Drive Straight Through Any Reasonable Outcome

(I work at a fast food restaurant. We recently began posting employees outside in the drive-thru to improve our service scores and times during the lunch rush. I am at one of the menu boards and wearing a headset, but as I am the only male employee outside, the manual labor of take-down falls to me.)

Manager: *over headset* “Okay, tell [Other Employees] it’s time to start heading in and get packed up.”

(I do so and start to walk back to the cash stand, which is a big metal podium-style cart with an umbrella that has to be carted to the back of the store. As I’m about to reach the cart, a car speeds into the drive-thru and past the menu boards, and the man at the wheel starts to shout at me.)

Customer: “I need a [combo meal] with well-done fries and a drink, and I don’t need any attitude!”

Me: “I’m sorry, sir, but we’re already shutting down the outdoor ordering for today, but if you—”

Customer: “You’re shutting down the drive-thru?! I thought [Restaurant] was all about customer service!”

Me: “The drive-thru is still open, but we’re shutting down the outdoor—”

Customer: “You can’t just shut down the drive-thru in the middle of the afternoon!”

Me: “Sir, the drive-thru is still open; we just aren’t taking orders outside. If you could back up to the menu boards and let them know what you’d like to order, I’m sure they’d be happy to help.”

(At this point, he seems to have calmed down, and he backs up. I think I’ve seen the last of him, but as I’m folding the umbrella, he pulls up beside me and rolls down his window.)

Customer: “Ahem.”

(I continue folding the umbrella.)

Customer: “EXCUSE ME!”

Me: “May I help you?”

Customer: “Aren’t you going to take my money?”

Me: “Sir, as you can see, I am taking down the cart right now. We won’t be taking drive-thru orders or payment outside again until tomorrow morning at eleven-thirty. If you could pull up to the window, they’ll be happy to finish your order there.”

(I went back to tying the umbrella down, and he realized he wouldn’t get any rise out of me. He drove off muttering about how he was going to talk to my manager about my disrespectful attitude. Unfortunately for him, my manager that day had a history of not taking crap from guests, and on top of that, she’d already put in her two-weeks’ notice. When I returned inside, rather than the reprimand the customer wanted, I received a high-five and an ice cream cone for not telling him off like she did. I’ve always wondered what she said to him.)