Forgot to mention the most “confusing” thing of all: You got the manager involved?
-FrL-
Nah, the manager happened to be there once when I asked the question.
And it wasn’t like a big one-time to-do, I just kept asking them “How can you have a medium size be your smallest?” whenever I went.
I’m sure, of course, that you realize that “medium” is a relative term, needing as it does something “smaller” and something “bigger” to make something “medium”? 
http://www.t3rbo.com/photo/img/344574d78c8be49f73444529f248d6b1/0005.jpg
Is that closely enough for you? Thanks for implying I can’t read a sign
You didn’t hear? They went to small-medium-large in June. I personally find it disturbing that the former “biggie” is now “medium.”
I get the joke.
But its clear that in this context, “medium” is being used to denote the smallest size they have. This may not be in keeping with the usual usage of the term, but there are alot of contexts in which particular words are used differently than according to their usual usage. No big deal.
We figure this out, and we move on. And we get confused when others get hung up on it.
Anyway, I don’t mean to make that big a deal out of it. I was just saying, I doubt the people behind the counter were confused about the issue you brought up. They probably just didn’t see what they could possibly do to satisfy you, and so weren’t sure what to do in response to your quip.
Myself, I would have just winked and laughed or something. But not everyone’s as quick witted and flexible and just plain loveable as I am.
-FrL-
I’ve not seen the practice mentioned by the OP, but I suppose I’d be annoyed as well. At least the Wendy’s in question is ostensibly giving customers what they’ve been charged for: a medium meal. A bit deceptive, perhaps, but it would be worse if they were charging for that and actually handing out a small.
There is a McDonald’s on my way to work that I can only think I stop at because I actually like abuse. Out of any ten trips through the drive-up window for breakfast, they will get the order wrong at least half the time. Inevitably, the incorrect order will be in their favor: a forgotten order of hash browns, a lower-cost sandwich than what I paid for. They always hand out far more creamer and sugar for my coffee than I need, so I can’t quite believe the drive-inistas are deliberately shorting me, but there it is: I get less than I ordered about half the time. I’ve given up and now will not drive away until I have opened the bag and checked everything. And such is the banality of life in these United States (sigh).
My big problem is incomprehensible suggestive upselling.
“I’d like a #2 meal with iced tea.”
[Very very fast and mumbled] You’d like a #2 meal mumble mumble?[\Very very fast and mumbled]]
“I’d like a #2 meal with iced tea.”
“That’ll be $5.49.”
“The sign says $4.99, and nothing in the combo is taxable.”
“You said you wanted a #2 with extra mushrooms, cheese and onions! That’s 50 cents more.”
“I said I’d like a #2 meal. I’m lactose intolerant, so I would never have knowingly ordered anything with cheese.”
Two minutes later, the lady manages to have her manager void the added side items out. Meanwhile, she swears up and down to her manager that I opted for extra mushrooms, cheese and onions.
I inform her manager, “I’m lactose intolerant, so I would never have knowingly ordered anything with cheese,” again.
Manager didn’t even respond.
Jesus. I never once argued with my customers in four years of food service, and especially not in front of my boss.
Last time I’m going to THAT franchise.
Holy jumping shitcakes, the MEDIUM includes a fucking QUART of soda!!! And the smallest they serve is 20 ounces! That is just staggering!
Are we completely mad?
If it makes you feel any better, after they fill the container with ice, you might be getting a can of soda (12 oz) in the 20 oz container. Maybe.
An insult and corroboration, in consecutive posts! Beautiful. 
Fry, I gotta tell you… you’re more worked up about my silly joke than I ever was!
Ah, so you’re fine with restaurants redefining common words to mean something different from what they normally mean.
Like, if they use the word “fries” to mean “things we found on the floor and threw into the hot oil.”
Or “cheese” to mean “stuff we scraped out of the Frosty machine after it had been sitting unplugged all night.”
Or “to go” meaning “instead of handing you your food we hurl it across the room.”
Read a little slower, and you won’t look a little stupid. 
:rolleyes:
In my post I said “it is clear that in this context…”
In a context such as the one you describe, you have not specified whether the new meaning of “French Fries” is made clear to the one ordering. If it is not made clear, then the comments I made in my post do not apply.
If on the other hand there was a sign clearly posted, that no one could reasonably be expected to miss (like, say, a “menu”) which stated “Fries are junk we picked up off the floor,” then I would be fine with that restaurant’s employees using the term in that sense. I think that would be a restaurant very likely not to survive for long, but my objection would not be to their usage of terms.
-FrL-
Sorry, I’m really not. I’m just trying to register (and explain) my doubt regarding your claim that you “confused” people behind the counter by making your observation. It’s the explanation part that’s taking a little more typing than is perspicuous.
-FrL-
Seeing this thread I am reminded of a bizarre exchange I once had. I walked into a Wendy’s and saw a sign behind the cashier displaying cup sizes and their names: medium, biggie, and behemoth(*).
JK: I would like a biggie Coke
Cashier: One medium Coke, is that all?
JK: <Pointing to the sign with the sizes> No, I would like a biggie Coke.
Cashier: Yes, that is one medium Coke.
JK: <Emphasising my direction to the sign> No, I would like a biggie Coke.
Cashier: <Looks back at the sign with the names> So, would you like a medium Coke?
JK: If by “medium” you mean the size between medium and behemoth, then yes. If by “medium” you mean the size smaller than biggie called medium, then no.
The cashier seemed to be oblivious to the disconnect between the names given to the portions and their relative sizes. She seemed to ignore the arbitrary size names altogether. I did eventually get the biggie, though.
It is good to see that they have decided to adapt standard names for their sizes now.
*it may have been called belly-buster or something else, I cannot recall.
That cashier was totally not playing fair. 
-FRL-