Long Line Tests Employee’s Endurance

October 24, 2010

in Fast Food Stories

We were a group of college kids taking a geology field trip. We left Wichita around noon, and headed west for Colorado. As a geological field trip, we stopped at every outcrop and formation of rocks along the way between here and there.

By the time we made it to Colorado Springs, the instructor started looking for a place to eat. The problem was, it was now about 9 PM, and the places he liked to go to were closing. We drove on into Canon City, where we came across a burger joint. The instructor jumped inside, basically to see if they would serve us, and came back out and waved us in.

And out we came, all 21 one of us! Standing in line, around the tables, and stretching out the front door! All of this, and then we found out that it was about twenty minutes until closing time! The manager didn’t mind; he saw the cash register ringing on the slow night. But the dinner from hell came from the girl behind the cash register, who was WORKING HER FIRST NIGHT behind the counter, and thought her friends were joking with her. Her face dropped as she realized that no one was kidding with her.

We stayed about an hour until everyone was fed. The manager came out and told us it was the girl’s first night and thanks us for the “on the job training” for her to see how well she reacted. We hopped back in our vans, and later camped in the foothills, getting to sleep around 11 PM that night. I still stop by that burger joint in Canon City on my trips back through Colorado, and just remember the shocked look on that poor girl’s face!

{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }

Owen October 28, 2010 at 12:40 pm

never a good idea to show up 20 min. before closing, esp. with a large group. you could argue they should be able to accomodate right up until closing but a lot of times they get grumpy when people do that.

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Jack October 28, 2010 at 2:01 pm

Perhaps they should close 20 minutes sooner. If they are open until 9:00, they should be ready, willing and able to serve what ever you ask for up until that time.

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Owen October 28, 2010 at 2:11 pm

yeah but then the employees would start to get grumpy 20 minutes earlier! I'm not saying that's how it should be but how it is.

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Sergio July 30, 2013 at 11:17 am

Don't forget it's not about what they should, but more about what you want! If you want good service, come on time! If you want a quick, late meal. Get there 15 minutes before closing, but remember to tip respectively!

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Peace Lover October 28, 2010 at 3:07 pm

In my restaurant we don't close until every customer has left. Sometimes this can be annoying especially during our night time happy hours.

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Love It! November 22, 2010 at 6:21 pm

That was rude on your instructor's part- to the restaurant and the students (weren't you guys hungry?). Yes, they should serve until closing time. In a situation like that, though, you know the place is staying open MUCH LATER than expected. People plan to do things in the evening….

Was there really a reason why you couldn't stop a couple hours earlier? I live in that area, there are places to eat before the Springs.

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