What do you answer to ''what caused the delay'' if you have no idea what did?
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I pretty much get that question every time too. My answer is almost always the same too. Occasionally I will see a vehicle sit at the window for a long time, so I will say that a vehicle sat at the pick up window for a long time. I don't worry about it; I just answer that there was no apparent reason.
What they are hoping for is "the customer in front of me took 8 minutes to count out change to pay for his meal with" or whatever. If nothing like that happens (so like, almost every time) I just put "I did not see a reason for the delay." I have never had a report rejected.*
*now that I said that obviously I will
*now that I said that obviously I will
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
You will be surprised to see that when you get your order faster than five minutes. There must be some complicated algorithm behind the question that takes into account how many people in line, number of registers and how long it takes. I do think five minutes is a bit of a wait for them, but I have been there when there were no other customers in front of me, got my food in just under two minutes, and still received that question. When it is really bad, you get the "Was there a bus in the parking lot?" question.
I once walked in just as the High School across the street let out for lunch. The place was run amok with kids. Realistically, this was probably worse than the bus scenario, but I had already done the drive-thru. I just explained what happened and it went through fine. Come to think of it, I just signed up to do lunch there again on Tuesday. Better check the school schedule ...
I once walked in just as the High School across the street let out for lunch. The place was run amok with kids. Realistically, this was probably worse than the bus scenario, but I had already done the drive-thru. I just explained what happened and it went through fine. Come to think of it, I just signed up to do lunch there again on Tuesday. Better check the school schedule ...
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Could I have a receipt please?
Could I have a receipt please?
Back during my days of Burger King, we had a timer in the drive thru that times every car that goes through it. The timer begins at the menu board and ends when it leaves the drive-thru window, where the customer receives the order. The timer stayed green through like 2:30. Anything past this time turned red.
I'm assuming that this fast food corporation has similar standards. While 5 minutes may be "reasonable" to you doesn't matter, as 5 minutes exceeds their standards. If I don't see or experience anything unusual, I just state what I'm able to see myself such as the amount of vehicles ahead of me and if I can see any customers with large orders from my view.
I'm assuming that this fast food corporation has similar standards. While 5 minutes may be "reasonable" to you doesn't matter, as 5 minutes exceeds their standards. If I don't see or experience anything unusual, I just state what I'm able to see myself such as the amount of vehicles ahead of me and if I can see any customers with large orders from my view.
Shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado. 33 year old male and willing to travel!
I think under one minute and thirty seconds, is what they are aiming for.
Given that there is absolutely no narrative involved in this report, I'm glad to have a question that gives the opportunity to say whether there was an obvious cause for the delay. Recently, it took 9 1/2 minutes to get each of my meals. (A total of 19 minutes for both). I added a comment at the end saying: the kitchen was keeping up with orders, food was ready for the trays, everyone was on task and working efficiently, and the managers were present, helping out and offering guidance. I wanted to add, "All I can think of is they must have been short staffed?" but that's for the client to conclude, not me.
We are all here on earth to help others....What on earth the others are here for I don't know.
--W. H. Auden
--W. H. Auden
I would count the time I was in line, which would account for part of the time. I would time from ordering to receiving my order. These questions are on the shops that I do. I don't shop the fast food locations.
@shopper8 wrote:
I would count the time I was in line, which would account for part of the time. I would time from ordering to receiving my order. These questions are on the shops that I do. I don't shop the fast food locations.
This one is definitely timed from when you step into line -or stop at the end of the line for the drive thru until you receive the food. When to start and stop the timing is clear in the instructions. I pretty much always get the question of what caused the delay, even though it really never seems like a delay to me.
My last shop was 2 minutes delayed because they had to correct the order. If the order was incorrect, one had to have it corrected. And I did and that caused the delay. I checked and the shop was approved.
Q. "We consider that too long of a wait so we want to know what caused the delay in receiving your order?"
A. "A large dump truck doing construction, decided to park in the drive thru lane to hand tools to his partner while I was behind him."
A. "A large dump truck doing construction, decided to park in the drive thru lane to hand tools to his partner while I was behind him."
After staring at that question a few times with no idea what to say, I now watch for anything to explain the delay in case it happens. I watch how big the bags are going out the window in the drive through as well as the number of drinks--a cardboard holder for the drinks means a big order. I pay attention to how long it takes each car in front of me to order, that can explain a delay. I have been inside with almost no customers but had a significant delay. I watch how many orders are going to the drive through to see if that area is really busy.
I had that on a drive thru shop and they contacted me for more details as to why it took 7.5 minutes to get my meal. I stated that since I was in my car I did not know but tat it could have been the fries were overcooked as or they had just changed or added oil as that could easily explain the time and the fact that my fries were hot and fresh!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2015 12:19PM by komondor.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2015 12:19PM by komondor.
On the inside shop, it is simple enough to know what is causing the delay. I have answered this with the following:
1. Ran out and brewed more coffee.
2. Ran out and fried more potato product.
3. Waiting on sandwich to be prepared.
4. Multiple orders ahead of mine not ready.
I was never questioned with those answers. If your observant, you can even see at the drive thru what they are waiting on to shove in the bag last that is causing the delay.
1. Ran out and brewed more coffee.
2. Ran out and fried more potato product.
3. Waiting on sandwich to be prepared.
4. Multiple orders ahead of mine not ready.
I was never questioned with those answers. If your observant, you can even see at the drive thru what they are waiting on to shove in the bag last that is causing the delay.
The delay is often that the food is not ready. They cook it as the order comes in. One day a week, I have to go in at 5:30am. It's just easier to go to the drive-thru for breakfast. I've learned that I need to leave enough time for them to get the egg from the chicken, or I'll be late.
The last 3 shops I did at this FF company, I was surprised as I walked right up to the counter and was taken care of without delay. As per instructions I am then to time from when they give you the total cost to the time you receive all food items. One was 43 seconds, and the other 2 were under 1.5 minutes. ALL 3 of them I was asked what caused the delay! The only way they could go faster is if all the food was prepared before I walked in (then of course you would have quality issues) OR the person at the register knew what I wanted prior to my placing the order (then they are in the wrong line of work). Here I was amazed at the speed only to find out they took too long!
I've sworn off the shop that tends to ask that question, but when I had to answer it, I just said I had no idea. I mentioned the number of cars in front of me and said they must have been busy or had issues. I never had the shop come back so that apparently is an adequate response.
@Sandman1048 wrote:
The last 3 shops I did at this FF company, I was surprised as I walked right up to the counter and was taken care of without delay. As per instructions I am then to time from when they give you the total cost to the time you receive all food items. One was 43 seconds, and the other 2 were under 1.5 minutes. ALL 3 of them I was asked what caused the delay! The only way they could go faster is if all the food was prepared before I walked in (then of course you would have quality issues) OR the person at the register knew what I wanted prior to my placing the order (then they are in the wrong line of work). Here I was amazed at the speed only to find out they took too long!
I've had a couple under 1.5 minute as well so my point precisely. I guess they have that question as a standard just in case there is something to be said. On the other hand once I was served and got everything under a minute and the questionnaire prompted me to answer "wow, how come you were served so fast?". My answer was that there was another employee serving the food and while there was no one at the cash, she overheard the order and grabbed the food ,which was ready ,that was I ordering. so basically they are looking for an answer whichever the case. Thank goodness they don't care for long narratives!
That is funny, did it really happen?
@Msaddict wrote:
That is funny, did it really happen?
@mystique wrote:
I've had a couple under 1.5 minute as well so my point precisely. I guess they have that question as a standard just in case there is something to be said. On the other hand once I was served and got everything under a minute and the questionnaire prompted me to answer "wow, how come you were served so fast?". My answer was that there was another employee serving the food and while there was no one at the cash, she overheard the order and grabbed the food ,which was ready ,that was I ordering. so basically they are looking for an answer whichever the case. Thank goodness they don't care for long narratives!
Yep, I got asked that question too! One employee was literally putting my burger on the tray as the cashier was getting ready to hand me my receipt.
Happily shopping the Pacific Northwest. Shopping since 2013 
It's interesting because from what I've read, they are trying to get rid of that super fast service due to errors being made. Their surveys have showed quick service, but then there would be inaccuracies in the order. My favorite FF place irritated me for a while because they would literally be hanging over the pickup window when you were still paying at the pay window. I never liked that. It's like not having a chance to breath. Have a little patience, people. I have been thrilled that they stopped doing that, and I hope they never continue it. I don't know if that place is shopped or not, but I know I did a lot of their receipt surveys and sometimes just called them to say I didn't like it. Anyway, as for the FF place that is being discussed here, I do hope they slow down. I've gotten many incorrect orders over the years. The interesting thing is that the wrong orders are never on the shopped foods!
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