When supposedly "fast" things aren't fast: A Vent

[Rora]

Now, maybe I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed today-- it wouldn't be the first time -- but today just hasn't been my day. A reoccuring theme has been trying to do something "fast" but it actually turns out taking longer than the previously mentioned "fast".

Example one: hit the grocery store this morning for some much needed orange juice.. I love my orange juice. I pick up my juice and head to the Express/ 10 items or less lane where I proceed to wait about 10 minutes. Seriously. Our cashier didn't seem to really care.

Example two: we went to Wendy's for some quick lunch.. you know, since it's Fast Food.. well, we waited in line for 20 minutes to place our order. It took another 10 minutes for us to be called to pick up our food. I timed it.

Example three: DH and I head to Jared's to look at replacing my wedding band (I lost it-- that's a whole other story). The very sweet sales associate wanted to show us a "5 minute" presentation about diamonds. We agreed, because she "promised promised promised" it would "really only take 5 minutes". It was a whopping 30 minute presentation. We shouldn't have been so polite and just said we wanted to see the wedding bands.

Maybe I'm moving too fast today? I'm sorry for whining. Really. I know I sound like a grumpy old grandma. I'm not usually this upsettable and quite patient. Anyone else experience slooowww service when it's supposed to be quick?

Vent over.

 

[Christine]

I've certainly had those days.

Today was the day that, apparently, no one can understand me.

First, I was in Chipotle for lunch. Here's how it went:

CLERK: Can I help you
ME: Yes, I'd like a fajita burrito with pork.
CLERK: Okay, what kind of meat you want?
ME: Pork
Clerk proceeds to steam tortilla and add rice...
CLERK: Pointing to peppers and onions... You want?
ME: Yes.
CLERK now dipping into chicken to put it on my burrito..
ME. No, no, I said PORK!!!
CLERK: Oh, sorry.

Then later at the grocery store deli counter:

ME: I'd like a 1/2 pound of Boars Head Buffalo Chicken Breast
CLERK: Okay Buffalo Chicken Breast?
ME: Yes.
CLERK goes to get meat, unwraps, starts slicing.
CLERK: How much did you say you wanted? 1/2 lb or 1 lb.
ME: 1/2 lb.
CLERK: Piles 1 lb of meat on the scale and wraps it up.


It's like they are all walking around on valium or something.

 

[dodukes]

Dont get me started on the "fast food" place by my house. If there's more than 3 cars in the drive through its a minimum 20 minute wait. I swear one day I was there more than 40minutes and I was the 4th car in line.
The other night we were there for half hour or so and we pulled up to the car behind the speaker. IT IS THAT SLOW!!!

I feel like complaining to management but no good will come so I just drive elsewhere to avoid the frustration! lol

 

[Luv Bunnies]

If you hate slow express lines, you're not going to believe this one! I used to shop at a local store that is part of a huge national chain. I prefer to do one big shopping trip each week so I rarely use the express lane. One day, I noticed that this particular store had only the 3 express lanes open and no regular lanes. I asked a checker if they would be opening up a regular lane and she said, "No, our new policy is only to have express lanes open most of the time." So, with my cart piled high, I said, "But I have way more than 15 items." She said, "It's OK. Our new policy allows you to go into any lane." Huh? So I got into an express lane with my full cart and proceeded to receive all kind of stares and even a few comments from the people who got in line behind me. I politely explained that I had been told to go in that lane and that no other lanes were open.

When it was my turn, I asked the checker why they were doing this. He said they did research that showed if they mixed the big orders with the smaller ones, each checker could process more customers per hour because no one was getting hung up taking just large orders. OK, then I asked why they didn't just take down the express lane signs because technically these are no longer express lanes. He just shrugged.

The next week, I got more stares and people were starting to be rude to me for being in that line. I had to keep explaining why I was there and being made to feel like the bad guy. I asked for the manager when it was my turn and explained that I was being made to feel bad for spending my money there. He just said, "Well, that's our new policy." I said I wouldn't be shopping there anymore because I didn't think it was fair to force me to use the express lane and anger the people behind me. I even wrote a letter to the general manager explaining how much trouble it causes to force everyone to use a line labeled "express" regardless of how many things they have. I explained that I routinely spent $500 a month at the store and I wouldn't be shopping there anymore. I now go to a different store that has self-checkout for small orders. All the other lines are for anyone to use. I still don't get the policy of the other store but at least I don't have to worry about it anymore!

 

[SandrA9810]

It's kinda like the saying "if it's designed to be idiot proof, you'll only find an idiot using it."

 

[Promomx2]

And usually after you wait forever at the "fast food" places, you get behind a person going toooo slow in the fast lane or little cars that can't stay in their lanes. I drive a expedition and have no problem keeping it between the lines.

 

[Pumbaa_]

I've certainly had those days.

Today was the day that, apparently, no one can understand me.

Then later at the grocery store deli counter:

ME: I'd like a 1/2 pound of Boars Head Buffalo Chicken Breast
CLERK: Okay Buffalo Chicken Breast?
ME: Yes.
CLERK goes to get meat, unwraps, starts slicing.
CLERK: How much did you say you wanted? 1/2 lb or 1 lb.
ME: 1/2 lb.
CLERK: Piles 1 lb of meat on the scale and wraps it up.


It's like they are all walking around on valium or something.

That's how I got a lb of american cheese in the frig! I asked for half a pound, she hands me a full pound. Not worth dealing with but I feel your pain!

 

[Imzadi]

I've certainly had those days.

Today was the day that, apparently, no one can understand me.

First, I was in Chipotle for lunch. Here's how it went:

CLERK: Can I help you
ME: Yes, I'd like a fajita burrito with pork.
CLERK: Okay, what kind of meat you want?
ME: Pork
Clerk proceeds to steam tortilla and add rice...
CLERK: Pointing to peppers and onions... You want?
ME: Yes.
CLERK now dipping into chicken to put it on my burrito..
ME. No, no, I said PORK!!!
CLERK: Oh, sorry.

Then later at the grocery store deli counter:

ME: I'd like a 1/2 pound of Boars Head Buffalo Chicken Breast
CLERK: Okay Buffalo Chicken Breast?
ME: Yes.
CLERK goes to get meat, unwraps, starts slicing.
CLERK: How much did you say you wanted? 1/2 lb or 1 lb.
ME: 1/2 lb.
CLERK: Piles 1 lb of meat on the scale and wraps it up.


It's like they are all walking around on valium or something.

Ah, yes. You've had the same clerks.

Me in Subway: I'd like a foot-long meatball on whole wheat.
Clerk: What kind of bread?
Me: Whole wheat. A foot-long meatball on whole wheat.
Clerk: How long? Footlong or 6"?
Me: A foot-long meatball on whole wheat.
Clerk: What kind of meat again?

It's only three ingredients. I stated it three times already!

 

[mrsv98]

Ah, yes. You've had the same clerks.

Me in Subway: I'd like a foot-long meatball on whole wheat.
Clerk: What kind of bread?
Me: Whole wheat. A foot-long meatball on whole wheat.
Clerk: How long? Footlong or 6"?
Me: A foot-long meatball on whole wheat.
Clerk: What kind of meat again?

It's only three ingredients. I stated it three times already!

I have this issue when I take DD to Subway. The strange kid only like turkey on white, nothing else so our conversations go like this:

Me or DD: I would like a 6" turkey on Italian
Clerk: Want cheese?
DD: No thank you just plains turkey on Italian.
Clerk: ok, mayo?
DD: no thank you, just the turkey
Clerk: What else do you want on it?
DD: Nothing thanks, just plain

What part of plain do you not understand!

 

[pixiewings71]

I have this issue when I take DD to Subway. The strange kid only like turkey on white, nothing else so our conversations go like this:

Me or DD: I would like a 6" turkey on Italian
Clerk: Want cheese?
DD: No thank you just plains turkey on Italian.
Clerk: ok, mayo?
DD: no thank you, just the turkey
Clerk: What else do you want on it?
DD: Nothing thanks, just plain

What part of plain do you not understand!

OMG it's just like our Subway...LOL DD's don't like mayo or mustard (I don't get my sandwiches with mayo either and mustard only if I'm having pastrami) so they order their sandwich and always get that question "no mayo or mustard" with a really confused look...no really, not everyone likes mayo or mustard....lol

 

[dakcp2001]

We just moved from the North to the South and let me tell you the pace difference is going to be an adjustment!!! Nothing is fast here! In the area I grew up, everything is hustle- take out, coffee, stores etc etc etc. People move fast, are always in a hurry, and never speak to one another. HERE on the other hand, people move a little slower, but they say hello and chat which I think is lovely! Drives DF nuts though, he is going to lose it soon I think. I have been enjoying the charm & hospitality and the fact that people dont try to step right on you to get where they are going.

Life moves fast, sometimes you need to take a deep breath and slow down to enjoy it.

 

[scbelleatheart]

I ordered a plain chicken sandwich at Burger King. Got it home and all I got was the bun, no meat.

 

[Imzadi]

We just moved from the North to the South and let me tell you the pace difference is going to be an adjustment!!! Nothing is fast here! In the area I grew up, everything is hustle- take out, coffee, stores etc etc etc. People move fast, are always in a hurry, and never speak to one another. HERE on the other hand, people move a little slower, but they say hello and chat which I think is lovely! Drives DF nuts though, he is going to lose it soon I think. I have been enjoying the charm & hospitality and the fact that people dont try to step right on you to get where they are going.

Life moves fast, sometimes you need to take a deep breath and slow down to enjoy it.

I have that problem too when I leave the city of, "in a NY minute. I don't mind them being polite and chatty, but can they scan the items AND talk at the SAME time? Some of them wave their hands anyways when they talk. It's not asking much of them to wave an item in front of a scanner.

Then you get the people who have to stop dead, in order to talk back to you. Umm, it's nice chatting with you, but I'm actually in here to SHOP! Please finish my transaction.


One time, I stopped in at this little deli for a cup of coffee. I thought deli = quick. Well, they didn't have ANY coffee made. So I had to wait for them to brew a FULL pot, just for one tiny cup of coffee.

I'm talking like 15 minutes, because she had to wash out the pot, then find scissors to cut the coffee bag, then change the filter, then I had to watch a full pot brew.


Another time, four of us were catering a posh, party in a private home in the sticks of rural NJ. We end up at this little country store, like in Mayberry, (the old TV show.) We need to eat before we arrive at the party. So we order sandwiches. That deli counter didn't have a meat slicing machine. So the guy had to individually handcut each slice of meat. The FIRST waiter who ordered, ended up finishing his whole sandwich, including drink & a bag of chips, before the last guy even got his.

 

[matthew&haleysmom]

I ordered a plain chicken sandwich at Burger King. Got it home and all I got was the bun, no meat.

I thought stuff like this only happened to me!

 

[Imzadi]

I ordered a plain chicken sandwich at Burger King. Got it home and all I got was the bun, no meat.

I thought stuff like this only happened to me!

BK stopped advertising long ago that "You can have it your way," as probably they realized they were hiring people who really couldn't handle that.

 

[FayeW]

Yesterday I was getting ready to mail some cheques to pay a couple of bills. I didn't have my statements with me, so I called the company and said "I am mailing a cheque to pay out my account, and I can't find my statement. Can you give me my account number so I can write it on the cheque?"

The sales representative proceded to go through 5 minutes of verification (name, address, phone number, birthday, etc) to confirm my identity....and then said she couldn't give me the account number over the phone! I asked her why she went through the verification process when I told her at the beginning of the call that I wanted my account number, and she said "I have to the account before I can give you any information". I asked her if she could give out some account numbers over the phone, just not mine, and she said , no, that she couldn't give out any account numbers. I asked her why she didn't tell me that 5 minutes ago when I told her I was calling to get the account number, and she told me to "have a nice day, ma'am" and hung up on me. I was so ticked off!

 

[scbelleatheart]

BIL moved south from the north and had to take a CPR class for work. He said the person would have died if everyone counted as slow as them. One thousand one........one thousand two........one thousand three....... He was so funny telling it in a southern drawl and DH speaks Southernese (Buffett) but even he laughed.

 

[JodiR]

Today at Burger King I went through the drive through. One item was going to take a little longer so they asked me to back up and then move forward again. This was to reset the drive through timer.

I got to thinking... this is so corporate thinks they are actually serving people faster. I should have stayed put.

 

[hereyago]

I ordered a plain chicken sandwich at Burger King. Got it home and all I got was the bun, no meat.

People do not understand what plain means do they? I will order a plain hamburger. They will ask, "do you want cheese with that" after I say" plain nothing but the hamburger and the bun, please". No cheese would make it a cheeseburger you crack pot.

And one time some yahoo at Sonic decided to be cute and do what the person at BK did to you. I was not amused. SHe was like" you said nothing but the hamburger and the bun"> but there wasn't any hamburger.

 

[hereyago]

Or Express lane at grocery store:
I will say something if the cashier won't about too many items.
And sometimes newer employees will be acting like they are in slow motion working the express lane.

Or stupid people in the express lane want to debate about a sale, don't get buy it then or take it to customer service, you are in the Express lane which means fast. Vent over.