Sean says he approves of the this sign that he saw at an Idaho Subway location today, but his wife wasn’t a fan…
My wife thought it was ridiculous, but I kind of like the idea of sending those annoying line-talkers to the back.
Well, you know us, we’re always biased toward the consumer…. but those line-talkers are on their own this time.
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@Ein2015: People talking on the phone who are distracted and say the wrong thing (two conversations at once can do that) or aren’t clear aren’t a reflection on the person serving them.
@coren: You’re right there, but that goes into the “basic collateral losses” part of owning a business.
This is a great idea. I wish they would ban cell phone use in ALL restaurants. There’s nothing more irritating than trying to enjoy your food while some schmuck’s phone going off, then worse, he picks up the phone and answers…Loudly, with food flying out of his mouth and all. If you’re going to take a call, go outside.
And yes, I have stood behind one of those self-absorbing jerks yaking on the phone and taking their sweet time to order a sandwich. If you’re too busy to take a lunch break, bring lunch and stay in your cubicle.
@BMRFILE: Perhaps you should dine at home? Most restaurants are FULL of people talking loudly with food flying from their mouths. Does it really matter if it’s because of a cell-phone or the party of people they’re with?
And what does self-absorbing even mean?
I’m in the middle of a family medical crisis.
If my choices are 1) listen to the Subway employee with one ear while listening to the report from the hospital with the other ear, or 2) skipping lunch and having low blood sugar on top of enormous stress and significant loss of sleep, I’m going to order lunch. Sorry. Not all calls are garbage calls.
If I’m bullshitting with someone, of course, I get off the phone. But I can’t be the only person on the planet who can use a little judgment and self control.
In defense of Bluetooth addicts, like myself, I don’t think the simple act of talking on a headset is the problem. The problem is volume. People seam to have lost the concept of an indoor voice. In a busy store someone 4 feet away would have a hard time listening to one of my phone conversations.
Of course since my average phone conversation is less than 3 minutes there would not be much to hear anyway. I don’t understand how people spend hours on the phone at a stretch.
@nsv: And you have every right in the world to be on your phone. Hospital calls, kid calls, etc are exceptions to the rule. Just don’t get mad at me if I ask if there is anything else I can do for you in an attempt to make your visit to whatever business i work at a little less stressful.
I don’t bend over for anyone and I expect good service (I have worked in customer service). But I also give them the respect that I expect. And, dare I say, that I sometimes enjoy having a little conversation with whomever is serving me.
And whoever said that they are not human but representatives of their company. That is one of the saddest things I have ever read. I don’t think you are an asshole. Just someone with very little control over their own lives and then feel the need to take it out on others. Therapy maybe an option. It will empower you so that you don’t have to treat others like crap to make yourself feel better.
@doctor_cos: Um, what exactly is your icon?
@thelushie: If I’m waiting for a sandwich, listening to my phone, and saying “Yes….. ok….. I understand…..” how are you or anyone else going to know if this is a hospital call or something else?
So now I’m stressed from the lack of sleep, from the worry, from the bad news I’m getting over the phone, and I’ve got to wonder if I’m going to be sent to the back of the room like a bad little girl and be late returning to work because I finally–FINALLY–got the damn doctor on the phone? Or because my father is on the phone and actually crying? How is someone behind a Subway counter going to figure out that yes, I really need to eat, and yes, this really is an important phone call?
I’m exhausted (no surprise there) and can’t think of a good way to handle this, but I’m thinking that treating all your customers like children who need to be punished is not the best possible solution.
Two of the rudest things that can be done in a drive thru is 1) Talking on your phone while at the speaker and 2) ordering a very large amount of food.
I am from Arkansas and there are several little towns in the central part of the state that have signs that say “Please get off your cell phone in the order line or you will be asked to go around. City Ordinance.” I haven’t seen such signs here in the DFW area but I do know that you will be asked to get off your cell phone before ordering,
When I was at store level management, I would not reprimand any employee for asking a customer to get off their phone while ordering. I don’t use this word much but talking on a cell phone while trying to order is just being an asshole. I don’t like Subway but I applaud that sign.
@bcsus83: It really is isn’t. Welcome to ____ may I take your order? Just a minute… Bring back bad memories?
@ModernDemagogue: If you were in one of my stores with that kind of attitude, you would be asked to leave.
@nsv: Unfortunately, most people can’t and that’s why we are going to start seeing more and more signs like this one
@newfenoix: Most people can’t use a little judgment and self control, so we need Subway to tell us to go to the back of the line?
Why don’t we have a cop at the door of every bar at closing time, punishing the people who are too drunk to drive? Getting hit by a drunk driver would put a hell of a lot more hurt in your life than getting slowed down a bit by the jerk ahead of you in line at Subway.
@Ein2015: And this Subway’s cutting down on them.
@nsv: A bit of hyperbole there, eh?
Subway is putting into a policy that they, as a private entity, have every right to do. I don’t see what the big deal is – most of us will never set foot in this subway anyway
@coren: A bit of extrapolation there. @newfenoix seems to think that this is necessary because people can’t use a little judgment and self control when ordering a sandwich. If we must police people who can’t seem to control themselves while conducting a simple transaction, wouldn’t it make sense to police the folks who have the potential to do serious harm?
@coren: They have the right to do it, but I’m throwing out there the guarantee that they WILL lose business in the process. So it may cost more when it reduces losses by $10 a day but reduces profits by $30 a day. (Pulling numbers out of my rear for examples.)
@newfenoix: I leave when asked. It’s just like freedom of speech, you have the right to talk, I have the right to respond. Businesses aren’t required to serve me just as I’m not required to eat there. It’s all about attempting the profit-maximizing balance… which I feel is NOT achieved by the sign.
@nsv: I more meant putting cops in bars – big difference.
@Ein2015: It seems to me that aside from recouping lost orders, they’ll also finish orders faster, be more efficient, complete more work, and perhaps need fewer employees, or at least need fewer staffed hours. Hell, I’d shop at a Subway like that, after being in a line behind that sort of shopper.
Whew, a lot of comments on this, and most in favor of the idea. Way to go. I’ve seen JERKS with the cellphones standing at the registers many times. And yes, anybody who’d stand there talking and barely paying attention with six people in line behind is truly a low-life piece of work. Believe it or not, we don’t care who you’re talking to or why; just get out of the way.
@coren: From my experience working at a Subway, you won’t save much time nor money nor staffed hours nor employees.
It’s the employees attitude towards customers (the good and the bad ones), how well they can make your sandwich, etc that really determine how good that Subway is.
Hahaha that is great. We have that at the DMV, but not local eateries here. Excellent – as a former server in a restaurant, there is nothing worse than a self absorbed rude customer who is too busy and important than to order their food because they’re talking on the phone.
Then they get mad at YOU because you weren’t able to discern their order from their incessant babbling on about their important date last night, or latest business acquisition. And they blame YOU when they fail to order what they wanted, because they were distracted.
Serves ‘em right. If people had basic manners, they would know to get off the phone, before they get to the front of the line, and they wouldn’ t be offended by it.
Anok
thank you so much I worked at Subway as a manager for 2 years here in Canada, and if there was a lineup of people and someone was on their cell phone I simply went onto the next customer, a couple of customers put in a complaint about this until I explained to them “Hey you want us to give you our complete attention when we’re serving you, we expect the same treatment in return, you want your order right don’t you? then pay attention to what you’re saying to us so we get it right” Respect and Courtesy are a two way street.