A Good Demonstration Of Bad Automation
(I’m at a store of a popular sandwich chain where they prepare the food as you order. As a semi-regular, I recognize most of the employees. This guy, however, is new to me. He flashes me a friendly smile as I get to the counter.)
Me: “Hi there. Would you make me two large subs on white bread with turkey and ham, with cheddar on both of them, please?”
(He grabs one sub and starts preparing it.)
Employee: “Sure thing. And would you like that toasted?”
Me: “Yes, please.”
Employee: “And what kind of cheese?”
Me: “Cheddar. On both of them.”
(He looks confused for a second, then turns to the bread and hovers with his hand over it.)
Employee: “What kind of bread for the second one?”
Me: “It’s the same as the first.”
Employee: “Oh, right.” *grabs the white bread and prepares it* “And what kind of cheese?”
Me: “Cheddar. Both are pretty much exactly the same, save for the sauce.”
Employee: “All righty! You wanted that toasted, right?”
Me: “Yes, please.”
Employee: “Both of them?”
Me: “Yes, they’re the same.”
Employee: *after he put the subs in the toaster* “Sorry, I spilled some of the cheese on one of them.” *he looks at me expectantly but does nothing*
Me: “That’s all right.”
Employee: “And what else would you like on that?”
Me: “Both with lettuce, onions, peppers ,and olives, please.”
(He nods and begins putting tomatoes on the sandwich.)
Me: “No tomatoes, please.”
Employee: *laughing insecurely* “Oh, I’m sorry, it’s just that row is basically what I have to put on everything.”
Me: “That’s okay. Automatism sometimes gets the best of us, huh?”
Employee: *staring at the vegetables for a second* “What did you want on that, again?”
Me: “Onions, peppers, olives.”
Employee: “Oh, right.” *he forgets the olives and goes for the sauces*
Me: “Olives, too, please.”
(Since he already forgot that I wanted the same on both subs, the same process repeats with the second one.)
Employee: “Sorry, right. And what kind of sauce would you like?”
Me: “The chipotle on one, mayo on the other. Easy on the mayo, please.”
Employee: “Sure thing.” *prepares the chipotle* “And aioli for the other?”
Me: “Regular mayo, and about half the amount you’d usually put on there, if that’s okay.”
Employee: *proceeds to cover half of the sub length-wise, and looks at me expectantly*
Me: *internal face-palm, but getting impatient* “Yeah, sure. That’s all right, I guess…”
(As he rings me up, chipper as before, I notice he rings my order up as to eat there – without asking me.)
Me: “I’d like that for take-away, please.”
Employee: “Oh! Sure, sorry. Most people just eat here.”
Me: “Yeah, sorry. Should’ve said that earlier.” *thinking ‘not that you’d remember if I had’*
Employee:“That’ll be [price], please.”
Me: *as I hand him the money, smiling* “Been a long day, huh?”
Employee: “What do you mean?”
