Oh, I know. I’ve ranted about this before. But after waiting behind some old man in the pharmacy drive-through for maybe six days? until I gave up, parked, and went inside, I decided to rant about it again.
Honest to boo, why is the concept of the drive-through so difficult for some people to comprehend? I don’t care if it’s a fast-food drive-through, the bank’s drive-through, or a bill-paying drive-through. Even those little islands at the post office where you drive up and drop your mail through the slot counts as a drive-through. And, every one of those drive-throughs has the same problem: some people don’t know how to use a drive-through.
Rule #1 – You are supposed to be ready before you pull up to the speaker. Sorry, kids, no changing-the-mind once the driver’s window is facing the speaker. Carved in stone. None of this pulling up to the speaker and THEN turning around to see what everybody wants. No, no, no, no, no. Period. Of course, if you’re the only car there, that’s different. It’s still rude, but at least you’re not trampling on anyone else’s time and patience. If you’re pulling up to the Post Office slot, don’t set the brake and commence writing checks and putting stamps on envelopes. Do that at home before you leave and have the whole pile ready to drop into the slot. Done right, you won’t even have to come to a full stop. The busy people behind you will love you. This holds true for the drive-in bank, too. Don’t pull up to the window and THEN start filling out deposit slips and signing checks. Do that before you leave the house, match everything together, and when you pull up to the window, smile at the harried teller who’s had to put up with all kinds of rude procrastinating customers today and hand her your completed bankwork. You’ll zip in and out in no time, and, again, the busy people behind you will try to describe you and your car to God when they’re at prayer that night, for extra blessings.
Rule #2 – No special orders at the drive-through window. They take longer and they hold up the line and that’s singularly unfair to the people behind you. If someone in your car must have mayonnaise and lettuce, hold the ketchup, you need to go inside. And if it’s rush hour, ie prime mealtime, you should just go home. A McDonald’s hamburger comes with certain things on it. If you don’t like McDonald’s hamburgers, go somewhere else. Or come back when there’s nobody in line.
Rule #3 – If it’s a work day for most people, and you’re off for whatever reason, don’t pile the kids in the van and go eat in a busy restaurant during prime lunch time. You’ve got all day, but the people behind you, frantically checking their watches, only have about twenty minutes. Step aside. If you’re not working that day, take the kids to lunch after prime lunch time is over. Working people with short lunch times will thank you, and what difference does it make if your kids’ nap and lunch time are a little weird a time or two a week? When I was home with my kids, I would NEVER have taken them to eat right when all the busy working people needed that time. I waited until after their rush was over. Inside or drive-through: let the people who have the least time go first.
Rule #4 – Don’t abuse the drive-through window. If you’re picking up prescription medicine at the pharmacy window, don’t ask the pharmacist to please run clear to the other side of the store and grab a gallon of 2% milk for you. Go inside.
Rule #5 – Most of these rules apply only to those busiest times of the day. If you’re pulling up to the drive-through at 2:30, a.m. or p.m., chances are there’s nobody waiting behind you. Do whatever you want.
Rule #6 – Because I said so. And, because it’s just basic human decency. Good manners. Etiquette. That’s why.
Rule #7 – If I’m in a drive-through line at 12:30 p.m., and that’s you in front of me with the four special burger orders, the Happy Meal Toy special requests, the french fries with no salt, and the chocolate shake split into five small cups, I probably loathe you. And rightfully so.
And now I’m hungry. It’s ten thirty p.m. so there probably won’t be a line. Not that it matters, because I NEVER go through the drive-through with a special order, even at ten thirty. The person behind me might really need to get somewhere.
As for the special orders, I do have one when we go to Burger King, but if it’s prime time I just suck it up.
These are such small things to make so many people happy. And if you’re sitting there reading this all in a huff and thinking, “WELL. I’ll have her know that a drive-through is there for MY convenience!” then you’re probably a person in need of some drive-through etiquette.
P.S. If you’re in Indiana, where people are still allowed to stink up the whole place and give innocent people lung cancer smoke in restaurants, have the decency to NOT plop your fine self down beside or near children and present yourself as a bad example of humanity where they have to breathe in your stench.
P.P.S. The old guy who had decided to pitch a tent and live at the drive-through window was STILL THERE when I was leaving the parking lot. He had waited until it was his turn and everybody was waiting for him, to hunt through his wallet and his pockets for all of his insurance cards, checkbook, discount tag, coupon, etc. And yes, it took him that long to locate everything. Was he a sweet old man who was just confused? No. He was a rude beast. He should have been ready before he pulled up to the window, and when he realized he was going to be a while, he should have gone inside.
I work in a drive through, and this is the number one thing I want customers to know: being courteous and respectful at the window more than compensates for anything you may have done “wrong” while ordering. Most customers don’t know that certain shake flavors take twice as long to mix, or that I have to walk to the other side of the store to get the chocolate ice cream. If you smile and thank me, I know you didn’t mean to add to my stress, and I know you’re satisfied with the service we gave you. I really don’t even mind if you occasionally have to change your order at the window, as long as you apologize or ask “Is that okay?”
All I ask is that you offer me the same benefit of the doubt. I’m doing my best and I sincerely care about the quality of your drive through experience, so please don’t yell at me if I mess something up–or especially if something went wrong that’s beyond my control. If something is wrong, please do tell me so I can fix it. Just please do it kindly and realize that I’m not careless, I’m multi-tasking.
Also: When a customer pauses while ordering, I make a point of trying to guess from their voice inflection whether they’re done ordering or not and respond accordingly. If I ask you “Will that be all?” and you’re not done, I’m not being rude and trying to hurry you along. If I say “Anything else?” and you are done, I’m not trying to up-sell. (Really, I’m not.) It just means I guessed wrong.
Hi, I found your blog, and find it extremely accurate.
I work for a fast food place, and I can’t believe the crap I see.
In fact, just yesterday, this guy ordered two coffees, and asked for them in a tray, even though I could clearly see that he had two cup holders, with an empty cup in it, and THREE passengers. Then he proceeds to hand me the empty cup and asked me to throw it out for him. I looked at him, and said, “Sorry, I can’t. Store policy.” He proceeded to complain about not being able to take his cup and drove off. All I could do was stand there with my mouth open going, “You just passed TWO garbages on your way to the window!”
I completely agree with the drive – through comments. Plus, the drive through workers have a timer. If your piddling around makes their average time go up, they get fussed at by the supervisor. Because someone mistakes DRIVE-through for PARK HERE. Duh.
. . . the smoking one. . . I agree that us smokers should be considerate of the people around us. I always try to be. But please don’t come sit down at the table next to me in the smoking section (ashtrays on the tables, get a clue) and then gripe about the smell/smoke/your allergies, etc. We can’t smoke in restaurants in my state anymore but I had this happen more tiems than I can count.
I just came from a fast-food drive-through, and the person in line in front of me decided he needed to back up so he could get out of line. Is there a rule about that? (I thought we had plenty of rules, but maybe we need just one more, huh?)
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I have five kids in the car so I use a lot of drive-throughs, and I so agree with you. In fact, I knew you and I would get along as soon as I saw you spelled it “drive-through.”
I used to work in a pharmacy with a drive-through, and it is the stupidest idea ever. You have to yell extremely personal information through a LOUDSPEAKER. And people would get impatient if we had to ask them all the same health/insurance questions that we had to ask at the counter: they were thinking the drive-through meant SPEED, but for pharmacies it means “so extremely ill/handicapped people don’t have to walk painfully into the store.”
Mamacita,
I do not approve of human cloning, but for you I make an exception. Keep spreading the common sense.
Amen sister!!!
I cannot stand it when people are not prepared.
The other day I was in line at the grocery store and guy paying forgot something and ran all the way to the back of the store to get it, while the rest of us waited. Rather than just paying…and going back and getting it and NOT HOLDING EVERYONE ELSE UP.
Oh another thing…..I was boarding a flight last week…they called all priority passangers (which on this airline you pay extra for it)one of the first people who tried to go thru was not priority so he just stood there! He stood there while we all had to go around him with our bags and everything. I told him…you know you should really be courteous and step to the side because there are about a hundred people trying to get around you to board….I know he was pissed…but geez….talk about rude!
Ok…I feel better now…..thank you…
I’m really only guilty of the special order in the drive through. However, my special order is only for the sandwich and it has to be plain. Just cheese if it comes with it. Since it actually takes less time to make my special request (meat, cheese, bun, done) I never even think about it. If there is ever more than 2 people in the car we go inside. I never use a drive through anywhere but at a fast food place.
Is it sad that I get annoyed when I’m standing behind someone in a store and they write a check?
One rule that I would add: If you’ve just paid for you items don’t take the next 5 minutes to put everything back in your wallet/purse according to size and color. Can’t you tell that everyone behind you is praying for you immediate demise?
I’m really only guilty of the special order in the drive through. However, my special order is only for the sandwich and it has to be plain. Just cheese if it comes with it. Since it actually takes less time to make my special request (meat, cheese, bun, done) I never even think about it. If there is ever more than 2 people in the car we go inside. I never use a drive through anywhere but at a fast food place.
Is it sad that I get annoyed when I’m standing behind someone in a store and they write a check?
One rule that I would add: If you’ve just paid for you items don’t take the next 5 minutes to put everything back in your wallet/purse according to size and color. Can’t you tell that everyone behind you is praying for you immediate demise?
I avoid drive ins. I find I always get better, faster service when I walk in. Its also nice for the human connection. Either sit in the car with the air conditioning in overdrive for five minutes, or go inside talk to the nice teller who asks me how my daughter is doing.
Plus it saves gas.
the local pharmacy will let people use the drive-by window to drop off a prescription and WAIT WHILE IT IS FILLED. Oh. mein. gott.
my other pet peeve was listed in a comment above – what’s with all of the space between the cars in line? is there some new urban myth about not pulling up directly behind the car in front of you?
I’ve never been to a pharmacy with a drive-through…but, really, why would anyone ask the person inside the store to go get milk? Or anything else? It kind of boggles the mind to think anyone would remotely find that acceptable.
I don’t like drive-throughs anyway. I prefer to go inside where I can stare daggers into the back of someone’s head and pretend it’s going to explode. Because some people really do need imaginary head exploding…
I’ve never been to a pharmacy with a drive-through…but, really, why would anyone ask the person inside the store to go get milk? Or anything else? It kind of boggles the mind to think anyone would remotely find that acceptable.
I don’t like drive-throughs anyway. I prefer to go inside where I can stare daggers into the back of someone’s head and pretend it’s going to explode. Because some people really do need imaginary head exploding…
Of course, what really burns my buns is the fact that so many of the fast food places nowadays don’t even let you see the menu board until it’s time for you to place your order. Come on, let me look and decide exactly what I want before it’s my turn. You’d think these fast food joints were trying to slow up the drive-through.
Having just finished working at a fast food place, I would 100% agree with your comments. We are located near a Navy base, so lunch consisted mostly of navy personnel on a short lunch break. They knew what they wanted to order, and payed quickly, so as to get back to work, or risk being in BIG trouble. The worst was when people would come in through the drive-through and order a special salad — they are already pre-made, and to “take off” certain things meant to remake the salad. Ugh.
Not only is it frustrating for the people who are waiting, and are on a SHORT time allowance, but it is frustrating for the workers at said restaurant because then they are slowed down, and then have to deal with the other frustrated customers.
If you have a special order, please go inside! If you have a large order, please go inside. It is just more considerate.
Guilty as charged–but please hear me out. In my experience, at the busy hour most McDonald’s have extra staff and are making things so quickly that a minor “special” order (no catsup or no mayo) doesn’t cost any time. By the time I’ve paid, the food is usually ready. But then, my orders are small. Large orders, special or no, do tend to delay things.
There’s another important piece of etiquette: drive as far forward as you can. While you leave fifteen feet between you and the car at the payment window, there’s somebody behind you who can’t place his order; that order will be delayed. PULL AS FAR FORWARD AS YOU CAN, AS SOON AS YOU CAN. On those right-angle turns, pull straight as far as you can before you turn to let the people behind you get up to the ordering point.
At least as bad are the people who sit in line for two minutes at a toll booth and don’t get their money out until they are facing the toll collector. Or worse, people who are on a toll-ticket road (NJ Turnpike, NYState Thruway, Pennsylvania Turnpike, Mass Pike, etc.) who wait until they get to the toll window to ask the collector what the toll is, having never even looked at the ticket (and possibly lost it in the car, forcing them to put the car in Park and search for it before they begin the expedition to find their wallet in their purse).
Car makers don’t help; some otherwise nice Chevys have the overhead light placed so far forward that it can’t illuminate anything closer than the steering wheel. Since the print on the ticket is small, you have to hold it close to read it. But if you hold it close, you have no light on it. (Yes, I have EZ-Pass–the NE US’s electronic toll tag–but sometimes I forget to take it when I have a renter.)
Guilty as charged–but please hear me out. In my experience, at the busy hour most McDonald’s have extra staff and are making things so quickly that a minor “special” order (no catsup or no mayo) doesn’t cost any time. By the time I’ve paid, the food is usually ready. But then, my orders are small. Large orders, special or no, do tend to delay things.
There’s another important piece of etiquette: drive as far forward as you can. While you leave fifteen feet between you and the car at the payment window, there’s somebody behind you who can’t place his order; that order will be delayed. PULL AS FAR FORWARD AS YOU CAN, AS SOON AS YOU CAN. On those right-angle turns, pull straight as far as you can before you turn to let the people behind you get up to the ordering point.
At least as bad are the people who sit in line for two minutes at a toll booth and don’t get their money out until they are facing the toll collector. Or worse, people who are on a toll-ticket road (NJ Turnpike, NYState Thruway, Pennsylvania Turnpike, Mass Pike, etc.) who wait until they get to the toll window to ask the collector what the toll is, having never even looked at the ticket (and possibly lost it in the car, forcing them to put the car in Park and search for it before they begin the expedition to find their wallet in their purse).
Car makers don’t help; some otherwise nice Chevys have the overhead light placed so far forward that it can’t illuminate anything closer than the steering wheel. Since the print on the ticket is small, you have to hold it close to read it. But if you hold it close, you have no light on it. (Yes, I have EZ-Pass–the NE US’s electronic toll tag–but sometimes I forget to take it when I have a renter.)
There have been so many times when I’ve pulled up to the ATM, realized that I wasn’t ready and just pulled through so the people behind me could go while I found what I needed (EVERYTHING I need is at the bottom of the diaper bag!) It’s really not that hard a thing to do.
There have been so many times when I’ve pulled up to the ATM, realized that I wasn’t ready and just pulled through so the people behind me could go while I found what I needed (EVERYTHING I need is at the bottom of the diaper bag!) It’s really not that hard a thing to do.
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