User Post: Drive-Thru Etiquette

I work for a fast food chain as a drive-thru cashier. And day in and day out I see the same rude and senseless behaviors by a large number of the customers I serve. Here are some tips and basic rules of the drive-thru:

1. Speak up and speak clear. The volume on the headset can only do so much. If you are whispering or mumbling your order chances are we may not hear what you want correctly and ring you up for the wrong thing.

2. If you're engine is loud, turn off your vehicle. Especially with big trucks. Yelling your order over the sound of the engine only hurts the ears of the cashier and annoys everyone inside.

3. If you're pulling a trailer don't come through the drive-thru. We don't have time to sit there and watch you try to maneuver around the drive through turn. We have other orders and you are taking up space. The sensible thing would be to park and go inside.

4. Have your money ready when you get to the window. Common sense would tell you that if you are ordering something you are going to have to pay for it, so have your wallet or purse ready before you even get in line. And if not that the cashier will tell you the total after your order at the speaker so be getting it ready while you make your way to the window.

5. If there are multiple people in the car, order one at a time. A cashier can only decipher so much from 4 people ordering at the same time.

6. Decide what you want to order in a timely manner. For the most part fast food menu's do not change much. Any new item will most likely have its own sign.  You should have an idea of what you want before you enter the line. Most drive-thru's work off a timer, so waiting for you to decide hurts the drive-thru times and wastes the time of the people waiting behind you.

7. NEVER talk on your phone while in the drive-thru line. If you are ordering for someone else and are calling to get their order, get it before you get in line. Talking on the phone while you are ordering or paying is very rude to the cashier. You are paying more attention to the conversation you are having than ordering. You don't listen to the total so you don't have your money ready, you probably forgot to ask for something which then the cashier has to add to your order which makes more work for the managers later in the night. Your focus should be on ordering, that is why you are there.

8. Be friendly and courteous to the drive-thru personnel. Please and thank you is always a nice gesture. You would be surprised how often people come through my line and don't even acknowledge I'm there besides opening and closing their hand. NEVER be rude or discourteous to any personnel. Remember, we handle your food. And you think we accidentally messed up your order? You asked for no ketchup and you got extra? Missing a sandwich? Mistakes do happen, but don't be rude or they wont be mistakes.