I’m one of those weirdos who hates a drive-thru and will actually go inside to order. Partly because I’m convinced it is faster and partly to embarrass my children, which is always a good time. But there is one circumstance where I will always choose the drive-thru: bad weather. I hate being wet. I hate being cold. And more than anything, I hate being cold and wet. So if it’s raining, snowing or sleeting, you’d best believe I’ll be in that car lineup.
That said, I consider myself a good drive-thru customer. I make a point to have my order ready before I even pull up to the speaker. I turn down the music (lies—it’s a murder podcast) so the employee doesn’t have to compete with the ominous voice coming from my phone. I’ve got my card ready to go (or exact change, if I’m feeling poor and/or ambitious). I say please and thank you, and I actually make eye contact instead of scrolling through my phone. Gold star for me!
Perhaps you’re a good drive-thru customer too. But here’s the thing: If you’ve never worked a drive-thru window, there’s a good chance you’re committing what fast-food employees consider one of the most inconsiderate drive-thru behaviors—and if you’re like me, you have absolutely no idea you’re doing it.
“Most customers genuinely have no clue,” according to my son, who worked in fast food for years. “I’m not going to get mad at anyone over it, but it kind of does ruin my day when it happens.”
The worst part? Similar to the polite habits fast-food workers secretly dislike, you’re probably only guilty of it on the days when you need that burger or coffee the most. Read on to find out what this rude drive-thru behavior is and what you should do instead.
Get Reader’s Digest’s Read Up newsletter for more etiquette, humor, cleaning, travel, tech and fun facts all week long.
What’s the rude drive-thru behavior?
Surprise! It’s leaving your windshield wipers on when you pull up to the window.
And now I feel even worse, since I only use the drive-thru when it’s raining or snowing. And I know, I know. You’re probably thinking, But it’s raining! What am I supposed to do—just not see? And yes, that’s a fair point when you’re actually driving. But when you pull up to that window to grab your fries, your car isn’t going anywhere. Those wipers, however, are still working overtime—and flinging rain, slush or whatever else has accumulated on your windshield directly onto the employee trying to hand you your food.
“It’s bad enough that we have to stand at an open window for hours at a time in bad weather,” my son says. “Splashing us is just the poop icing on the crap cake.”
One former drive-thru worker on Reddit painted an especially vivid picture of the situation: “I used to have to wear a trash-bag poncho to keep the rain off of me, and I’d be so cold and miserable.” (On the upside, the Redditor added this fast-food secret: “If you turn off your wipers, you’re getting extra sauce.” Nice!)
Why is it rude to leave your wipers on?
In case those visuals weren’t enough, let’s break down exactly why this seemingly innocent habit is such a big deal to drive-thru workers.
It drenches employees
This is the obvious one, but it bears emphasizing. That employee handing you your McMuffin is stuck at that window for their entire shift. Getting splashed once is annoying; getting splashed dozens of times during a rainstorm is genuinely miserable. The water from wipers can hit them in the face, get their uniform super wet and leave them damp and uncomfortable for hours.
The water isn’t exactly clean
Think about what’s on your windshield: road grime, dust, pollen and sometimes remnants of whatever bird decided to use your car as a restroom. And do you really want the person handing you a burger and fries to be covered in wastewater with a side of residual bird poop? Gross.
It can create unsafe working conditions
When water gets flung into the restaurant, it doesn’t just hit the employee—it hits the floor. “It creates a huge mess, and it’s a safety hazard,” my son’s co-worker Ben explains. “It can make the floors of the store wet, making people slip and fall.” Now the workers have to navigate slippery surfaces while juggling hot coffee and bags of food.
It happens when workers are already having a rough time
Nobody loves working in bad weather, but drive-thru employees don’t get to go inside and escape the elements. They’re stationed right at that open window, getting blasted with cold air, rain and wind every time a car pulls up. Adding wiper spray to the mix makes a tough shift even tougher.
My son says the worst was when he had to work the outside portion of the drive-thru at one fast-food joint. “We got hosed with water from the cars and the wipers. We wore ponchos, but it barely helped. And one time I got my foot run over,” he says, still sad about it two years later. “I know people usually just don’t notice, but I wish they would care a little bit more about their fellow humans. It costs nothing to be aware of those around you.”
What should you do instead?
The fix here is beautifully simple: Turn off your wipers before you reach the window. And this etiquette tip extends beyond fast-food restaurants—toll-booth operators and parking-garage attendants have the same complaint. Basically, any time you’re pulling up to a window where a human being is going to interact with you, those wipers should go off.
You don’t even need to turn them off the moment you enter the drive-thru lane. Just make it part of your routine as you approach the window, right after you put your car in park or come to a complete stop. Your car isn’t moving, so you don’t need wipers to see. The interaction typically takes less than a minute, and any rain that accumulates on your windshield during that time won’t obscure your vision enough to matter.
“Your car is not moving,” Ben says. “You do not need them—I promise.”
If it’s absolutely pouring and you’re worried about visibility, you can always turn them back on immediately after you pull away from the window. But in most cases, you’ll be fine for the 30 seconds it takes to grab your order.
Some fast-food workers have noted that customers who remember this small courtesy often get better service in return—extra sauce packets, a friendlier interaction, maybe even a little something extra in their bag.
How else can you be a courteous drive-thru customer?
- Turn off your headlights at night. Those high beams shining directly into the worker’s eyes aren’t doing anyone any favors.
- Have your payment ready. Whether it’s a card or cash, get it out before you reach the window so you’re not fumbling while the line backs up.
- Put down your phone. If you’re distracted by your screen when it’s your turn, you’re slowing everyone down.
- Be patient if your order takes a moment. The person at the window probably isn’t the one making your food.
For more on navigating fast-food runs gracefully, check out these hilarious stories from drive-thru workers about the wildest things they’ve witnessed—and be grateful your biggest faux pas is just forgetting about your wipers.
RELATED:
- Is It Rude Not to Return Your Grocery Store Cart at Costco?
- Is It OK to Snack on Your Groceries Before Paying for Them? Here’s What the Experts Say
- Don’t Make This Rude Mistake at Restaurants that Servers Absolutely Hate—Chances Are, You’re Doing It!
Why trust us
Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of etiquette stories that help readers navigate communication in a changing world. We regularly cover topics such as the best messages to send for any occasion, polite habits that aren’t as polite as they seem, email and texting etiquette, business etiquette, tipping etiquette, travel etiquette and more. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Reddit r/YouShouldKnow: “YSK Turn off your windshield wipers when in a drive-thru”
- Reddit r/YouShouldKnow: “YSK that you shouldn’t have your windshield wipers on at the drive-thru”
- Reddit r/starbucks: “Turn off your wipers at the drive-thru window”
The post This Common Behavior in the Drive-Thru Is Actually Really Rude. Are You Guilty of It? appeared first on Reader's Digest.
from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/sQKNtzf
Comments
Post a Comment