I look forward to seeing how Wendy's reacts to this story, and whether other customers have the same observation.
I haven't done fast food in a long time, but geez, I would have thought *every* minimum-wage service employee these days is trained to at *least* say thank you to the customer.
Jack in the Box as a jewelry store? Do you mean literally, or do you refer to bulletproof glass and security stuff?
The Taco Bell down near the bottom of the hill closed down and is now a jewelry store.
That doesn't shock me, actually. Actually, the person saying Thank You isn't important to me. Really. Doesn't bother me one way or the other. Why? Because it's not sincere.
It's not even a matter of wages. It's a matter of basic respect. It's not the Republican owners of the chain, it's the Republican middle managers. The life in the service industry right now is one where these managers basically try to control your life. Change your shift around at a whim, demand that you stay on-call, use various types of split-shifting, no time off, treat you like a disposable piece of toilet paper...
That's the problem. Wendy's, for a lot of reasons always seemed worse for me. Part of it I think is that how they arrange their queue (in local stores they use one huge winding line) seems a lot slower than other places.
But still. The person serving you doesn't identify with their job, it's just something they do to survive. Get used to it and move on.
The local Micky D's has a good policy of hiring seniors as well as youngsters, and has a strong policy of customer service. I've had the lady at the window shoot the breeze with me about the weather while waiting for my order to come up, and she always says "Thank you."
The local Wendy's? They say "Thank you" as well.
I allways get a thank you from wendys I wonder if its a regional thing? then again I whent to k - 12 school with one of dave thomaes granddaughters (well two they where twins) so it may have been a "boss may be watching " situation. love there jr bacon cheese burgers.
You eat at jack in the box. whent there once, they asked me to sign a liability waiver...never whent back.
best fast food for me is either In and out in socal (ya they are religious nuts, but the burgers are damm good) or Culvers back home(they are not true butter burgers, but I am not travleing to milwakee just for the privliage of clogging every artery with one burger.)
The central IL mcyD's bother me though, the cahsieers allways touch the bottem of your hand with one of their hands while they hand you your change with the other....i find it weird and creepy, never seen it anywhere else.
Too bad you are too far North to have any Burgerville USA franchises in your area. The closet one to Seattle is in Centralia.
Here's the Wiki entry.
They use only Oregon Country Beef in their burgers.
Their old slogan:
"Inconveniently located for most of America"
I can proudly say I have not eaten any McDonald products for over 30 years and except for Burgerville, never stop at fast food joints anymore.
Could well be regional.
Often, the same person or company owns several fast food franchises in an area. If the owner is an asshole, and he hires assholes to manage his stores, and the workers are treated like shit, that's what you get.
I know Wendy's (Corporate) is a right-wing entity, but they have the best-tasting, least expensive fast food of the big three burger chains (McD's, BK, Wendy's).
I am weak, and I am ashamed.
On a somewhat related note - has anyone else observed that based on the time you spend waiting in their drive-thru line, Arby's should in no way be classified as "fast food"?
Part of it I think is that how they arrange their queue (in local stores they use one huge winding line) seems a lot slower than other places.
Isn't the one huge winding line actually more efficient, at least in theory?
One of the few good things about living in Orange County is that I have both Fatburger and In and Out branches nearby as well as an independent joint run by fellow Chicago expatriates that do a reasonable facsimile of a true Chicago dog. Oh, and the local Fantastic Cafe do the platonic ideal of a Quesadilla. When I (rarely) decide to clog my arteries I do it with food I like.
Up in Canuckistan, I don't mind Harveys - charbroiled burgers with the toppings you want. I'm an urbanist, so I've never worried about drive thrus.
I grew up in the Calgary, Alberta region - with Peter's Drive In and its legendary burgers, milkshakes and boxes of fries (http://www.petersdrivein.com/index.html)
And now being in Toronto, there are some great burger places - but a non drive-in favourite is Dangerous Dan's Diner where you can get the "Collosal Colon Clogger Combo". (24oz burger served with a quarter pound of cheese, a quarter pound of bacon, and 2 fried eggs. Also comes with a large shake (flavor of your choice) and a small poutine - fries with cheese curds and gravy.) If you're still hungry after the heart and stroke foundation shoots that horror pic, you can have the "Royale" option with a deep fried Mars Bar with whipped cream for dessert. http://www.dangerousdansdiner.com/
Haven't eaten fast food in over 3 years, but every time I have EVER gone through the Wendy's drive-through they've gotten my order wrong. They seem to be as friendly here in Michigan as any other fast food joint, but never got my order right. Stopped going there for that reason alone.
Plus, Wendy's is ridiculously expensive. For the six bucks it costs for a crummy meal there I can have a decent meal at a Coney Island. Including rice pudding for dessert. Yum.
I'm beginning to see the problem here. YOU'RE EATING TOO MUCH FAST FOOD!
Thank you.
SteveK: while i like a good chicago dog as much as the next native, my big question is how is the rest of the menu. Italian beefs good? how aobut the deep frid calzones (a true experience that I can't find anywhere else...deep fat fried calzone is like mana...why yes I would like the home defibulator with that.)
Thor: you want to experience a true artery clogger get yourself to Milwaukee and over to Solly's Grill. The put 3+ table spoons of sweat cream butter on the burger (along with unions, cheese, cheese and mroe cheese) it tastes great, but eat it fast as the bun will not stand up.
any one here from the south. allways wanted to try a Goober burger when I drive through georia but never had the guts.
Downriver Gal:
Plus, Wendy's is ridiculously expensive. For the six bucks it costs for a crummy meal there I can have a decent meal at a Coney Island. Including rice pudding for dessert. Yum.
I lived in Coney Island as a boy, haven't been there for many years, been meaning to visit, maybe spend an afternoon at the Aquarium, get some Nathan's fries.
Wendy's says Thank You fine and gets the order right here.... Chicken Ceasar salad gooood there. However, you don't want to go to Carl's Jr. here unless you speak fluent Spanish. I went a couple months ago and was fine until I asked some question and got silence over the box. Then, at the window, got some "just take your order and go now, we don't do questions" kinda treatment. It was lunchtime and no time to try to rummage through my brain for the Spanish I needed to communicate there. Oh well. Wendy's ladies are bi-lingual and always genuinely friendly. Haven't experienced that rudeness at all. If you go to any number of restaurants here though, you'll know you are interrupting their social events calendar to even take your order, let alone try to get what you ordered or pay for it. No, Wendy's get HIGH marks here.
Ok, this might give you a heart attack just watching it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z...h?
v=ZfbTO0GlONU
Suddenly, a burger doesn't look so leathal. 
moonglum:
The Italian beef is excellent, as is the Italian combo. The Maxwell St. Polish is authentic 'tho as a Pole I'm dubious of any Polish Sausage dish without Sauerkraut (other than adding some to Jen's pea soup recipe.
White Castle.
White Castle.
WHITE CASTLE!
MOTHERFUCKIN' WHIIIIIIIIIIIITE CAAAAAAAAAAASTLE!
I love White Castle.
Ok, this might give you a heart attack just watching it:
Holy cow, I've been putting on a few pounds lately and I had a little too much for lunch today, but that made me feel like I'm positively glowing with health.
Jen: ummm white castle I get obsesive craveings for sliders once a year
snoozer,
Here in Detroit a "Coney Island" is a hot dog with chili and various toppings. Sort of our version of the Chicago dog. The restaurants that serve them are also referred to as "Coney Islands". They are often Greek owned and serve gyros, Greek salads, spinach pie and various other good, cheap food.
I don't know why they're called "Coney Islands". Some of them are better than others, but I don't think I've ever had a really bad meal at one.
Sorry, I should have been more clear. Though I do like Nathan's hot dogs and am really happy you can get them at the supermarket now.
Downriver,
Yeah, but there is something special about eating two real Nathan's AT the boardwalk, with the gloopy red onions on them with mustard and sourkraut, and washing them down with a tepid draft beer, all while sticking to the disgusting never-cleaned outdoor seating in 110-degree humid beach heat. For a truly authentic experience have some bum come hassle you for change about 4 times while you're eating.
Downriver Gal,
Thanks for the clarification.
I saw something once about New York hot dogs -- how the ones you can buy in the supermarket aren't quite the same as what Nathan's or street vendors sell. It has to do with the casing, which gives a "snap" to the dog when you bite into it. Supermarket hot dogs don't have that casing. Still, I guess an approximation is better than nothing.
The gloopy onion stuff that Jen mentioned is also available in jars. I bet a spoonful of that stuff would be good on scrambled eggs or even on some plain rice for a quick snack. But maybe I have weird taste in snacks.
Man, all these threads do is make me hungry. I've been meaning to try Korean fried chicken, but I don't think I have time tonight. Maybe I'll try a Wendy's and see how they treat me.
Wendy's new slogan: "Right, now piss off."
Interestingly, if the "Republicans Don't Give A Shit Once They've got Your Money" hypothesis holds out, it proves once again that those who piss and moan about the "dumbing down of 'Murka" and the "loss of fambly values" are also those who can't bother to say thanks once you give them your money for their mass-produced slop.
At least at Wal-Mart, they say thanks while funneling your money into the Walton family pockets.
But they can't be bothered to treat their employees like human beings -- that wouldn't be "murcan." Which is why I don't shop at Wal-Mart.
And now, apparently I don't eat at Wendy's either.
Jen:
I once had the misfortune of watching Harold and Kumar go to White Castle w/o having a box of frozen sliders in my freezer. The only thing more miserable was watching Tampopo w/o real pork ramen on hand.
dammit now i have to go get me some sliders.
frighteningly White castle has the best fast food chicken sandwich I have ever had.
SteveK,
I LOVE "Harold and Kumar." Great soundtrack also. The outtakes and "making of" extras on the DVD are the bomb. And, I am CERTAIN that the two Jewish guys who used a shofar as a bong lived in my dorm at Cornell.
I may need sliders after work also, BTW. If I get out at the Broadway stop and walk up I can get those and then stop at Staples and get some wrapping paper.
Damn.
Could be worse than no Thank You:
http://www.boingboing.net/2007/1...fines-uk-
d.html
Don't do fast food, hardly ever.
Except Taco Bell, if we must. And when visiting the southwest, a stop at In N Out is always a highlight of the trip.
Sorry to hear the owners are right wingers. Carl Karcher was a bastard, Dave Thomas was one of Ohio's GOP kingmakers....and now this. Damn.
At least Joan Kroc had her head on straight. She put up millions for Beyond War and other liberal causes before she died.
I also noticed that the local Wendy's near the U of A campus in Tucson, didnt thank me for my order. I was their on Sat. the 8th of March, 2008. I will never go back to that location again. I got a well under cooked hamburger, I didnt notice it till my last 2 bites. I was so upset at them not saying Thank You, that I never noticed the major pink in my hamburger. And to make a long story short, I got very sick last nite from the food. I had the liquids coming out from both ends. Stay away if you value your health.
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