Mix-Up Causes Mixed Emotions

I’m a customer at a local fast food joint. While I used to frequently get fast food, due to wanting to get into a healthier lifestyle, I’ve been avoiding eating at any fast food joints, except maybe once every few months. However, this particular joint currently has a promotional burger that I am so very excited to try, so I made it a treat to myself. 

It is also the opening night of a new, hugely popular superhero film. There is a movie theatre less than a two-minute walk from the fast food joint, so the staff are clearly run off their feet with massive lines.

When I finally get to the counter, the frazzled but hugely polite and apologetic staff member informs me the drink machines are down. Bummer. But they are offering free replacement sides in place of a drink. I tell them it is completely fine and even joke sympathetically what a bummer it has happened on a night with such a popular film bringing the huge crowds.

I make my order of the promotional burger with sides and wait for it to be called out. While I am waiting, I people-watch. Throughout the entire time I wait, I can’t help but notice how efficient and polite the staff are, despite the massive rush. 

I receive my bag of greasy goodness and, as the place is packed, retreat to the comfort of my vehicle. 

There, I discover that my burger order has sadly been mistaken for another customer’s. While it is a burger I previously have eaten at this joint and enjoyed, I had my heart so set on the promotional burger. 

As I am only just outside the joint, I head back in and wait at the collection point for a staff member. I hate causing trouble for customer service, after spending most of my working life dealing with customer complaints that are beyond ridiculous. I apologise for the trouble and explain that the burger order has been mixed up — only the burger; everything else is completely correct. 

I swear the staff doesn’t know what to do with the fact that I’m not yelling at them for the mishap. They give me a new burger and let me keep the mix-up, as well, as a thanks for not causing a scene and as an apology for the mistake. 

I leave them a nice review on their Facebook page, not for the first time. Always acknowledge when staff are doing their best, and don’t make their life more difficult than it needs to be. They’re human and you actually get the nicer side of them when you act as a decent human yourself.