8 Polite Habits That Fast Food Employees Secretly Dislike

Making a fast food faux pas is no fun! Here's a look at the most common friendly mistakes—and what to do instead.

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McDonald's Big Mac combo meal
Photo: 8th.creator/Shutterstock

Not Correcting a Mistake in the Order

Be as clear as possible when ordering so nothing gets lost in translation. The employee will repeat your order back to you, or you’ll be able to see it on a screen, so make sure everything looks correct. It’s harder to fix once you get up to the window.

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McDonald's drink
Photo: 8th.creator/Shutterstock

Handing Over Extra Money

Your total is $17, so you give the cashier a $20 and two loonies, expecting a $5 in return. It makes things easier on your wallet so you’re not carrying around extra bills, but it’s not always easy for fast food employees to add in that they’ve taken in extra cash—especially if they’re in a hurry.

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Burger King signage
Photo: Savvapanf Photo/Shutterstock

Waiting at the Drive-Thru Window

The drive-thru at certain chains will have you pull to the side or into designated parking to keep the flow of orders coming. You might think it makes things easier on employees to park and wait at the window instead, but they want you to follow the directions.

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Burger King crown
Photo: Sorbis/Shutterstock

Creating “Cleaning Up” Trays or Baskets

It’s rude to leave bags and wrappers at your table when you’re eating at a fast food restaurant. But separate the wrappers from the baskets and only throw away the actual trash.

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Boston Cream donuts from Tim Horton's
Photo: Shutterstock

Ordering for the Whole Office

Sure, you’re bringing in big business, but when you order lunch for 10 at a fast food drive-thru, it slows the whole line down. Instead, order inside the restaurant or better yet, call or fax in an order in advance.

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Tim Horton's
Photo: SBshot87/Shutterstock

Waiting at the Register for Condiments

If you’re at a fast food spot that has packets of ketchup, ask for them up front instead of standing near the register once you’ve already received your order. This keeps the line moving for everyone else and the employee behind the register won’t have to leave his or her station.

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Drink at Kentucky Fried Chicken
Photo: Ratana21/Shutterstock

Paying With TONS of Change

You might think you’re doing the cashier a favour, but you probably aren’t. Paying in change can leave your register worker fumbling to count or give you change back, holding up the line. If you absolutely must, make it as easy as possible (using only quarters, for example) and not an assortment of change.

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Drive-thru
Photo: Shutterstock

Checking Your Drive-Thru Order

Don’t check your order at the window! Pull into a nearby parking spot to make sure you have everything you need. If something ends up being wrong with your food, however, it’s always okay to speak up.

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Taste of Home
Originally Published on Taste of Home

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