Ordering Fast Food 101

[ChaoZ]

That happened to me the other day. I just thought the cashier was confused or something.

 

[MotionMan]

I almost always find that menus now have numbered areas, and each shows prices for the food item and for the meal. Makes sense to me.

So why do they have numbers if saying the number and saying the name of the item mean the same thing?

"Big Mac" use to mean the sandwich only and "No. 1" meant the "Big Mac Value Meal".

Now, I guess, "Big Mac" = "No. 1" and you have to specify sandwich only or combo.

I just do not get the thought process behind the change.

MotionMan

 

[M0RPH]

I've always ordered it as "#3 meal" or "#3 combo".

Also, you have to say what kind of drink you want, so you can't just say "# 3" anyways.

 

[Phoenix86]

The one that gets me every time is Jack in the Box.

The #8 combo is clearly listed on the menu as a Jumbo Jack with Cheese, yet every time I order it I get asked "With cheese?!"

YES! FUCKING WITH CHEESE! IT SAYS RIGHT ON THE MENU IT COMES WITH FUCKING CHEESE!

The couple of times they haven't asked and I've been relieved, they end up not putting cheese on it because I guess I didn't specify. I'm tempted to start saying "#8 with cheese" but then I know some smartass will say "It already comes with cheese sir..."

Oh, this guy wants extra cheese.. *hits cheese button*
+$.50

 

[Phoenix86]

So why do they have numbers if saying the number and saying the name of the item mean the same thing?

"Big Mac" use to mean the sandwich only and "No. 1" meant the "Big Mac Value Meal".

Now, I guess, "Big Mac" = "No. 1" and you have to specify sandwich only or combo.

I just do not get the thought process behind the change.

MotionMan

Problem: People have a hard time understanding our different products.
Solution: Just put numbers on them, better add pictures as well.

Problem: We need more menu space.
Solution: Since we have the sandwich as a number we don't need it on the regular menu.

Problem: People don't know how to order a sandwich only since it's not on the menu.
Solution: Make the number the sandwich AND the meal.

When you add to an existing process people often don't take the original problem into consideration. We're back at step 1.

 

[irishScott]

Except this took a convenience item and reduced it to the point where you have to think again.
Because of stupid customers who couldn't tell the difference between a combo and a sandwich, the #1 combo is no longer the #1 combo -- it is both the #1 "sandwich" and the combo.

Nobody does "stupid" quite like an American.

And nobody does "troll" quite like you pony boy.

 

[Ichinisan]

Problem: People have a hard time understanding our different products.
Solution: Just put numbers on them, better add pictures as well.

Problem: We need more menu space.
Solution: Since we have the sandwich as a number we don't need it on the regular menu.

Problem: People don't know how to order a sandwich only since it's not on the menu.
Solution: Make the number the sandwich AND the meal.

When you add to an existing process people often don't take the original problem into consideration. We're back at step 1.

Numbering helps anyway because there can be communication errors due to different dialects. A lot of fast food employees around here are Hispanic.

 

[Paratus]

You forgot to rant about how they kept changing the damn combo numbers. I always get the 2 cheeseburger meal from McDonalds. In the old days it was combo number 2 now it's not even on the menu.

Plus they now rape you on the cheeseburgers. $.95 for one versus $1.00 for a double. :/

 

[Phoenix86]

Numbering helps anyway because there can be communication errors due to different dialects. A lot of fast food employees around here are Hispanic.

Numbers for a product are fine to reduce order errors. Using 1 number for 2 products isn't and requires clarification. This defeats the purpose of numbers.

 

[MotionMan]

Numbers for a product are fine to reduce order errors. Using 1 number for 2 products isn't and requires clarification. This defeats the purpose of numbers.

This.

MotionMan

 

[Zorander]

I usually say "the combo" or "just the burger". Works fine all the time for me.

 

[chubbyfatazn]

I can see why there might be confusion. The menu (I'm going to use McD's as the example) shows the sandwich, but there are different prices for a meal or sandwich only. Just tack on the word "meal" or "sandwich" when you're ordering to avoid another 10 seconds of confusion. Not that difficult. Could also just say the sandwich name.

Also, lol at meal #2. One cheeseburger is $1.46, and a McDouble is $1 with more meat.

 

[MotionMan]

I can see why there might be confusion. The menu (I'm going to use McD's as the example) shows the sandwich, but there are different prices for a meal or sandwich only. Just tack on the word "meal" or "sandwich" when you're ordering to avoid another 10 seconds of confusion. Not that difficult. Could also just say the sandwich name.

I understand all of that. My point is why have all of the fast food places made this idiotic change to the way we order a meal.

If I say "Big Mac", then I want the sandwich. If I say "No. 1", then I want the mean. Why would "No. 1" ever mean just the sandwich other than in these stupid scenarios created by the fast food joints?

Also, I am willing to bet that if you say "Big Mac meal", 9 times out of ten, they will respond with, "You want the combo?".

MotionMan

 

[QueBert]

You forgot to rant about how they kept changing the damn combo numbers. I always get the 2 cheeseburger meal from McDonalds. In the old days it was combo number 2 now it's not even on the menu.

Plus they now rape you on the cheeseburgers. $.95 for one versus $1.00 for a double. :/

MCD's last weekend for the GF, got her the 2 burger combo. 2 shitty single burgers, a medium fry and a medium drink. Was like $6.75, doing the math I could have gotten her 2 McDoubles (2x as big) or whichever the 1.19 doubles are, a large fry and a large drink for the same price.

Their breakfast combo prices are equally shitty. $7.00 for a Sausage McMuffin + hash brown + OJ. The McMuffin's $1.50 on it's own, hash brown .99 and I don't see an OJ being $5

 

[Lithium381]

or you could fix a meal at home for 1/3 the cost and have it your way with less confusion

 

[chubbyfatazn]

I understand all of that. My point is why have all of the fast food places made this idiotic change to the way we order a meal.

If I say "Big Mac", then I want the sandwich. If I say "No. 1", then I want the mean. Why would "No. 1" ever mean just the sandwich other than in these stupid scenarios created by the fast food joints?

Also, I am willing to bet that if you say "Big Mac meal", 9 times out of ten, they will respond with, "You want the combo?".

MotionMan

Yeah, and I completely agree with all that you just said. Guess I didn't read deeply enough into your OP. I never order combo meals fwiw, so I never run into this problem. I have more issue with the fact that I ask for a sandwich with no mayo, get a vocal and receipt confirmation that there's no mayo, and my sandwich gets to me with mayo.

Normally I would just chalk it up to McD workers being... McD workers, but I wouldn't mind working a bit at McD's just to see what goes on behind the counter and how the operation works. My only experience in retail was as a cashier, but I just took drink orders. In that scenario, I felt like half of the customers were retarded :whiste: Read the damn menu, it's just a drink!

 

[QueBert]

or you could fix a meal at home for 1/3 the cost and have it your way with less confusion

do you realize how long it takes to make a burger and fries at home? It's not worth the money saved for the time wasted imho. And with beef prices I don't see it being anywhere close to 1/3rd cheaper at home. Beef's about $4 a lb at every store around here. I get my 1/4lb burger with 2 slices of cheese on a nice bun at JiTB for $1.29. To make it at home, unless I was buying in uber bulk I would be spending well over that.

 

[chubbyfatazn]

or you could fix a meal at home for 1/3 the cost and have it your way with less confusion

A) I'm not home
B) The time I get for lunch would be eaten up by my commute to/from home
C) Even if I were home it would still take easily 5x the amount of time to make a proper meal (microwaveable shit doesn't count, just as unhealthy as ff).
D) Beef is $3.38/lb where I live. Factor in buns, lettuce, tomatoes, ketchup, and whatever other condiments there are and I have a $10 burger. Of course I could always split it into 4 to get four burgers but I could also just buy 4 quarter pounders from McD's and call it a day.

 

[CZroe]

It isn't meant to reduce communication. It's meant as an additional thing to communicate and clarify. "I would like a number 1 Big Mac combo with a Coke Zero, no ice" Because I already communicated that I wanted #1, they didn't have to wonder if they heard me right when I said "Big Mac" and because I ordered it "with" a drink without specifying the size, they have confirmation that they heard me right when I said "combo." Now they can focus their efforts on confirming the type of drink and my order customizations.

The purpose is cross-linked self-confirming communication to reduce confusion and improve accuracy, not limiting the number of words required to place an order.

 

[Lifted]

How many customers would point at the sign and say "I wann dat."?

Even if their customers are illiterate, which I'd guesstimate as approximately 40% based on my last trip into a McDonald's, everyone knows numerals 0 - 9. Any good business caters to their customers needs, and McDonald's customers need less words.

Order by color would actually be better in that regard. "I wann green." doesn't even require knowing numerals. I think I'm going to give Ronald a call tomorrow.

 

[fatpat268]

You know, I miss the days of a fast food place actually having a menu. I don't go very often anymore, but anytime I walk into a McDonalds or Subway, in particular, their "menu" is more of a giant advertising board with pictures. The little lesser known items aren't listed anymore (yet still sold if you know them). Doesn't bother me much though, since I already generally know what I want before I enter, but still.

 

[DominionSeraph]

A) I'm not home
B) The time I get for lunch would be eaten up by my commute to/from home
C) Even if I were home it would still take easily 5x the amount of time to make a proper meal (microwaveable shit doesn't count, just as unhealthy as ff).
D) Beef is $3.38/lb where I live. Factor in buns, lettuce, tomatoes, ketchup, and whatever other condiments there are and I have a $10 burger. Of course I could always split it into 4 to get four burgers but I could also just buy 4 quarter pounders from McD's and call it a day.

E) McDonalds has ponies!

 

[chubbyfatazn]

E) McDonalds has ponies!

F) And diabetus!

 

[Pray To Jesus]

HOW HARD IS IT TO SAY, "NUMBER 3 COMBO" INSTEAD OF "NUMBER 3"

YOU LAZY BRo?

 

[chubbyfatazn]

HOW HARD IS IT TO SAY, "NUMBER 3 COMBO" INSTEAD OF "NUMBER 3"

YOU LAZY BRo?

Obviously you're too lazy to read the thread. Brah.