Here are my Quick Serve Tips, to help make the process easier

[Patches Lee]

I'm slightly surprised they don't have a paper list and pencils at the line entrance of menu items. Ppl could simply use a pencil and write the qty of items. Others may be able to remember a long list of orders, but I still write down McDonald's orders for 3 of us for drive though. Think about it, is the whole family going to stand quietly in line and not distract the person trying to remember what everyone wants the entire time?

 

[DumboDash2006]

<> Be ready for one person to place your whole order for the whole family or group if you are paying for everything at once, example - we would like 2 shrimp and fish platters, and 1 chicken pot pie, and 2 side orders of hush-puppies - 2 kids chicken nuggets and fish meals with milk, 1- kids mac and cheese with water, and 3 cokes... not everyone chiming in at once, and confusing the CM...

I agree with most of these, but this one especially. I hate it when we go through a fast food drive thru window and my husband is ordering. He knows what we want, but he looks over the menu for his order and trying to get the best deal. He'll order a #1 combo but not say what kind of drink. And then he'll hurry on and say something else. Then he'll go back and order another #1 combo etc. He's all over the place. I'm always telling him to do it differently but he doesn't. It makes me crazy and confuses the person taking the order.

 

[Disneylvr1971]

Was a Pecos Bills. Young couple ahead of us "canoodling" in line. We had already been in line for about 10 min it was packed. They get up to the counter. No idea what they want to order (obviously couldn't take the time to look up at the menu). Then finally go to pay and spent literally another 5 min arguing about who was going to pay and how they were going to pay. We get up to order (I quickly ordered for 4 people) CM looks at me as I already have my gift card ready and replies "Thank you for being ready".

 

[NYCgrrl]

I'm slightly surprised they don't have a paper list and pencils at the line entrance of menu items. Ppl could simply use a pencil and write the qty of items. Others may be able to remember a long list of orders, but I still write down McDonald's orders for 3 of us for drive though. Think about it, is the whole family going to stand quietly in line and not distract the person trying to remember what everyone wants the entire time?

Most people have smart phones nowadays so it's easy enough to write up your party's order in "Notes" or Reminders". The one time we ate at Pecos Bill I took the order while the rest of the party searched for a table and went to the condiment station. Thank goodness I've drilled into my kiddos that when we eat at a QS they need napkins galore; grimy surfaces that few guests have the grace to clean up behind themselves. I don't understand the mindset that allows you to eat and walk away with your leavings on the table but the world is what it is.

 

[Hopefully]

Don’t run with scissors.
Don’t eat yellow snow....
I never thought anyone needed direction on how to order food.
We just got in line order, get food and eat.
Sadly there is folks out there that don’t have enough common sense to do that.

Yellow snow? Gross, rude and unnecessary

 

[Nancyg56]

I have a friend that she swears that she says she is the line killer, we were at the outlet mall one day, and it seem like every time she was trying to check-out the register either died or the scanner would not function properly, or ran out of tape or something... It made me laugh that you said "line Killer" those are the words she uses for her "super power" to make the register not work, she laughs and says that her husband calls ahead to the stores so she can't buy anything...

LOL!!! Yes, this is me.

But having mom say......cheeseburger with fries and coke, kid says chicken nuggets, grapes and water.....etc and then mom pays is one thing. It is way different then mom saying Susie do you want chicken nuggets or PB&J sandwich, do you want grapes or apples, do you want juice or water, then turns to CM and says she'll have nuggets, grapes and water.....

At that point I just figure it is my line killer power at work. Honestly, I usually do not get impatient in lines because it just makes things worse. I will lose my mind if I am in any establishment with screaming kids, arguing adults, or hooligans. I have been stuck in a store and can hear a kid screaming for what seems to be days, or behind a bickering couple (honestly, it is worse than the ones who think its cute to be all over each other) and have had to endure three kids fighting over one toy. I'll take the indecisive folks any day.

 

[B-Ride]

Good tips in general.

The only tip I would add is that mobile ordering is great. It is especially great if you have a larger party. It works best if you don't need a lot of substitutions.

Agree 100%. If mobile ordering is available nothing beats it. On our last trip we watched people stand in a massive queue while we picked up our orders with almost no wait.

 

[LovesTimone]

But having mom say......cheeseburger with fries and coke, kid says chicken nuggets, grapes and water.....etc and then mom pays is one thing. It is way different then mom saying Susie do you want chicken nuggets or PB&J sandwich, do you want grapes or apples, do you want juice or water, then turns to CM and says she'll have nuggets, grapes and water.....

OP here;
This is what I am talking about... then the discussion or debate set in... Little Susie want fries, and mom is well you know that fries are not good for you, or not the healthy choice or whatever... Mom is still pushing the grapes ...lets go with the grapes, No say Susie and I want fries... so after a few minutes mom goes with the fries, Now Susie what do you want to drink... Susie wants Soda, Coke, Sprite everything but the juice or milk mom is wanting her to have...then the debate about the choice start all over again... Now it brother Jack's turn... I want fries Susie got fries... and on and on the wheel turns... Then the mom says where is your father I don't know what he wants or where he went and he has the credit card, or money... Mom says Susie go find your Dad... and on and on the wheel turns...

This is the kinda stuff that should be sorta out before you get to the podium to order...

 

[jo-jo]

OP here;
This is what I am talking about... then the discussion or debate set in... Little Susie want fries, and mom is well you know that fries are not good for you, or not the healthy choice or whatever... Mom is still pushing the grapes ...lets go with the grapes, No say Susie and I want fries... so after a few minutes mom goes with the fries, Now Susie what do you want to drink... Susie wants Soda, Coke, Sprite everything but the juice or milk mom is wanting her to have...then the debate about the choice start all over again... Now it brother Jack's turn... I want fries Susie got fries... and on and on the wheel turns... Then the mom says where is your father I don't know what he wants or where he went and he has the credit card, or money... Mom says Susie go find your Dad... and on and on the wheel turns...

This is the kinda stuff that should be sorta out before you get to the podium to order...

Meanwhile, you're next in line and thinking "my fast pass window starts in 10 mins, I hope I'm still not in this line when it expires". LOL

 

[Jennasis]

Mobile order. Best invention ever.

 

[FCDub]

I understand being frustrated but dang, this is trivial to let linger and make a big post about.