So there is a Dunkin Donuts (I know they dropped the Donuts but I am old) I go to a lot. It’s on my walking route so several times a week I stop there for some coffee or a snack. I have been doing this for years and while they don’t know my name and I don’t know theirs, every worker there knows me and smiles and makes small talk when I am there.
Today I went in and ordered two egg wraps and a large coffee. They were moderately busy but not overwhelmed in case that matters. She took my order and I paid $12 which is what it normally costs. While I was waiting I looked up at the menu and noticed their meal deal had changed from yesterday to today (I had just been there yesterday) and a medium coffee and two wake up wraps were $5. I noticed this because someone after me tried to order the old deal and she pointed out it had changed.
I said smiling and jokingly said that if I had ordered a medium coffee I would have saved $7. And she said, “Oh yeah you ordered a large.”
I got my coffee and food and left but inside I was a little annoyed. She clearly knew what deal was because she pointed it out to someone after me. I didn’t notice it myself but I thought she could have said something when I ordered. Seven bucks is not a small amount of money when the only difference is a medium vs a large coffee.
It’s not like I am going to boycott the place or even say anything when I go back but I thought that especially as a regular customer that was kind of thoughtless on their part. Do you agree or did they not do anything I could be annoyed with?
They probably (wrongly) assumed you saw the deal and decided against it. Not a big deal, in my opinion. Personally, I prefer not being told I could order something different to save money.
I agree she should have spoken up. At my first apartment, there were several pizza places in walking distance. I always went to a certain one and recommended them highly to anybody who asked, because of what happened the first time I walked in and ordered. The woman who took my order pointed out that I could actually get more pizza for less money if I changed my order to this instead. This made me very happy.
Customer service knowing that the deal had changed, yes she should have told you and let you decide if a large coffee was worth $7 more. And yes, it is a sliding scale. If it were a 50¢ difference then maybe it’s on you to check out your surroundings and current deals.
I’ve patronized businesses where I’ve bought two of something and at the register get informed that I can get a third for little or no extra money. They don’t have to do that but it’s considerate, whether or not you’re a regular customer.
My husband went to our local Dunkin Donuts (yeah, it still says Donuts on the sign) and they didn’t have any donuts! And it was in the morning, yanno, when people want a donut with their morning coffee?
IIRC, Dunkin’ is a franchise outfit, so – while I think the cashier should have offered you the (much) cheaper deal – my Real WorldTM opinion is that what matters most is what the franchisee and/or store manager would praise and support:
the relentless pursuit of near-term profits, or
the lifetime value of a happy customer made just a skosh happier
I agree that good customer service would have been to mention the deal.
I was visiting Las Vegas once and saw an interesting magic show for (say) $30.
It was about to start so I rushed in and offered the $30. The woman at the till said “It’s only $15 at lunchtime” - which impressed me.
I would be extremely annoyed at the Dunkin Donuts. Based on the prices and scenario you presented, you likely could have gotten the meal deal with two egg wraps and a medium coffee, then added a large coffee and still spent less money than you did.
This reminds me of a time when I went to a diner and was told my meal included soup or salad. I asked what kind of soup they had and was told they had chicken noodle, tomato soup, and clam chowder. So I said that I would do the clam chowder. When the bill came, I was charged separately for the chowder, and it wasn’t cheap. When I complained, the server said, “Oh, the chowder isn’t one of the options to be included with a meal.” To which I said, “Then why didn’t you tell me that when I ordered it?!” At which point the server just shrugged, and I proceeded to boycott the place for the next decade.
That, I would pull a manager over for. If you’re told by the same person that (a) the meal includes soup, and (b) the list of soups includes chowder, then yes, I’d certainly expect it to be included. If I still didn’t get it taken off the bill, I’d report them to whatever agency handles unfair business practices. Not because the $6 is that important, but I want them to have to deal with responding to a complaint. I’d find that much more satisfying than a personal boycott.
Do you always order a large coffee? Such that to these servers who recognize you, it’s as “Mr. large coffee and a [whatever] that changes from day to day”.
Are you someone who always orders the loss leader special du jour, or never does?
Do you tip large, stingy, or not at all? (I have no clue what’s customary at donut shops these days; it’s been decades since I was in one.)
No need for you to answer these questions here in public, just something to think about. Assuming basic goodwill and average awareness on the part of the worker, she may well have slotted you into the “Want’s his large coffee and will not be happy with anything else so no point in asking” category. Or was thinking “I don’t want to insult him by offering the special instead and thereby making him think I think he’s a cheap-ass.”
OTOH if you always order what amounts to the special, and it changed as of this morning, and you ordered what it was yesterday and every day the last e.g. 6 weeks, I’d sure expect her to say “Umm, did you notice our special has changed? Do you want what it is now for $5 or what it used to be for $12?”
I don’t like being annoyed, so I generally choose not to be. I would be a little disappointed in that Dunkin. When I worked a customer-facing job like this, I absolutely would have told you a better deal could be had if you don’t want a large. And even if you wanted a large, if there was a way to key in the size upgrade at a normal cost (eg, difference in price between a regular and large coffee) I would do that. But in an international chain setting like that, there might not be. I’d probably still give you a large anyway this time.
I tend to the petty, a weakness I know, and I’d be at least “a little annoyed”. My pettiness would probably be reflected by either in the future (if I continued visiting) standing and passive aggressively carefully reading the board and taking up the cashier’s time (not if there was a noticeable line behind me) or ostentatiously asking them to tell me all the current specials.
If they ask why I’ve changed by habits, then I’d let them know. And I’d probably only keep it up for a couple of weeks. But that’s only if, as stated in the OP, this is a place where I’m going due to ease of access - I’m normally going to pull the @robby and @Dag_Otto route of boycotting the place.
On the side, I’m on @FairyChatMom’s side of the ponder - Dunkin largely abandoned donuts years ago - sometimes you can go into an older place and see where there’s awkwardly placed new machinery taking up what used to be three times the donut storage space. They keep trying to be Starbucks with coffee, breakfast sandwiches, and iced coffee slushy drinks. Getting a dozen donuts is nigh impossible, and the only time I’ve been there in the last few years is when I had a coupon for a free coffee, and each time there’s been less than a dozen total donuts and maybe a few dozen holes left even by 10-11am.
I think that a big chain restaurant is inherently impersonal and soul crushing. Stop at a small local shop and you’ll get the kind of personal interaction you crave. You can write corporate and they’ll send you a coupon.