Last week I was running late for work so I decided to skip cooking breakfast and instead hit the McDonald’s drive thru and pick up an Egg McMuffin. I ordered the food and pulled up to the first window.
I had a lot on my mind and was listening to a podcast as I handed over the money. The clerk gave me my change and told me to pull up to the second window for my food.
I didn’t pull up to the second window.
I just drove away.
That’s right…I paid at the drive thru and then left without my food.
I think the kids call this a “brain fart.”
Fortunately, I immediately realized my mistake and turned back toward the drive thru before I’d even left the parking lot. I maneuvered my car around all the others in line, and then cut off the woman about to drive to the pick-up window.
If anyone got angry with me, I thought it would be her.
She had every right.
But a glance in the rearview mirror showed her perplexed more than anything. I was fairly certain I wasn’t about to become a victim of road rage, so I turned to the clerk at the window, who was starring at me with an open jaw.
“Umm, yes…” I began, deciding to see the humor in this. “I’m the idiot who bought food and then just…”
Before I could finish, she shouted, “AND THEN JUST DROVE AWAY?”
Okay.
Apparently I was still at risk of becoming a victim of rage violence after all.
“Yes,” I admitted, about to make a joke but she just scoffed and walked away.
I know it was a dumb thing to do, but it had been 45 seconds since I’d pulled away. Surely the Egg McMuffin was just sitting there, right? I figured they hadn’t even realized what I’d done yet.
But the woman stomped around, banging things like I’d ruined the whole schedule for the day and was trying to rip them off.
Again…I came back in 45 seconds, not four hours later demanding my Egg McMuffin.
This lady made me wait. And wait. And wait.
Whether or not she was teaching me some kind of lesson, or whether my actions had really perplexed them so deeply, I’ll never know.
She practically threw the bag at me and handed over the coffee.
“Have a nice day!” I said.
I swear she harumphed.
I missed the bartender at the Hula Bar. She would’ve grabbed whatever bag of food was at hand and said, “here’s your order” with a big smile, knowing I wouldn’t have had the guts to bring it back if it was hot cakes or hash browns.
The Egg McMuffin was hot and delicious.
But I don’t think I can go back to that McDonald’s for awhile. I’m pretty sure my picture is hanging up under their “especially idiotic customer” board.
Blimey, I thought service people in the USA were always smiley, happy, helpful people no matter what! She sounds like an English immigrant!
Lol. Perhaps, but no accent!
Maybe she was having a bad day, but she definitely took it out on me.
Not nice when that happens, it deflates the day.
Have you tried filling your car with petrol and then driving away without paying? Another brain fart, and there I am listing to Breakin’ the Law by Judas Priest on the car stereo when I hear the sound of sirens…
Oh no!
Fortunately I like to pay and then leave without the product, not the other way around!
We were given the wrong breakfast sandwiches from a Dunkin’ establishment a couple of weekends ago in their drive-thru, and were faced with whether to get back in line or eat what we were given, We got back in line, and when we got to the speaker the employee already noted the error and had what we ordered being made. All ended well. There was also one occasion a year or so ago where I tried to race off with only a part of my order fulfilled, but fortunately that employee (also Dunkin’, but another location) yelled out the window as I started to roll away. I felt stupid, but as distracted as the world is I gotta believe people drive off all the time without everything they ordered.
I do have to say that timed when places have given me the wrong thing, they do fix it quickly.
I’m certain I’m not the only one who’s driven away, so that’s why her reaction surprised me so much!
Yeah, that’s right! First Dunkin’. Now Mickey Ds. So, uh, Mel. I don’t think it’s them. It’s you. . . .
Oh, sharp redesign to the site, by the way. Nice and clean and easy to click through.
I think you’ve cracked the code….it IS me! Also, you don’t want to get behind me in any checkout line, as its guaranteed the credit card machine won’t work or the register will freeze or they’ll have to do 57 price checks. I’m cursed!
Thank you for mentioning the new design. I thought the site could use a new coat of paint!
I feel your pain.
I did a Home Depot run. On my list: replace a couple of broken, concrete sprinkler donuts. I made the mistake of asking the garden center clerk — restocking that all-important soda cooler by the cash register — who then gave me an eye roll for the interruption. (Do not the back of the vests say, “I can help!”?)
So, I go to where she said they would be. Nope. So I asked the guy — who was stocking bags of top soil, where the donuts should be — where they are. “You want what?” he barks. Then directs me inside the story.
I got into my car and went to Lowe’s.
It’s funny, some people can be so helpful, and others…….not so much!