Day 2 Of Consumer Pet Peeves – Pushy Car Hops
Posted on June 12, 2007
Filed Under Things That P*** Me Off | Leave a Comment
If you missed Day 1, here’s the link.
Today I want to talk about Car Hops. There is a certain national fast food chain that uses car hops to bring your food and drinks to your cars. This chain has been around for many, many years. I love their food and their drinks. In fact, this chain use to be a regular source of dates for me in my younger years.
Now days, they’re an Oasis on a hot day. You’ll find them everywhere, from small one horse towns to large cities such as Dallas, Houston and Corsicana (ha! gotcha, just seeing if you were paying attention)
Anyway, the last several years I’ve noticed a disturbing trend among the younger Car Hops and to a certain extent, the older ones too.Â
What’s the Peeve?
They keep your change without asking!
Now, I tip these gals (and occassional guy) when they bring my order. Even when paying by CC at those new menu kiosk.
However, the better car hops actually “pretend” they’re going to give you change, knowing most people are going to say “You keep the change.”
There’s not a faster way to head back inside empy handed if you’re a Car Hop than not to at least go through the motions of giving my change back. I don’t care how little it is. It’s mine.
You ought to see the looks on many of these gals faces when they drop my order off and head back inside with my 47 cents worth of change.
“Whoa there ma’am, I think you forgot my change”
“Oh” is all most say when you point out the obvious
What I’d really like to say, and may as I grow older, is;
“Excuse me. I know it’s only 47 cents, but why do you believe that it’s your right to keep my money just because you brought me an order? Is it your goal to work for the U.S. Government?”
My normal system for tipping car hops is this: if my order is $x.01 to $x.70, I usually tell them to keep the change. If it’s less, I’ll usually give ‘em a dollar. I keep this dollar down low, usually in my lap so they can’t see it. This way, I have the option of tipping the dollar, or keeping it should I see fit. Kinda like playing Poker.
Since I’m a regular at a few of these drive-ins, I get to know some of the Car Hops. I automatically tip the good ones $1 because I know I’ll get good service. I also want to “train” them to realize there’ll be a $1 waiting for them if I get my order in a timely manner, brought to me with a smile and if it’s right.
There’s been more than one littly snooty girl who lost out on the dollar tip by keeping my 13 cents in change or having an attitude when they brought my food.
My wife scolds me for this practice, but I just tell her it’s the price they have to pay for being a jerk.
I once pulled into one of these drive-in’s and it had just stopped sprinkling. This drin-in had bays on the left and right as you pulled in and most of them on the left (next to the building) were full. I pulled into one on the right, across from the building. When I placed my order I saw the button flash for a few seconds and then go dark. (this means they’ve answered your call) We’ll a minute went pass and I realized that the people inside had just “cancelled” me. I pushed the button again and it blinked a few times until the girl answered. I gave her my order then she say’s “Could you use the drive-through, our car hop doesn’t want to take a chance getting wet”
We’ll, excuse the crap out of me! I thought
I simply replied “Yes, I do mind. If I’d wanted to go through the drive through, I would have pulled through the drive through. But since you’re more concerned with your Car Hop getting a few stray sprinkle drops on her, I’ll pull over to Chic-fil-et where they’re not as concerned about inconvienancing a customer.”
I’ve never been back to that drive-in.
Tune in tomorrow for Day 3 of my Consumer Pet Peeves – Tow Truck Drivers
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