I totally agree with not defending bad service, however i also agree with you thoughts on our attitudes as customers. Its really not hard to be patient,smile and have afew kind words.I wonder how many of us stop and give a thought to how we speak to these young people. Would we like our own child spoken to the way we chose to speak to these young people???? Maybe next time we have a problem or a complaint with the service we could stop and think how we would speak to our own child before we treat the over worked and under paid young person behind the counter like garbage!!!!!!

Just a thought!!!!!!

Posted 7 Aug 2008 by fairyfloss

I completely agree.. I am 17 and work in a fast food restuarant. I work between 20 - 25hrs a week on top of trying to get through uni full time. I'm a generally happy person and try my best to be polite and cheerful, but having worked there for nearly two years, I am finding it increasingly difficult to stay that way after an 8hour shift, when I haven't had time to have my break, I know I won't get out on time, won't be paid overtime,have an assignment to do when I get home, and a customer is completely rude and horrible to me.
Treat us with some decencey and the majority of people in customer service will really try hard to get your order right and be as polite and kind as possible.
Oh, and also try to remember that most places that serve food have a set amount of ingredients, etc, that are to go with what the customer is paying for. So when asking for extra of this and extra of that
- expect to pay more! Maybe what we're selling is a little overpriced, but I'm not going to risk getting fired for wasteage of food for the sake of your dinner. That's a fact.
Just because we're behind a counter doesn't mean we're not human.

Posted 9 Aug 2008 by Offred

someone who can tell it like it is.. there is bad customer service out there, but there is also BAD CUSTOMERS! Patience is not hard. and it seems many people lack the ability to be patient and this becomes the cause of soooo many complaints.

Posted 13 Aug 2008 by originallyme

I am 24 & work in the fast food industry, I was completely disgusted with some of the customers we had the other day being rude & masty 2 a person training, I mean HELLLOOOO her name tag said training so obviously she's gonna be slow or get things wrong it's all part of training & learning new jobs. Just think back 2 when u first started ur job, how hard it was & how overwhelming it can be. And would it hurt 2 praise some1 who is training or even give them advice so they can learn from it.
Not 2 mention on the same day i had a customer rude 2 me coz i served some1 behind her instaed of her so she went off her head at me, it's not like i have millions of eyes 2 see who was next.
Also think about the person behind the counter, if they don't seem happy or whatever try 2 cheer them up 4 all u know they cud of had a family tradgy & the last thing they need is customers going off at them!

Posted 15 Aug 2008 by kat83

You have a job you are paid to do... do it.
I have my dream job but trust me the money isn't any good.
but that doesnt' mean i just half ass do the job.

the people with the hard jobs are the police, emergancy services etc,

It doesn't mean i get to be rude to people all day even if they are rude to me, because i'm getting paid to represent a company.
And at the end of the day no matter how much you want them to people just don't care how you're feeling.

I used to work in fast food for 5 years all through high school and fulltime for almost a year out of high school and i hated it. Some days i was working 9am till 3am the next morning with no breaks, but i was never rude even though i was a supervisor and had to cope all the customer complaints etc.

i say suck it up life is tough, your paid to be a happy and positive person at work, so just do it. i work 6-7 days a week in my dream job, my boyrfriend only has to work 4 days a week in his fulltime job yet he makes almost 2 times the amount of money that i do... go figure?

Posted 17 Aug 2008 by rikstah

I think this blog has taken a turn for the worst... rikstah, your so positive 'suck it up' response sounds a little bitter to me. No one has implied people in hospitality are harder done by than the emergency services. The idea was that a little understanding on all sides can make service easy and enjoyable for all. Let's just hope when I buy a chain of family restaurants I can clone you instead of hiring the other mere humans who might have some issues with being treated like dirt...

Posted 19 Aug 2008 by LouieJean

I think you may have missed a few points in stating your arguments.
Those of us working in hospitality and fast food generally ARE NOT in our dream job, unlike your lucky self.
From my boss's point of view (I don't know if this is universal, or just the few boss's I have encountered) I am not paid to be polite or kind, I am paid to make them as much money as possible. Business owners tend not to care as long as the cash is coming in. I am paid to clean and make food, not to be your punching bag. There's a big difference, which I think many people in Townsville would do well to consider.

Posted 23 Aug 2008 by Offred

I also work in the hospitatlity industry and yes, after a full day at uni, working an 8 hour shift until midnight, only to get up in the morning and do it all again doesnt make me the happiest chappy. But, when I am at work I am there to do a job. I am there to give 110% to my job. I do exactly what I am required to do and do that little bit extra to make my customers feel as though their patronage is the most important patronage to our company.

I admit I have had numerous unhappy customers who frankly, I dont enjoy dealing with, but its not my job to deal with them, I simply call a manager and the manager deals with it.

The thing is, when I have been doing these kind of shifts and I go through the drive through to get a coke, because well it is 12.30am and the restraunt isnt open, I speak to a person, ask for a large coke, pay for a large coke, get to the last window and get a large chocolate thickshake, point this out to the young attendant, and ask for my large coke, which they look at their screen and see they have made a mistake, but I still get a dirty look for asking for my correct order, Im sorry, but I dont need that.

I understand exactly what they are going through, because I am in the same position, but when I make a mistake at least I have the graciousness not to blame the customer....

Posted 23 Aug 2008 by lou86

I agree totally with 'just do your job'
We all have bad experiences, but not with everyone, we all have bad days, but not every day.
If you hate going to work to face the general public yet again, then that's how your day is going to work out.

If you decide your having a good day you will handle it a lot better than going to war every day.
Its just a job that your doing now, its not for ever, just a stepping stone, remember it when you get crappy service years from now and say
'I did this job once and I did it better and I expect better now'

Posted 23 Aug 2008 by userpays

If you don't like your job DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I have been in hospitality for 15 years. I have had some awful customers but remember "the customer is ALWAYS right" even if they are wrong. I make the effort also (when I am a customer) to say hello and ask how his/her day is at work, I also tell them to have a nice day. I treat them how I like to be treated and how I would like my kids to be treated. Do not use "long days, bad pay" etc as an excuse to treat customers like poop though. You are paid to keep the customer happy. If you can not do it then get your boss to do it.

Posted 25 Aug 2008 by Reece