Current Events > Customer behavior largely to blame for people quitting food jobs

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https://www.yahoo.com/news/veteran-taco-bell-worker-20-123500557.html

The employee says that things have gotten especially bad since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020. Customers have become more critical and angry towards workers in the service industry, and suddenly "people think it's perfectly okay to be intolerant, demand things, and just be unreasonable," he said, to the point where his work is "almost untenable."
This shift in customers is in part thanks to the rapid advances in technology used by fast-food chains, like online ordering, and people becoming accustomed to being at home and having everything delivered, the worker said. Many customers are "starting to treat fast food as their personal catering service," the worker said, with extreme modifications to every item and no empathy or understanding for overwhelmed workers.

The effects of angry customers and overwork are evident in the restaurant: in the last two weeks, he has had three separate workers break down and need to leave during their shifts, and he also had his first panic attack in 27 years, he told Insider.

According to restaurant workers surveyed by Lightspeed, 62% said that customers are more demanding than ever before. This fits with other data coming out of the industry, including a majority of restaurant workers reporting emotional abuse and disrespect from customers. Of restaurant operators, 72% agree that customer behavior has gotten worse over the past year.

But corporate will fire you for refusing service if someone is unnecessarily mean. Them making $2.50 is more important than you not having a breakdown. Customers are also allowed to film you to humiliate you on social media. Huh, and people wonder why these places are short on workers

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Customer's always right

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Nobody get paid enough to be reminded how unappreciated they are

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M_Live posted...

Yeah, makes sense.

This is 100% untrue and a bad mentality for business

I know. The customer is always right thing refers to things like, yes, I DID ask for it with no mustard. You misheard, so make it right, please.

It doesnt mean that you can shriek in someones face for no reason.

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People are shit.

That said, why can't I make extreme modification to orders? The idea that hamburger condiments are a one-size fits all thing...

I want no ketchup, add mustard, and however much mayo they tell you to put on the thing, I only want half of that because goddamn.

The other day, for example, I pay over 5 dollars for 2 large baja blasts... only to receive the diet versions. I only realize when I am at home. Shit like that really pisses a person off.

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Robot2600 posted...

People are shit.

That said, why can't I make extreme modification to orders? The idea that hamburger condiments are a one-size fits all thing...

I want no ketchup, add mustard, and however much mayo they tell you to put on the thing, I only want half of that because goddamn.

Then make your own burgers.

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None of these customers want to see the things I did when rude customers came in. Workers took revenge on their food.

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Sounds like he works at a Starbucks. I hear customers ask for a lot of ridiculous modifications to their drinks there.

It's everyone's fault except the company, apparently.

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Im sure customers havent changed (which is a big issue in customer service jobs) and its the younger generation who doesnt want to put up with it understandably.

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Robot2600 posted...

That said, why can't I make extreme modification to orders? The idea that hamburger condiments are a one-size fits all thing...

I want no ketchup, add mustard, and however much mayo they tell you to put on the thing, I only want half of that because goddamn.

Every modification you make is another chance to get something wrong, either from the person taking the order or the person making the order, or even from the customer themselves where they think they said their 5th modification but they actually didn't. It's also going to be slower because rather than the person making the food as they do 100 times an hour, they have to memorize and double check all these modifications. If it's a busy day, they have to keep track of all your stuff along with everything else they're doing, so even more chances for mistakes.

All this to say that it can be stressful when you have to leave autopilot for something very complicated. And you might be one of those people who didn't get the half mayo like you wanted, so you go back and complain and they have to redo it, push the line back, and deal with angry customers. From my experience in fast food, the people with tons of modifications are the type of people who will come back to complain if it's not 100% correct.

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--Zero- posted...

Im sure customers havent changed (which is a big issue in customer service jobs) and its the younger generation who doesnt want to put up with it understandably.

Apparently, customers have gotten worse since the covid stuff started.

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People just suck now. We suddenly lost social skills.

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dolomedes posted...

people have lost their dang minds

Yeah. I hated working in retail and tech support in the 2000s and 2010s, but... I couldn't imagine getting assaulted or shot just because I told someone they need to wear a mask in a store during a pandemic.

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markconigliaro posted...

All this to say that it can be stressful when you have to leave autopilot for something very complicated. And you might be one of those people who didn't get the half mayo like you wanted, so you go back and complain and they have to redo it, push the line back, and deal with angry customers. From my experience in fast food, the people with tons of modifications are the type of people who will come back to complain if it's not 100% correct.

I'm not an angry customer, I fully understand the autopilot taking over. If I'm staying in the store to eat, I'm going back every time though <_<

Honestly its ultimately Corporate's fault for having the base items be full of shit that I don't want. Fuck, you think they'd start barren and charge you extra for everything you ADD.

However, I can't say I'll apologize for going back. Take Taco Bell for example, their Jalapeno sauce does numbers on me and I don't like spicy things to begin with. Hell, even their Nacho Cheese can mess up my stomach. So with their new(returning?) Grilled Cheese Burrito if I don't remove the Jalapeno sauce and go easy on the Nacho Cheese sauce, it leads to a negative experience and association with the product. >_>

I'll never get angry or mad at the employees though. The only time I would is if I sent it back like three times and it's still fucked up, then I might be a little peeved

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Workers leave
Management pushes the remaining workers harder
More workers get burnt out and leave
Management pushes the remaining workers even harder

It seems like 90% of companies in America are going through this cycle currently. Incompetent management. I can believe customers have gotten ruder but management is doing nothing about it and making the problems worse when you have to wait in the drive thru line for 30 minutes.

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BilalPowell posted...

Customer's always right

Nope

Lol at blaming 'incompetent management '

Yeah thats why every single fucking place is going through this right now.

the world is changing son

No. Fucking. Shit that thats why people are leaving.

Retail / service sucks. It fucking sucks. You dont make nearly as much money as you should, its physically and mentally taxing, you have to deal with incompetent management and asshole customers.

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--Zero- posted...

Im sure customers havent changed (which is a big issue in customer service jobs) and its the younger generation who doesnt want to put up with it understandably.

The guy who gave the interview had twenty six years of fast food experience, so

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markconigliaro posted...

Every modification you make is another chance to get something wrong, either from the person taking the order or the person making the order, or even from the customer themselves where they think they said their 5th modification but they actually didn't. It's also going to be slower because rather than the person making the food as they do 100 times an hour, they have to memorize and double check all these modifications. If it's a busy day, they have to keep track of all your stuff along with everything else they're doing, so even more chances for mistakes.

All this to say that it can be stressful when you have to leave autopilot for something very complicated. And you might be one of those people who didn't get the half mayo like you wanted, so you go back and complain and they have to redo it, push the line back, and deal with angry customers. From my experience in fast food, the people with tons of modifications are the type of people who will come back to complain if it's not 100% correct.

It takes WAY longer to mark them so that the front of house gives it to the right person. When I worked in fast food, it would take a matter of seconds to write the order number on a sandwich and send it up front. When you had to circle the ketchup, X out the mustard, write H on the pickles (heavy), etc., it really added time to other peoples wait time. Especially when you have to do that for twenty sandwiches and it takes the ONE PERSON in the back almost fifteen seconds to individually label each order. It adds up.

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I think part of it is the shift in younger folks not even wanting real customer service vs older people demanding going above and beyond.

Most people 30 and younger would probably rather order on an app and just pick their shit up. The focus on respecting people's time and convenience is growing while it's shrinking for being treated like a prince. This is pissing off a lot of people. It's one of the aspects of hospitality that millennials are "killing". It'll probably get worse as market trends continue to change.

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markconigliaro posted...

Every modification you make is another chance to get something wrong, either from the person taking the order or the person making the order, or even from the customer themselves where they think they said their 5th modification but they actually didn't. It's also going to be slower because rather than the person making the food as they do 100 times an hour, they have to memorize and double check all these modifications. If it's a busy day, they have to keep track of all your stuff along with everything else they're doing, so even more chances for mistakes.

https://imgur.com/a/WddeefA

Dude it's not hard. You have to read the order regardless, "no ketchup, no mustard, add Mac sauce" should not be fucking overwhelming lol.

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Payzmaykr posted...

This shift in customers is in part thanks to the rapid advances in technology used by fast-food chains, like online ordering, and people becoming accustomed to being at home and having everything delivered, the worker said. Many customers are "starting to treat fast food as their personal catering service," the worker said, with extreme modifications to every item and no empathy or understanding for overwhelmed workers.

This...so much...people are abusing the shit out of the new modification.
Particularly Curbside pick up in retail.
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I want y'all to know that you guys are these customers. You just dunno it.

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You love to see it

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You can replace the word food with customer.

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PoundGarden posted...

https://imgur.com/a/WddeefA

Dude it's not hard. You have to read the order regardless, "no ketchup, no mustard, add Mac sauce" should not be fucking overwhelming lol.

I have two family members who work in food service. Fuck everyone and their picky ass custom orders. Gums up the works

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Jiek_Fafn posted...

I think part of it is the shift in younger folks not even wanting real customer service vs older people demanding going above and beyond.

You are probably correct there.
I will say, Younger people are infinitely more polite than boomers...in general.
Boomers are a million times more likely to be short, and dismissive in the very least...also they fucking love receipts. ~That's an aside.
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dolomedes posted...

if i have to special order a menu item, i don't want it.

Can I please have triple meat and every sauce on the menu? Make sure the sandwich isn't too messy or soggy or I'll have to ask you to remake it for me.

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hockeybub89 posted...

I have two family members who work in food service. Fuck everyone and their picky ass custom orders. Gums up the works

Sounds like the three of you would benefit from more training.

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One thing that is always ignored by management in these jobs is that there is more than customer service involved in the operation of stores and you can't run so lean that nothing else can get done. Employees can't clone themselves.

PoundGarden posted...

Sounds like the three of you would benefit from more training.

Sounds like customers could benefit from shutting the fuck up. And I would rather be unemployed than ever caught in a retail job again. Please don't talk about things you have no knowledge of.

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Payzmaykr posted...

extreme modifications to every item

fuck assholes that do this for fast food.

its a subway not some exquisite 5 star experience. just get the standard shit everyone else is. "oh but i wanted mustard on only 33.1% of the sub and didn't want olives touching the carrots ."

fuck off

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hockeybub89 posted...

I have two family members who work in food service. Fuck everyone and their picky ass custom orders. Gums up the works

Not my fault I can't stomach soggy ass Taco Bell lettuce that reeks coming out of the bag.

I'm a simple man, I want meat and cheese. Sorry that's too goddamned difficult for corporate to start with

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ThE CuStOmEr iS AlWaYs rIgHt

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dolomedes posted...

your customers treat you like you're below them, your bosses like to remind you that you're below them, and despite working 40+ hours a week you're actually below the poverty line

your customers? You mean our fellow proletariat? No its the rich that treat us like were below them. Its the yacht owners who come into McDonalds or CVS and demand to speak to managers to get workers fired. Eat the rich!

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Yep. Blame yourselves. Years upon years of Karens mistreating and s******* people just trying to get by and people have finally had enough.

This labor shortage is all the fault of cheap corporations refusing to pay a decent wage and smug customers being a** holes.


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dolomedes posted...

i'm not sure if you're trying to make a point or a joke

yacht owners don't speak to managers, their assistants do.

Its iPhone, he's being hyperbolic and making a joke

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ModLogic posted...

fuck assholes that do this for fast food.

its a subway not some exquisite 5 star experience. just get the standard shit everyone else is. "oh but i wanted mustard on only 33.1% of the sub and didn't want olives touching the carrots ."

fuck off

An exquisite 5 star restaurant would also tell you to shut the fuck up if you tried to make some goofy-ass custom order.

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