Fast food places in Bama so sloooow and don't have's (Huntsville: neighborhood, high school)

[Michaelrj9]

Ok first of all I love the area, people and weather but...

Why is every fast food place in Bama so slooow. I can go to a Mcdonalds, Burger king, Popeye's etc in Huntsville and it is guaranteed almost in writing that it will be almost 5 minutes per person in front of you even during the slow times. Plus almost guaranteed 50% of the time they are out of straws, fry's, cheese, hash browns, drinks etc..

How can a fast food place be out of drinks, straws, frys etc. It is BASIC necessities for a fast food place.

I can't comment on them messing up you order because even where I came from messed up orders alot.

Now please don't think I am being a AS. Hole... but it seems like all the fast food places sends their employee rejects (that are super slow workers) "NOT mentally challenged" down here in Bama.

Any one else see this or is it just me? I have been here almost a year and like I said I love the area, weather, people etc.. but food places are something different down here.

[ionlife]

Uh, if you think it's slow, then you haven't lived in the northeast. At least here everyone understands you when you place your order. I have not noticed a slower pace at all, but then I rarely eat fast food. It's the last resort.

[Michaelrj9]

Originally Posted by dramamama

Uh, if you think it's slow, then you haven't lived in the northeast. At least here everyone understands you when you place your order. I have not noticed a slower pace at all, but then I rarely eat fast food. It's the last resort.

Thanks for the responce.. I was hoping I would not offend anyone but just wanted to get some feedback on other peoples perspective. I hate to admit it but I do go to the fast food places more than I should and that is what I noticed. That they are super slow and out of things all the time. Maybe it is just the area that I am at near University Dr & Jordan Ln.

I lived in the Chicagoland area all my life until last year when my brother & I moved to Huntsville so we do sometimes (not that often) have trouble understanding what someone says here and they also sometimes have a hard time understanding us because our Chicago accent LOL.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Michaelrj9

it seems like all the fast food places sends their employee rejects (that are super slow workers) "NOT mentally challenged" down here in Bama.

I don't think fast food places "send" employees here. The employees are basically high school kids from around the neighborhood. High school kids are high school kids. Why would some be different?

I wonder how "controlled" or scientific the comparisons between the AL fast food places and other fast food places were.

There may be other reasons:

The economy. People are eating more fast food because it is cheap.
New gadgets. Lots of new machines to supposedly make the process more efficient. Probably also there for the corporate bean counters to take data, inventory, market research, etc.
New food items: Fast food is low margin, very competitive. Each joint is trying to position itself with the latest bacon-wrap-chipotle-fish-taco-mcrib-secret-sauce-two-all-beef-patties-special-sauce-lettuce-cheese-pickles-onions-a-a-sesame-seed-bun items.

[harry chickpea]

I see it more in Huntsville than elsewhere, although I used to notice it just as much in parts of south Florida. The McD in Athens is very fast. Last time I looked in the drive though window they had some sort of machine that took the cup from a stack and stuck it under the drink spigot. Pretty funny.

I always carry a magazine or newspaper or book in the car for just such occasions. It makes the wait much more pleasant. Guess folks from "up there" just ain't as edumacated, to think of sumpin like that.

[julilg]

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

I see it more in Huntsville than elsewhere, although I used to notice it just as much in parts of south Florida. The McD in Athens is very fast. Last time I looked in the drive though window they had some sort of machine that took the cup from a stack and stuck it under the drink spigot. Pretty funny.

I always carry a magazine or newspaper or book in the car for just such occasions. It makes the wait much more pleasant. Guess folks from "up there" just ain't as edumacated, to think of sumpin like that.

Harry are you referring to time from arrival to departure or from order to departure? If it's one and the same, that's pretty much your answer. In many areas & certain times of day here, the food arrives quicker after it's been ordered than it will in slower locations/ times, but the wait in line to order often takes longer. When they know they'll have a steady flow of patrons, they can afford to start preparing many common menu items before orders are placed.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by julilg

Harry are you referring to time from arrival to departure or from order to departure? If it's one and the same, that's pretty much your answer. In many areas & certain times of day here, the food arrives quicker after it's been ordered than it will in slower locations/ times, but the wait in line to order often takes longer. When they know they'll have a steady flow of patrons, they can afford to start preparing many common menu items before orders are placed.

I don't mind waiting for fresh and custom. That's why I always special order: Simple $1 hamburgers with extra-extra-extra-extra.......(five minutes later)....extra-extra onions on them. I also order tall glasses of water for free. They have to make it from scratch. They don't make any money on me.

Ya, I'm the guy in front of you in the drive through who makes you sit there for five minutes only to watch the employee hand me one little bag.

[Reactionary]

Charles - at fast food restaurants I don't make an 'extra' or 'special' order - have you ever seen the movie 'Waiting'? Getting more than you expected from the cook is not typical, but it happens frequently enough to be a concern. Been there, won't admit to anything...

[skinem]

Coast-to-coast I haven't noticed any difference here. Sometimes I'll get a slow place, but it's usually an exception. There's only one place I can think of that's time-after-time slow--and it's due to poor management.

Now, as an old man now, I have noticed that my orders are more frequently wrong than used to be, but that's not a geographic oddity.

[FCEddie]

anyone know why the Wendy's in Athens has been closed for three weeks?

==
FF is slow everywhere. Mostly because they went from serpentine service, where we all waited in one line, to this multiple register counter where the employees are battling to see who can serve their customer the slowest.