I’m not so sure it is about liability and more about making customers come into the restaurant, when it is open, if they are on foot. I can see how during the business hours that wouldbe clearly prefereable so as not to clog up the drive-thru. I suppose they could change the policy after the restaurant opens, but it is probably better to keep the policy onsistent all the time. Why would liability be a concern in the drive-thru versus, say, the parking lot?
Again, this is just an educated guess, but failure to consistenty enforce a policy would mitigate the policy’s effectiveness in reducing the company’s culpability. They probably don’t allow low-level employees to make judgment calls, because that would blow up in their face if they had to defend a lawsuit. So in the interest of consistency, they’re going to instruct the employees to never serve walk-up customers. So from the company’s point of view, how many cars were around isn’t really relevant. Besides, what guarantee is there that a car won’t drive up? Just because there isn’t one there right now doesn’t mean one couldn’t drive up at any time.
Crossing, and standing there are two different things. And I’d be willing to bet that they have some sort of marked crosswalk, and most likely a sign to alert motorists that pedestrians are crossing. Now, I know what you’re going to say, “Well they could put a sign saying people might be standing at the window.” They could, but they probably figure it’s less risky and easier to just not allow them. Sometimes it’s just not possible to design a restaurant so that customers can get in without crossing the path of cars, but they probably would if they could. The local Jack-In-the-Box here actually has a steel rail in front that makes it impossible to enter from the drive-thru side.
Yeah, you’d think. I’m guessing that the security risk from leaving the doors unlocked all night outweighs the potential profit from late night walk-in customers. That must be the case, because it’s very rare for fast-food places to leave the dining room open all night. I agree that it’s frustrating.
For one thing, even here in little ol’ Grand Forks some of the fast food joints have walk-up windows.
With regards to what happened to you, keep in mind that because there were no cars when you went, doesn’t mean there won’t be ever. Can you imagine 11pm with car, truck, 4 drunk college kids, car, 3 smart-ass HS kids trying to be contrarian/cool, van, car, 4 drunk college kids?
And more important, consider this. Once a pedestrian is served at the Drive-Thru, you’ve set the precedent that you serve pedestrians at the DT. Imagine people in the summer wanting lunch at Wendy’s but not wanting to go inside the store?
I work at a restaurant where the drive-thru is open all night, and more than once we’ve had inebriated foot traffic almost run over in the drive-thru.
Furthermore, another store in our district was robbed not long ago by a pedestrian who climbed through the open drive-thru window.
The rule makes sense to me.
That reminds me - I actually got rear-ended in a drive-thru once, and the person was at a dead stop only a few feet behind me before she did it. She just pressed on the accellerator and drove right into me when I was right there in my car right in front of her. And a car is a hell of a lot easier to see than a pedestrian.
It’s a safety thing, their little signs affixed to the drive-up windows even say so. But otherwise, a pox on idiots that can’t provide APPLICABLE and CRUCIAL information, such as a simple "but that’s only our drive up, dining in closes at X O’Clock.
[QUOTE=CanvasShoes]
It’s a safety thing, their little signs affixed to the drive-up windows even say so.
[/quoe]
Some do, some don’t. But anyway, we’re talking about the same thing. “Safety” - “Liability” - tomato, tomahto.
Yep - that’s what happens when you pay minimum wage.
<Wendy’s manager mode>
We actually get a lot of walkup orders, because we’re right next to a hotel, and there’s not a lot around for restaurants. It sucks saying no, but it does come down to liability and the safety of the employees. And if we say yes to one guy while it’s slow, we can’t say no to the next guy while we’re getting our butts kicked with orders on the clock.
And letting people in just to order would not only mess up the floors (there’s actually a very detailed cleaning procedure for the floors), it’d put the store more at risk for robbery. We’re not allowed to let anyone in the restaurant after 10 pm. Ever.
Cite?
