the real problem with america
It is a scene repeated in Subway shops all over this great country of ours a million times a day, and it happened to me again last night.
“Do you want everything on it?” the pimply youth behind the counter asked me. Remember, he has the sandwichin front of him, already meated and cheesed by the previous person in the Darwin chain.
“Everything but green peppers, and I would like jalapenos, please” is my reply.
I plan on watching him like a hawk because I just know he is going to get it wrong, but the woman at the cash register gives me the total and I look away just long enough to hand her my cash. Glancing back at genius boy, I see him just finishing a layer of green peppers on my sandwich.
“No, I didn’t want green peppers” I say.
He looks up at me like I am kind of a dick, takes SOME of them off and begins wrapping up the sandwich.
“Ummm…I also wanted jalapenos.”
Do I expect too much?
Am I an asshole for thinking a non-mentally retarded person should be able to accomplish the simple task of remembering what toppings I want on my sandwich for about 30 seconds?
Seriously, why even ask me what I want on it? Why must we do the dance, time and time again?
How about just putting up a sign saying “These are the toppings we use. Pick them off if you don’t like them” because that is exactly what we are going to have to do anyway.
February 28th, 2003 10:09
I actually don’t use the drive through at a couple places around here because I always end up going back in to get things corrected. You would think they would eventually figure it out.
February 28th, 2003 16:14
At $6.00/hour I wouldn’t give a shit about your F-in sandwich either beeotch. You’ll take what I give you, and if you bitch at me for it, that’s a bonus for my normal humdrum existence. Get it?
Actually, It works better if you pretend to be deaf and hand them a note each time you want something done right. You’d be surprised how many of them can actually read.
February 28th, 2003 16:48
Oh, it used to piss me off and now I just try to remember…that’s why they work where they do. They don’t get it. Under your breath you whisper “I see stupid people”.
The new look here is rockin’ dude. A pleasantly wild change.
Would you join in the conspiracy if you get a chance. Jim thinks it isn’t working. It’s a mindless silly conspiracy.
Conspiracy: Use the word “Oulipo” in your blog. Maybe with your help we can give rise to a word burst in Daypop.
Love the pics!
February 28th, 2003 19:00
The only way around that is telling them up front you are allergic, and if they fuck up, they have to start over from the beginning with new product because they have just contaminated the one they made for you. That gets their attention quite fast.
March 3rd, 2003 17:57
Great idea Lilly. I’ll just tell them that I’m allergic to incompetence and will need to be rushed to the hospital if they fuck up my sandwich.
In all honesty, I feel that there’s a huge responsibility that should fall on the supervisor to make things like that important. Unfortunately the supervisor was usually just promoted on his one week anniversary.
March 3rd, 2003 20:06
When I worked at the coffee shop and we handled food, I would always have to train the new kids. And, as it happens, I stressed that the utmost importantance and attention be paid to an order for you never know who has a food allergy and is forgetting to convey this information, therefore act as though everyone does and never use the same knife to spread the cream cheese as you would the butter, nor should you use the same knife to cut the veggies as you would the breads or the cheese.
It’s all about courtesy and respect. We treated our customers like they were family and we knew each of their quirks without having them think too hard about whether or not we were competant.
The bosses, on the other hand, well, they were another story. The reason I don’t work there anymore is the shop closed after six months from mismanagement. Seems there were too many chiefs in that tribe.
March 4th, 2003 12:08
I agree with all that. They always screw up my food no matter where I go, but Subway… well, Subway pisses me off in a whole new way. have you read the sign? You can have one of our sandwiches without the bread now… as a salad. SAME COST, NO BREAD. Do you THINK they will give you a salad as your free item when they have buy one get one free??? BASTARDS. No, not bastards, MORONS. They have to ask the manager, but…ooops! There is never a manager there! Grrrrr
March 7th, 2003 16:17
I’ve been a Subway employee for 2 1/2 years. I forget what people tell me all the time. I hear people repeating breads, cheese, vegetables, sauces all the freaking time. I try to repeat the people so I can remember, but I don’t remember everything everyone tells me.
If you don’t want your sandwich fucked up, PAY ATTENTION TO IT! If the person rings you up before your sandwich is done, don’t go over there. And with the vegetables, what’s the big deal? I am not making you a new sandwich because I accidently put green peppers on it. I’ll make sure they are all off, but unless your sandwich really is ruined because of something I did, you get what you get.
And don’t lie and say you are allergic. We actually have other things to do beside put up with picky people.
And if you do not want mistakes, DO NOT GO THROUGH THE DRIVE THROUGH. The Subway I work at now doesn’t have one, and I like it that way. The most mistakes are made in drive through. Back when I worked at the one that has one, I hated it. We had to WRITE down everything you say, and of course everyone has to talk fast and then gets pissed when I ask them to repeat themselves. And, the words “tomato” and “mayo” can sound a lot alike. If you want your sandwich right, come in and watch it being made.
March 7th, 2003 16:26
Wow. Interesting defense.
What you are saying is that as a Subway employee, you can’t be expected to make a sandwich correctly and that we, as customers, have to watch closely to make sure you don’t screw up, and that is just how it is? It is OUR responsibility? Too fucking bad if you can’t get it right?
What a wonderful attitude. I dare you to share that with corporate.
This is why it won’t get any better, folks. Even the employees don’t give a shit.
January 3rd, 2007 07:35
[…] Ok, so I have ranted about Subway before, but this is a little different. I was driving past one the other day and saw a sign out in front. It was one of those signs with the big plastic letters you put on yourself. It said “NOW HIRING DAYZ” […]