

I agree that soda fountains can be disgusting. When I evaluate my stores those are a pet peeve of mine, so my guys know my expectations. I was a heavy soda drinker up until three years ago. So I really look at those things.

[cez]

My son works at a major fast food chain as a field tech.  He basically fixes everything that can go wrong a restaurant.  He has told us some disgusting stories of the lack of cleanliness in some of the restaurants.  We won't eat there.. 

It's really gross.

 

I believe Stradling when he says In N Out hold things to a different standard.  We have a 5 Guys around here, and I noticed it was really clean, and they seemed to design the kitchen so everybody could see it, which is extremely smart.  

 

Before I joined the Marines, I worked fast food for 3 years at Wendy's, McDonald's, and Taco Time.  The sanitation was horrible.  The dishes/containers alone...just wow.  Imagine your teenage kid doing all of your dishes, and subtract the quality by 50% at least.  That's what all of your food is being cooked and held in before it goes in your mouth.  That's the tip of the iceberg.  The mop and mop bucket I used at every place to clean the floors was toxic.  lol.  

[Lou]

it's not only soda fountains.

 

think draft beer.....

[Blarg]

I worked at a McDonalds that was owned by an ex Navy Captain. Everything had to be spotless and the worst job was cleaning the top of the walk in refrigerator because all of the grill grease settled there. Every morning when the day crew came in it looked like a new restaurant. The problem is McDonalds are franchise run and few are manged like that one was.

[Sully151]

I hear sonic advertisements all the time, yet I can honestly say I have no clue where the hell there is a sonic in Orange county.

Mission Viejo

[yk9001]

I'd recommend not showing that you're annoyed ever, most especially if you're in drive thru. 

 

They don't get paid much, "supervisors" are almost always under the age of 21, and oftentimes high school dropouts themselves, and the workers on the grill/meat station have the most miserable jobs of anybody in the restaurant. They usually wear headsets to hear the drive thru orders, and if you're acting bitchy, they might (probably) just put something extra in your sandwich for you.  Tip of the iceberg. 

 

 

THIS!! (I've never done this before)

 

I never ever make fun or belittle fast food workers. Its hard frigging work.  And I seriously think it takes skill to work a headset, while at the same time preparing bags or ringing up.

 

And you know they HAVE to ask "Would you like to try the creamy ranch bacon burger?"  They couldn't give a rat's ass what you order.

[Hollyw00d]

Yes, they are forced to ask the question. Some may get demoted or fired if they dont

[Brandon]

Up sell in the fast food industry and it's a pet peeve. Up sell in auto sales, insurance plans, or television subscriptions and it's standard practice.

[Schildog]

Mission Viejo

 

right near my mom's house and that sonic, like all, sucks.

Edited December 23, 2014 by Schildog

[wopphil]

it's not only soda fountains.

think draft beer.....

Thanks Lou, for single handidly ruining my next experience to the Tustin Brewing Company.

[Angel Dog and Beer]

True re: beer taps. The lines can be long, and not all bars clean them regularly.

[yk9001]

Not for nothing, I went to the in n out on Bellflower and South last saturday afternoon to get a gift certificate - it may have been the busiest fast food restaurant I have ever seen.  It was shocking how successful in n out is.

 

There was an article in the WSJ this month how McDonalds is struggling with so many food items... they can't prepare them all in the allotted time.  And sales suck anyways.

 

In n Out has come up with such a simple, successful product.  My hats off to them.

[Brandon]

One of the better business models. I was disappointed years ago when I was looking to invest and found they don't franchise.

[Hollyw00d]

I hate how the jalapeño doubles burn my arsehole the next day

[Vegas Halo Fan]

I worked at a McDonalds that was owned by an ex Navy Captain. Everything had to be spotless and the worst job was cleaning the top of the walk in refrigerator because all of the grill grease settled there. Every morning when the day crew came in it looked like a new restaurant. The problem is McDonalds are franchise run and few are manged like that one was.

 

Like most things, the tone is set at the top. If you have a manager who is a stickler for such things, the place stays clean. If, however, the manager is only concerned about having enough people on duty for the lunch rush and how much cash goes in the till, it doesn't happen.

[2002_halos_II]

right near my mom's house and that sonic, like all, sucks.

Los Alisos and Jeronimo. Haven't tried it but they were busy when they first opened. 

Used to be a gas station there on the corner.

That area needs a do-over real bad - not up to MV standards

[Hollyw00d]

Los Alisos and Jeronimo. Haven't tried it but they were busy when they first opened.

Used to be a gas station there on the corner.

That area needs a do-over real bad - not up to MV standards

I hope they don't demolish the play it again sports I luv that place

[Stradling]

Not for nothing, I went to the in n out on Bellflower and South last saturday afternoon to get a gift certificate - it may have been the busiest fast food restaurant I have ever seen. It was shocking how successful in n out is.

There was an article in the WSJ this month how McDonalds is struggling with so many food items... they can't prepare them all in the allotted time. And sales suck anyways.

In n Out has come up with such a simple, successful product. My hats off to them.

That store was mine for two years 2012-2013, it is the cleanest store I've ever seen.

[2002_halos_II]

I hope they don't demolish the play it again sports I luv that place

Nah. They usually put up a new façade. I noticed they (City?)  did that to the Stater Bros center on El Toro in LF.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

I have read a couple of stories about McDonald's potential plans to streamline the menu to cut down on wait times. Starbucks is considering the same thing. Choice is good, but too much of it complicates things for both customers and staff.

Edited December 24, 2014 by Vegas Halo Fan

[Hollyw00d]

Starbucks need a menu reduction badly. They need to do a few things well instead of everything subpar

[Sully151]

Nah. They usually put up a new façade. I noticed they (City?) did that to the Stater Bros center on El Toro in LF.

Lake Forest is doing quite a bit of renovating. They just tore down the building that was Captain Creams. That whole center is being renovated.

[wopphil]

I am going to add one: when I ask for sugar for my iced tea, and they try to give me the pink stuff. The Mexicans are the worst at this. Probably 8 out of 10 times, a Mexican fast food worker will try to give you the pink stuff instead of sugar.

But then today it happened at In-N-Out. The kid thought he was being helpful when he offered me the choice of the pink stuff or the yellow stuff when I asked for sugar. When I said "thanks, but I'd like sugar, not that stuff," he was completely clueless. He had to go ask someone else who worked there whether they had something else.

[TeemuTrout]

I hear sonic advertisements all the time, yet I can honestly say I have no clue where the hell there is a sonic in Orange county.

There's a couple in Costa Mesa, and one in Fullerton. There's probably more, but I don't know of any others.

 

Sonic is decent for fast food. I go there every couple months or so.

[TeemuTrout]

I am going to add one: when I ask for sugar for my iced tea, and they try to give me the pink stuff. The Mexicans are the worst at this. Probably 8 out of 10 times, a Mexican fast food worker will try to give you the pink stuff instead of sugar.

But then today it happened at In-N-Out. The kid thought he was being helpful when he offered me the choice of the pink stuff or the yellow stuff when I asked for sugar. When I said "thanks, but I'd like sugar, not that stuff," he was completely clueless. He had to go ask someone else who worked there whether they had something else.

 

They're called "Sweet N low" and "Splenda".

Edited December 25, 2014 by TeemuTrout