My Fast Food Lunches
Three quick observations from different local fast food establishments I have visited in the last week.
1) All of the employees in one restaurant were either Hispanic adults (with very little English language skills) or very scruffy-looking adults who appeared to be on some form of work release or mentally handicapped individuals. I did not see a single individual that could be described as a high school kid, either white, black or Hispanic, working. Where do all the high school kids work? Best Buy? Or do they even have jobs?
2) A Mexican fast food business in which you order your meal to be made in front of you as you go down a line was interesting. The choices of meat in your dish were pork, chicken, shredded beef and ground "sirloin." The Hispanic employee asked what I wanted and I replied, "Ground beef." "Chicken, pork, sirloin?," was the response. I repeated, "Ground beef." She finally was pointing at each bin and asking again. I then realized that she had apparently learned just enough English to ask for the ingredients in front of her that were listed on the menu and I wasn't saying one of them. I responded again, but saying "ground sirloin." To which she smiled and nodded her head and we proceeded with the rest of the order. This time with me being very specific.
3) I went to a chicken restaurant and noticed a special for $4.49. I ordered the special and the clerk couldn't figure out how to ring it up because it wasn't listed on the register. He asked for help from a supervisor who came to the register. I told him I wanted the specific special and he rang it up. He announced the total as $5.27. Just FYI, that's about 80 cts. in tax. I told him there must be an error because Madison has about a 5% sales tax and on $4 that would be 20 cts. "I don't know nothin' about that. The machine says it's $5.27." He even volunteered to turn the register to show me the display, I assume in an effort to prove he wasn't pocketing the money or simply overcharging me. I told him it was wrong. I did notice from the display that he had rung the sale up as $4.99. I told him that was incorrect and the price should be $4.49. "No, it's $4.99." I then turned, took a couple steps back, picked up the sign displaying the special and showed it to him. "Oh." My bill came to $4.79. Remember the last person with which I was dealing was the supervisor.
1) All of the employees in one restaurant were either Hispanic adults (with very little English language skills) or very scruffy-looking adults who appeared to be on some form of work release or mentally handicapped individuals. I did not see a single individual that could be described as a high school kid, either white, black or Hispanic, working. Where do all the high school kids work? Best Buy? Or do they even have jobs?
2) A Mexican fast food business in which you order your meal to be made in front of you as you go down a line was interesting. The choices of meat in your dish were pork, chicken, shredded beef and ground "sirloin." The Hispanic employee asked what I wanted and I replied, "Ground beef." "Chicken, pork, sirloin?," was the response. I repeated, "Ground beef." She finally was pointing at each bin and asking again. I then realized that she had apparently learned just enough English to ask for the ingredients in front of her that were listed on the menu and I wasn't saying one of them. I responded again, but saying "ground sirloin." To which she smiled and nodded her head and we proceeded with the rest of the order. This time with me being very specific.
3) I went to a chicken restaurant and noticed a special for $4.49. I ordered the special and the clerk couldn't figure out how to ring it up because it wasn't listed on the register. He asked for help from a supervisor who came to the register. I told him I wanted the specific special and he rang it up. He announced the total as $5.27. Just FYI, that's about 80 cts. in tax. I told him there must be an error because Madison has about a 5% sales tax and on $4 that would be 20 cts. "I don't know nothin' about that. The machine says it's $5.27." He even volunteered to turn the register to show me the display, I assume in an effort to prove he wasn't pocketing the money or simply overcharging me. I told him it was wrong. I did notice from the display that he had rung the sale up as $4.99. I told him that was incorrect and the price should be $4.49. "No, it's $4.99." I then turned, took a couple steps back, picked up the sign displaying the special and showed it to him. "Oh." My bill came to $4.79. Remember the last person with which I was dealing was the supervisor.
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