I’m telling you: just think of them as robots, or simple AI. Wait for a question; answer it using the fewest words possible. It’ll move much more smoothly, and so will your bowels.
No Krebbs cycle then.
I’m sorry.
jacquilynne - that might work - I’ll have to try it.
Cisco - that brings back a lot of memories, including, “How long is a footlong sub?” Well, it’s about…a foot.
Oh I wish I could remember half the moronic shit people said to me back then (“how long is a footlong?” was indeed one of them.) We used to hang out after work and bounce ridiculous customer interactions off one another and we never ran out of them. Unfortunately, it’s been awhile, and I only worked there about 2 months anyway, so my memories are fading.
WRT upselling, a lot of corporate entities require their employees to try to upsell, even if the customer specifies that they don’t want whatever. Most likely your compliant is with management and/or corporate, not the wage-slave.
It’s not just Subway. Pretty much everywhere I go, hot peppers are something that needs to be requested. Even here in Chicago, where a hot dog “everything” can sometimes mean a salad on a bun, I order “everything, hot peppers.” If you don’t, you might get peppers, you might not, or (more usually) you’ll prompt the vendor to ask you whether you want hot peppers. But I’ve been conditioned to assume “everything” usually does not include peppers at most places.
“Everything” can be really tricky. There is one hot dog place near me that puts lettuce on if you ask for everything!
. . . but you asked for everything . . . is it more realistic to expect them to read your mind and interpret “everything” as “everything Sarahfeena wants”, or to just put everything on it?
It is most definitely upselling. I have some intimate knowledge of Subway in particular, they have people who research this. Around 80% or so of combo purchases are impulses. People are going in because they want a sandwich, and by offering the meal you’re making them consider getting chips and a drink (or whatever) in addition.
Their “would you like to make it a meal” is labeled “upselling” in store documentation and in-store posters. DAI (Doctor’s Associates Inc.) even pays mystery shoppers to travel around and see if Subway employees are upselling, and if they are they can win prizes (and usually a $20.00 check on the spot.)
No one cares, really. The employee doesn’t care, the franchisee doesn’t care, and the franchising corporation doesn’t care.
You shouldn’t care, because we’re talking about fast food and people that act like their life is ruined if they don’t have a perfect “dining experience” at a fast food place are irredeemable douchebags. Guess what, another meal is rolling around a few hours later, you are not in fact on death row being served your last meal. Nor are you in a 3-star restaurant where you would expect great service and excellent food.
Well, no, and I said upthread that the only way to get what you want is to tell them specifically.
The hot dog comment was kind of a joke between me & Pulykamell, who is also a Chicagoan. There is really little dispute about what goes on a “Chicago-Style” dog, and lettuce is not one of the ingredients that one would ever expect. It would be a little bit like ordering a Big Mac and finding out that one particular McDonald’s just decided they were going to put bacon on the burger. It’s not that there’s necessarily anything wrong with bacon, it’s just not what you would expect based on years of experience. Only another Chicagoan would know how wrong it is to put lettuce on a hot dog. And whatever you do, don’t get us started on ketchup!
it must be so nice that this is the worst thing to complain about in one’s life.
You guys think you have it bad?
When I made my lunch this morning I discovered that we were out of Swiss cheese! And who’s fault is that?? [sub]Well, mine… but that’s beside the point![/sub]
So now I’m sitting here staring at a turkey sammich with friggin’ MOZZARELLA on it!
Subway has divided all the territories in which it operates into markets. In each market there are items which must be carried at all stores in that market, items which are optionally offered based on franchisee discretion, and then there are a few items which Subway requires in every store in a given region (region being a country, more or less.)
Every market in the United States must carry white American cheese. Mozzarella cheese is also required across the United States as Subway mandated all U.S. Subway stores start serving pizza–and stores carrying pizza must offer mozzarella.
After that you have three cheese choices, one of which must be shredded cheddar (there are different varieties of shredded cheddar, and the decision on which to use is made market-to-market.) Market decisions are usually made by franchisee voting.
After those three cheeses (American, cheddar, mozarella) the other two vary wildly from market to market. Generally pepperjack/provolone/swiss are the most popular options for those final two cheese slots. In general cheese selection is entirely market-based, the franchisee has no say individually.
Franchisees do get discretion in what chips and cookies they serve (although again, some are mandated in all U.S. Subways and some are market-mandated.) There is a similar situation for sauces as well.
However in addition to all this, some Subway owners will apply for waivers to get around these things (you can get a waiver for most anything) and there is varying degrees of success in getting these waivers.
And finally, some stores just plain remain out of compliance. For example many Subway franchisees do not like the pizza program because the pizzas have a high food cost, significantly slow down the lunch line, and also do not sell well in some areas. These franchisees have elected to refuse to serve the pizzas. What this means is each month they will be marked out of compliance, and eventually they will have to go to arbitration in Connecticut where their franchise will be revoked and their lease taken over by their development agent under the orders of DAI. It takes several years for that process to complete itself, though. Some problem franchisees routinely remain out of compliance when they don’t want to implement something Subway has mandated. For example you may see the odd Subway that has the really old Subway logo and store decor, because the owner doesn’t want to pay for the mandatory upgrade/remodel. Eventually they do have to give in, but they can get away with non-compliance for a long time.
–This should conclude any questions people have about Subway.
Martin, I concede this point for Subway, where the menu is all sandwiches and combos are “$xx more” but I’d have a harder time believing it for a place like McDonalds and BurgerKing where half the menu board is Combos#1-10
I don’t care if they don’t care. They simply aren’t getting my money as often. What’s to argue with that. I’m not pitching a fit in front of the workers or their managers. I can choose what I prefer in a dining experience, thankyouverymuch.
Actually, I’ve noticed that, in an effort to make the board ‘easier’ to read and to drive people to the combos, menu boards in various places now do not have a listing for the various sandwiches, only the extras like drinks, sides, and desserts. The sandwiches are placed with the combos, so you’ll see “#1 Whopper $4.59 (sandwich only $2.99)”
It’s entirely possible some customers refer to the sandwich using the same number as the combo in these cases.
Sounds like Byron’s or Murphy’s.
Actually, “everything” in Chicago is a matter of some debate. There is the Vienna Beef marketing “everything,” which claims a proper Chicago dog with everything is: poppy seed bun, tomatoes, onions, neon relish, sport peppers, pickle spear, mustard, celery salt. This is what most Chicagoans will say is a Chicago hot dog. Even Mike Royko adhered to this standard.
However, this has never been the definition of “everything on it” in any hot dog place I grew up near in the city. The standard everything, in my experience, is mustard, onions, relish (non-neon), optional sport peppers, and occasionally pickle spear. Usually on a plain bun. You will still find Vienna Beef hot dog signs in the city that depict just these topping. So mustard, onions, and relish is the starting point for “everything.” Beyond that, it really depends on where you get your dog. Some places add, as you’ve noted, lettuce, fresh cukes, and even green peppers (?!) to their dogs. Some have pickled tomatoes. There’s quite a lot of variation.
One thing that is certain is that ketchup never belongs on an “everything” hot dog in Chicago. That is universally understood. I once got ketchup when I requested everything on my dog in a place near the Loop–I don’t know if the kid was new to town or whether he was playing some cruel practical joke on me–but I’ve never gone back. It breaks my heart to have to say “everything, no ketchup” in the city.
Whoops. n/t
“Depends. White or wheat?”
OK, still not getting why people insist that a minor irritant doesn’t belong in the Pit. Again, it’s kind of a fun break to participate in a Pit thread that doesn’t involve total douchebaggery and mockery of tragedy.
Am I not allowed to say my throat hurts just because there are people in the world with tracheotomies? I can’t be in pain and discomfort with a broken leg because there are people in the world without legs? Yes, I’m exagerrating…but, Jesus!
I Pit people who get their panties in a bunch just because someone’s Pit isn’t “worthy” enough. Isn’t that basically threadshitting?
Boo Hoo Hoo!