A Tribute to Burger King

Kasandra
September 26, 2008
English 12
Anecdote

The Burger King Screamers

Because teenagers are very productive and diligent, we had few customers to wait on. We stood relaxed at our stations; poised and ready for a customer (truthfully we were messing around in the back squirting ketchup at each other). Slowly business started to pick up until we were going at a steady pace. We had your average Joe’s who ordered, “A number 12 with a coke,” your slightly more picky Kenny’s with, “A Whopper with cheese meal. I want no pickles or onions, and I want a root beer,” and finally your complicated Jesse’s, “Can I have a number 4 with cheese. Cheese is extra? Never mind, no cheese on that. Are extra onions extra? Okay, then add onions. I don’t want ANY mayo on my sandwich. Make sure that absolutely NO MAYO touches it. Oh yeah, and can I get a nine piece cheezy tots with that? Yes, instead of the fries. And a Mocha BK Joe. Or a BK Mocha Joe. Oh, I don’t know what it’s called, an Iced Coffee. Can I do that? Great, give me that. Oh yes, that’s all. Wait, add a Hershey’s Sunday Pie to that. I’m sorry. Yes, Thank you.” All of these types of orders we learned to handle well, and usually we could even make the customers enjoy their time at our Drive Thru. We strive to maintain a pleasant atmosphere, and passing smiles around to people is always a happy event (plus people are fat and love their BK). Even with extensive training, there are still going to be those orders that no one can handle with a smile on their face. I have one such order.

A woman pulled up to the drive-thru window and when prompted with a, “Hi, May I help you?” from my manager she yelled, “ONE MOMENT PLEASE!!!” The three of us with head-sets on flinched and pulled the ear piece away from our ears. We all turned towards each other and grimaced our disgust at the woman’s blatant disregard for other people’s hearing orifices. Kiley replied a nervous, “Go ahead when you’re ready,” and we all prepared for the worst headaches while turning the volume down. Before I continue with the woman’s order, let me inform all of you. A Drive Thru is made to be a Drive Thru. They are made so that we can hear you, communicate with you, and get your food to you fast. I don’t know what it is that people don’t understand about this. If we can’t hear you, you are either a) whispering b) sitting in a very loud truck or van c) talking to someone else d) not sitting in the driver’s seat or e) the fryer is beeping, there is a person at Front Counter yelling at us, we are trying to tell the kitchen what food we need, and the drink machine decided to go nuts and spray coke everywhere. Under normal circumstances, you do not have to yell. This customer didn’t understand that.

After a minute of deciding that she wanted two $1 sandwiches she yelled, “CAN I GET TWO SPICY CHICKEN SANDWICHES! AND THAT IS ALL!!!” We were all disappointed that she barely ordered any food; if we are going to suffer ear trauma, make it worth our while. Even with this $2 let down, we were glad to see that she would soon be gone. Or so we thought. She went on to yell, “AND ON MY SECOND ORDER I WANT A MEDIUM--.” We all looked at each other. Kiley stalled time by saying, “You have a second order?” It turned out the question wasn’t worth the time because the customer yelled that yes, she did have a second order, and though she didn’t say it, was getting very mad at us for not understanding her order. “A medium what?” we all silently mouthed to each other. We knew it ended with a long “e” sound, so Kiley asked, “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you, did you say a medium Icee?” This was a perfectly logical guess I thought, but apparently the people in the vehicle did not agree. The three or four of them all yelled at once, “A MEDIUM --.” This time we didn’t understand because they were talking so loud it was coming out of the speaker distorted. Kiley politely responds, “Ma’am, I’m very sorry, but I cannot understand you. I can hear you just fine; you don’t need to yell. Please just say it one more time: clearly.” The tension was palpable between the women in the vehicle and the crew inside the building. The women again yelled, “A MEDIUM HI-C.” That time some of us caught it; although it wasn’t from any clarity on her part. Kiley however, unfortunately for us, didn’t hear it. She replied, “An Ice Tea?” An innocent enough response, but that was it. We were done for; according to the women in the car at least.

The driver started swearing and yelling very harsh things at us. I don’t think she knew that everything she said was being broadcasted throughout the entire kitchen. We were halfway between shocked and hysterical laughter. She angrily spat, “That’s it I’m coming around!” This made us giggle, but we laughed even harder when she said, “HERE I COME!” with the air of someone we should fear. We mostly contained our smiles when they arrived at the window, but lost composure again when they started asking Kiley for the manager. Kiley’s name tag says manager. Kiley is a manager, and she quickly filled her in on this fact. Along with that, she also asked the woman to leave and eat somewhere else. The woman in the driver’s seat told her, “You can’t tell me you aren’t going to serve me! I am a paying customer! YOU HAVE TO SERVE ME! This isn’t your restaurant! You aren’t the boss!” We watched as Kiley politely told the woman to leave again. They asked for a number they could call to leave a complaint, and then left. They didn’t take their food with them (or pay for it); we saved it for later consumption by one of us.

We thought the whole ordeal was over, and went on with our business. Some of the customers from Front Counter asked what happened and shared their opinions on the “crazy Drive Thru people.” Approximately three minutes later the driver and a much bigger woman came barging into our store and demanded a different phone number. Kiley explained that she gave them the only number we had, and told them to call and complain there. The women made a scene and stormed out. The other customers made fun of them, we made fun of them, and we all got a good laugh. The moral of the story is never let your anger get you so out of control that you are screaming at someone who works at BURGER KING. Also, if you MUST yell irrationally at someone, do it while there aren’t a whole bunch of people watching.