Why do people talk to people who work in fast food like they are second class citizens?

Question

I manage a restaurant(a fast food one), and just yesterday, I was called several abusive names whilst trying to resolve a customer issue(I am ALWAYS 100% professional and polite), and was shouted at so much by one person who rang up to complain that I hung up on them, a first for me as I can normally take whatever the disgustingly mannered public can throw at me, after ten years of doing this.

However, I am always amazed when I go into over places and hear people complain, they are so much more reserved and polite, where as me and my other managers are often subject to personal attacks and appalling language. What is wrong with people that they think they can talk to us this way?

ishkander, no I am NOT too snobbish for my job at all, after ten years of telling people where I work and watching them glaze over and then use very small words as they then assume I can't understand large one's, No! If I was snobbish would I quite happily work there? I LOVE my job, I don't even mind complaints, if we mess something up I want the opportunity to put it right, but why do me and my co workers get treated with such disdain? A job is a job, I earn more than some of my friends who went to university, and I have no debt's incurred whilst there either, but do I really have to be spoken to in such a way? How pathetic your answer is, of course the problem is me! I work IN FAST FOOD, and you think I'm a snob? I go home covered in ketchup and mayo, I smell of meat so much dogs run after me! And I'm a snob? You are an idiot.

Hillbilly, I DO get angry, SOOOO angry that afterwards I have to go in the freezer and scream sometimes!(It's kinda soundproofed in there, sometimes I wonder if it's done for that very purpose!) but I have had so much training in controlling situations and myself, I sorta go into 'manager' mode, and detach myself from the situation. If someone throw something at me in the street then I would whoop their ***, but I have had burgers thrown at me, and once a drink poured over me! I always say to my regional director that my job would be great of it wasn't for the customers! Most people are fine, but then you get one who is on a mission to humiliate me! But NO MORE! I am from now on going to give as good as I get, so expect news breaking of a restaurant manager killing a customer anyday now!

jamand, I do understand that we do make mistakes, I don't know about Mcdonalds attempting to serve people in 30 seconds, but coming from the sane sector market, I would like to say that is impossible and I seriously doubt that is the time allowed. Our time limit is three minutes, and we generally do it, the service is good, the place is clean(Oh believe me it is clean), but yeah, we do make mistakes, generally down to the sheer speed involved, and people not listening when their order is read back, we do this so YOU can correct mistakes, but the public never listen. If we mess up(or you do but we will happily apologise and take the blame anyway) then we WILL rectify as quickly as we can, aagain in under three minutes. This isn't the problem, the problem is, if it was the wrong food at a posh restaurant, would they ask the waitress-'are you stupid or what?', or my own personal favourite-'maybe you should have stayed at school'.

Answer 1

There is a theory that the lower down the social scale a person is, the more likely they are to abuse someone they perceive as inferior to them or unable to respond in kind e.g a shop or cafe assistant. I heartily support any business whose staff policy is to protect their employees from this disgraceful abuse.

Answer 2

Depends where you work doesn't it! If McDonalds (or similar)then I can understand why you and your staff get shouted at! It is not rocket science getting an order right so why do they get it wrong so often!

In many ways you are a victim of expectation (I don't condone the abuse - just saying I can understand it) set out by the bosses!

McDonalds for instance - you are supposed, by the top knobs expectations and guidelines, to take order, serve and move to next customer within 30 secs....so why doesn't it happen! Then when you have got your order, you have to go back and either change it coz it's cold or wrong or missing or worse if it's a drive thru..you have to go back out and drive all the way back.

Unfortuantely, many people today are in a hurry and cannot put up with the service that places like this offer any more! Because on the whole, the service is poor! Fast(ish) but poor!

The other thing to consider is the fact that in a fast food (cheap food) environment, your restaurant is limited to the area in which your clients are based or to the thru traffic of them!

Most people have only a limited time to eat and so require the service to be quick, efficient and most of all correct. If you only get a 30 min lunch break and ten mins is swallowed up by correcting the mistakes made or the poor quality of food offered...it tends to pee people off! And you are in the firing line unfortuantely!

ADDED: Unfortunately, the turn round time at McD's is 30 seconds..I think you may have the Burger King deal of three minutes. But then I personally wouldn't complain about Burger King, I have always found them better than McD's anyway! As for repeating customer orders back to the customer, that should not be needed as the tills are computerised and list what is ordered! If the tills are operated properly - no prob! THe second issue here is - perhaps if staff did repeat back the order and they actually spoke English it might help! The only real solution is to accept that you ain't gonna please everybody all the time - so lump it or change job to something less demanding on you mentally and physically. That is not derogatory on you but you are obviously struggling with the job and the attitude of customers. So, don't do it!

Answer 3

Unfortunately, this kind of behavior isn't just reserved for the fast food industry, it happens everywhere nowadays. Just take a look at the first answer given!
There will always be people out there who think that they are better than you, just because of the job you hold.
Take no notice of them if you can. The best way to bring them back down to size is by being extra polite and mild mannered. I know this is difficult, but it works. For example, I work in a convenience store part time, not because it is the career path that I have chosen, but simply to boost my income. I had a 'lady' (will use that term lightly) who was very agressive and curt for no reason. I simply stopped the transaction and asked her if it was the weather that was making her bad tempered or was she intrinsically grumpy. She stopped in her tracks and didn't know what to say to that. I completed the transaction and even got a thank you from her.
Even though, as a manageress, you are meant to be polite, curteous and the customer is always right, does not mean that you have to be their punchbag when they are having a bad day. Courteousy costs nothing. Don't stand for their behaviour but don't be rude. If you are not rude, they cannot complain.
Good luck for the future, and don't let the bas*ards grind you down!

Answer 4

Wow, I was on your side until I read your comments. If people so anger you that you "run into the freezer to scream", something is wrong. Ten years should have hardened you to people, and how rude some can be. You'll attack me as well, so I wonder why you post a question on Q&A, then attempt to "kill the messenger" when you don't like the answer. Is this a "woman thing" that expecting certain answers BEFORE you get them is the right of certain women in here? Haven't seen many men defend their questions like the ladies do, FOR SURE!
My answer:
You probably should seek some advice from a professional on how to ignore these people, because you will never change THEM.

Answer 5

1 I'm sure a degree of 'classism' is involved. Even the lowliest sort -- let's say somebody pushing a multi-level marketing scam -- can manage to work up a reason to feel superior to somebody who works with burgers and fries. 'That slouch makes minimum wage, but I'm wheelin' and dealin' all day an' I'ma gonna make something of myself!' Joe Blow with the six-digit debt, six kids, and ultimately useless job still feels superior to the guy with the bachelor apartment and what appears to be a carefree life. I suspect resentment on Joe Blow's part, myself. 2 High frustration levels on the part of the customers. I grant that I've been to a lot of fast-food places where things have been very well-run, but I've also been to loads where they weren't -- and it's not like having a problem with some unique area of (say) tax policy that's not comprehensible to the average person; it's just 'How @#$* hard is it to fry potatoes and put them in a bag?' It's confusing when something that appears to be simple gets complicated. Even if that 'simple' involves a fair amount of complex machinations to get something out of the ground, processed, delivered, cooked, sold... 3 My understanding is that most people in the service industry are expected to take a lot of crap. I'm not saying that I offer said crap, at all, or that it makes any sense -- it just seems that few high-ups in the service industry are at all interested in defending their employees. Jerks can pretty much count on 'No sir. Yes sir. You're quite right, sir. It's on the house' when they cause a fuss in any chain restaurant. I have to assume that sort of lousy policy just causes more problems. There's a little local restaurant review site here which got a 'review' which complained about what seemed to anybody else reading to be quite good food -- just not suitable for the taste-impaired person who ate it, who clearly would've preferred to have eaten something out of a tin at home. The owner replied, with, in brief, 'Don't eat at my restaurant.' You don't see that coming from chains, where it would've been an apology and a free meal.

Answer 6

Ever notice that people are the fussiest, the simpler food gets, Pizza, bagels, the low end of food etc., Where the Hell do they think they are ? Carnegie Deli in NY ? I know what you mean, I work with the public too, it's where your tolerance level is that day, I deal with a-ssholes all day long, lots of them, I try and correct the problem as fast as I can, then cut them loose, also try and remember some of these people get no attention at all, when they complain, they have a captive audiance that can't get away from them, the way most people walk away from them, they've picked up on this, and want to feel important, just give them another one of "what ever" to shut them up, and send them on there way, give them two just to get rid of their azz. Don't fall for the "HOOKS" (name calling), they're trying to drag you into a fight, they're NOT getting any energy from me, if they really break ya balls call the cops, you don't have to be abused after trying to correct the situation properly.

Answer 7

Because people have been indoctrinated with the phrase ' the customer is always right..'. This to the ignorant means that unless you're agreeing with all that they're saying then your failing your duty. This then angers the customer because as you know 'the customer is always right'. To be abusive is part and parcel of modern life, be this right or wrong it is the case. How many television programmes are based on the alleged 'humour' of humilation? Think the current trend of talent/singing contests where the judges are just plain rude and abusive. What people see on television does influence how they behave in their everyday life.

Answer 8

I agree with you. It has always been an annoyance to me that some customers in any type of food service establishment consider that the staff are there to pander to their every whim and treat them as they would a slave. I believe that however lowly a position might seem that person is doing a job that is necessary to earn money in order to live a life. We all do the same but at different tasks. I always treat any working person as my equal and respect their work and the way that they do it.

Answer 9

i know people who have fast food jobs in management as well. Simply put, some members of the public think they are better than anyone else, and they (I swear) find the people in the least position to answer back to pick on.
Like you, the managers I am referring to are 100 percent professional, dedicated to their work, and go out of their way to be nice, only to have senseless gits and right prats treat them like crap.
You were within your right to hang up on them. To be blunt, seriously blunt, no employer worth a farthing would expect anyone to take abuse.
--Charles, That Cheeky Lad

Answer 10

Well, some people who work in fast food are unhelpful, don't give you what you want and can't understand what your saying (because where I am it's because your speaking properly to them and they speak in slang).
But very few of them are like that.
I would only look down on them IF they were like that, but there are plenty of people working in fast food who are perfectly capable and nice. I'm just happy when I get served by them because I know that I WILL actually get a straw with my meal, unlike the occasional idiot. But they are VERY occasional, so there is no need to look down on all people who work in fast food. It's like looking down on people who work at the chekouts in tesco or somthing. Most of the time it doesn't make them stupid, and most of the time they are willing to be nice and helpful.
It's just some kind of idea people have in their heads that to work in certain places you have to be stupid or common and to work in others you have to be posh when that is certainly not the case. You find scum in both areas.