Drive Thru ettiquette 101

I have been going through drive thrus most of my life just as most people in America...but now that I work at one I am amazed by how rude and crazy people are.

1) Pulling up to the box and saying "HELLOOO" if I don't respond immediately. Chances are if I haven't said anything in 10 seconds that I am mid sentence with someone else, or standing in front of a blender, or grinding coffee...so if I talked I wouldn't be able to hear you. I know what you are thinking...it is rude to let someone sit there...I could at least say I'll be with you in just a moment or something...but 9 times out of 10 that doesn't work...once I say that they go ahead and order...people don't pay attention. I promise I will get to you as soon as I can.

2) Cutting off the spiel. I hate saying it, everytime I hear that ding I have to launch into "thank you for choosing starbucks, this is Leigh, would you like to try our new pike place roast coffee" ...trust me I don't enjoy having to say it 234 a day...but it's even more frustrating when mid sentence I get cut off mid sentence by some grumpy person saying "I just want coffee" I mean I can sympathize with this one, it is annoying as a customer to be offered things you don't want...especially when you are just running in and you know exactly what you want...I understand...but at the same time, I am not saying all of that for fun...I am told to say that, by the powers that be...I have to suggestive sell....is it really that hard to wait 15 seconds, say no thank you. and order what it is you actually want? If you hate this you have to go higher up than telling the person at the window...they have no control over what they are told to say. Anytime someone tells me that they hate being told all that, I just say I'm sorry, I have to do it...but if you really don't like it I would call someone in customer service, or email them.

3) skipping the box...there has got to be a special hell for these people. I don't understand...in all the time I have been using drive thrus it has never even been an option to me to skip the box and go straight to the window. I guess people think that if there is no line they can go straight to the window...but what they don't realize is that there are typically 2-3 people who hear your order...the person on the register, the person at the bar, and the person who is actually talking called the expiditer. So, when you skip the box and go straight to the window it throws things off...it's hard to explain I guess, it really isn't the end of the world but what is so frustrating about it is the peoples attitudes that do it. It is typically someone who is so busy on their cell phone that they weren't paying attention when they get to the box to order. Or I have also heard "oh I just drove right by, I didn't see it"...so you are telling me that you went through a DRIVE THRU...you didn't notice the big sign with all the things we serve and the speaker with the voice asking you what you want...seriously??? If that is the case you should not be driving...I can here you explaining to the officer why you didn't notice those red flashing things and just drove through the intersection. Just the other day a man did this and when he got to the window he told me he "hates talking into the speaker things" I'm sorry, but if that is your problem get out of your car and come inside.

4) not knowing how to order your own drink. I am aware that starbucks drinks aren't the easiest things to order, but maybe if you are a first timer you should come inside the store, even in the drive thru we are happy to help you order if that is the case, but you have to trust us when we tell you a frappucino is a blended ice drink, and the hot drink is a cappucino. In most cases if you order a basic drink we can walk you through it to make it how you want it...with whip, extra shot, no foam...all that stuff. Or if you order your drink wrong you might notice that we typically say it the right way when we are repeating it to you...it's not that we are judging you or anything, it's really just so you know how to say it next time to get what you want...but what is annoying is for instance this man comes through every day and orders "I want 5 shots...in a venti cup...fill it up with hot water...about a inch and a half at the top" so when we repeat his order we say "ok, you want a venti americano with room and a extra shot" (which is actually also not the right way to say it either). But even though we have told him what it is called numerous times...he still orders it the same way...but besides that he is also just mean...he also never lets us finish the spiel.

5) if you are ordering more than 4 drinks...or more than 3 seperate orders in one car...you should come inside. The drive thru is designed for quickly making 1 drink at at time, 2 or 3 isn't really a problem, but too many more than that can start to cause problems...it just backs things up...and when you do seperate orders it's kinda the same thing...especially when the driver has the person in the backseat of their van shout the order.

6) not paying attention when we repeat your order to you at the window. We are not perfect things get out of order so that is why we say your order when you get to the window...but more often than not when we say the order a double tall latte...people just say "yeah" and then act shocked when we hand them a double tall latte when they ordered a grande mocha frappucino.

I'm sure there are a lot more...but I have to go :)