Selective "Hearing Loss"

[Virgil Showlion]

Not far from my workplace is a Tim Horton's restaurant. (For those not familiar with Tim Horton's, it's a Canadian franchise that serves coffee, baked goods, soups, and sandwiches.) I buy meals at this particular restaurant once or twice a week. I usually order the same items, and I always eat in.

Only... the food that I get is always packaged to go. Every. single. time. The staff are diligent in asking "to stay or to go", and my response is always a clear and emphatic, "to stay, please; I will eat it here". The ordering system is electronic and I watch the cashier punch in the information. But the outcome is always the same: Tim Horton's food wrapped up in 2 lbs of packaging and placed in a paper bag, ready "to go".

I will immediately point out here that this is not a misconception or misunderstanding on my part (the food is indeed being packaged "to go"), and that aside from the fact that it produces a lot of waste, getting food "to go" is no better or worse than getting it on plates with real cutlery. What I find so fascinating about the error is that the restaurant is otherwise impeccably right-to-order. An order can be fantastically complex, even amended several times, and it will come out right, except for this one particular detail which is always, always wrong.

My only theory to explain the consistency of the mistake is that orders are overwhelmingly "to go", to such an extent that the staffers have given up paying close attention. One of my colleagues suggests it's deliberate, since "to go" meals involve no cleanup for the staff, while eat-in meals create dirty dishes that eventually need to be washed.

Regardless of why it happens, it's one of many examples involving incredibly selective "hearing loss" in an otherwise flawless bit of customer service. I was wondering: has anyone here experienced something similar? Not "bad" customer service per se, but customer service that consistently, inexplicably fails in one specific detail.

[toomuchreality]

Is the food that you order prepackaged or something?  If someone else orders it, does it come out differently?


See how special you are?!

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

Only... the food that I get is always packaged to go. Every. single. time. The staff are diligent in asking "to stay or to go", and my response is always a clear and emphatic, "to stay, please; I will eat it here". The ordering system is electronic and I watch the cashier punch in the information. But the outcome is always the same: Tim Horton's food wrapped up in 2 lbs of packaging and placed in a paper bag, ready "to go".

It probably is selective hearing on the part of the staff at your particular Tim's - probably due to poor training or management/franchise owner. My brother's BIL owns 6 Tim Horton's franchises here in my province and their staff are trained to serve "to stay" items using regular china. The coffees, if regular sized are served in ceramic mugs (larger sizes are served in paper cups w/lids). Their pastries/donuts are served on a small sandwich plate. Breakfast sandwiches (ham & egg biscuit or bagel for example) are served on a plate, but also wrapped (do they think it keeps it warmer?). Soups and chili are served in styro-foam bowls though. Other franchises in our province run by different people all use disposable/throw-away paper products like you mentioned.



.

[Malarky]

You're probably right in thinking that it's because the majority of orders are "to go."

I'll have the occasional customer who says "no bag."  I hear it, but usually I have the item halfway in the bag before I really process the information. 

They're probably thinking about the most efficient way to get your order to you and are more efficient at "to go" packaging. 

[Jaguar]

Virgil Showlion , your not speaking clearly enough. Your so mesmerized by your true love of Snow Leopards that invariably the cat gets your tongue. Your Welcome

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

Do you have Tim Horton's where you are Malarky? You really have to see their set-up to understand where Virgil's coming from. It's not like McD's where EVERYTHING is wrapped in paper or plastic or styro-foam. Each Tim's outlet is run by whoever owns that particular franchise (see my post above) and they all seem to be run differently depending who owns that particular franchise. The inventory/items may be the same, but how they're served is up to the owner.

[Jaguar]

I've noticed that too SL here in Toronto.

[Peace Of Mind]

Your Tim Horton's sounds similar to our Panera Breads or Starbucks.

Virgil - Try this next time:  Look them in the eye and say "I want to eat here.  Every time I tell you that you still bag everything up.  Please do not bag everything up.  I want to eat here."  Good luck! 

ETA:  If you don't feel you have their attention dangle your keys or put your hand up to touch their arm or hand or just to get their attention.

[Jaguar]

Maybe 'THEY' don't want Virgil to eat in. So we should be asking Virgil "what have you done to deserve this" ?
Your Welcome

[Virgil Showlion]

Jul 25, 2013 21:11:24 GMT -5 ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ said:

Do you have Tim Horton's where you are Malarky? You really have to see their set-up to understand where Virgil's coming from. It's not like McD's where EVERYTHING is wrapped in paper or plastic or styro-foam. Each Tim's outlet is run by whoever owns that particular franchise (see my post above) and they all seem to be run differently depending who owns that particular franchise. The inventory/items may be the same, but how they're served is up to the owner.

Indeed. And I have had the fellow handing me the bag catch himself on a few occasions, saying "...um, wait a minute. You wanted this to stay, didn't you?"

And when I say "yes", he'll obligingly put everything onto plates, bowls, etc.

Serving food "to go" must just be sheer force of habit. And short of making my order theatrically memorable (as POM suggests ), I doubt there's anything I can do to fix it.

[Jaguar]

Virgil, your just not being clear enough.

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

Indeed. And I have had the fellow handing me the bag catch himself on a few occasions, saying "...um, wait a minute. You wanted this to stay, didn't you?"

And when I say "yes", he'll obligingly put everything onto plates, bowls, etc.

And considering the massive volume of drive-thru traffic they have on a daily basis (especially during morning rush), it's not surprising that their staff might automatically just do the "wrap-to-go" system out of sheer habit when filling orders.

[Peace Of Mind]

Jul 25, 2013 22:12:43 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Jul 25, 2013 21:11:24 GMT -5 ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ said:

Do you have Tim Horton's where you are Malarky? You really have to see their set-up to understand where Virgil's coming from. It's not like McD's where EVERYTHING is wrapped in paper or plastic or styro-foam. Each Tim's outlet is run by whoever owns that particular franchise (see my post above) and they all seem to be run differently depending who owns that particular franchise. The inventory/items may be the same, but how they're served is up to the owner.

Indeed. And I have had the fellow handing me the bag catch himself on a few occasions, saying "...um, wait a minute. You wanted this to stay, didn't you?"

And when I say "yes", he'll obligingly put everything onto plates, bowls, etc.

Serving food "to go" must just be sheer force of habit. And short of making my order theatrically memorable (as POM suggests ), I doubt there's anything I can do to fix it.

LOL!   Oh.  Why didn't you say it was a guy serving you.  They never listen! 

And that's not theatrical! Throwing yourself over the counter crying "Woe is me! Ya'll suck because you can't get my order right day after day!" is theatrical.


You know what they say about people who continue to do the same things over and over expecting different results, don't you?  

[Virgil Showlion]

You know what they say about people who continue to do the same things over and over expecting different results, don't you?

They live to debate the Zimmerman/Martin case over on the Current Affairs board.

[Deleted]

Regardless of why it happens, it's one of many examples involving incredibly selective "hearing loss" in an otherwise flawless bit of customer service. I was wondering: has anyone here experienced something similar? Not "bad" customer service per se, but customer service that consistently, inexplicably fails in one specific detail.

My ex was like that. I would tell her No & she heard "Let's talk about it for several weeks (night & day) before I'll say yes".

My suggest on the to go orders that you don't want to be to go is pretty simple. Look the guy or gal in the eye & say "HI (name of person) & smile. When they look you in the eye then say your order & (still looking at them) say I want to eat here, follow with a big smile. The secret is to become a person to them rather than just a customer.

[wvugurl26]

There are Tim Horton's scattered around the US. My hometown area has 3 of them. That being said it's been so damn long since I ate in there I couldn't tell you how they serve it to you. I'm guessing they are used to it being to go and are not paying attention when you say for here. I've been in some places that package it up to go no matter if you are staying there or taking it to go. That was a Chick Fil A though.

[busymom]

Virgil, at least they're getting the food part of your order right.


We've got a KFC here in town that is "famous" for always messing up orders.  Always.  It gets to be a game seeing what part of the order they'll get right! 

[Deleted]

Jul 25, 2013 21:28:36 GMT -5 Jaguar said:

Maybe 'THEY' don't want Virgil to eat in. So we should be asking Virgil "what have you done to deserve this" ?
Your Welcome

HA! Sugi beat me to it!! I was going to say that maybe they're trying to tell you something..... 

[NancysSummerSip]

While visiting Toronto, we stopped at Tim Horton's a few times. Same thing happened to us. We always got our orders "for here" but they were always packed "to go." In one case, they never bothered to ask us, just packed it to go.

That said, I admit I really like Tim Horton's. You'd think with the number of Canadian visitors we get here, Tim Horton's would have followed.

[ken a.k.a OMK]

When I go to the deli and order 1 pound of sliced ham, she gets the ham, puts it on the slicer and says "that was 1/2 pound?" Why does she even ask before getting the meat?

[Deleted]

Maybe she's trying to tell you you only need a 1/2 lb... 

[ken a.k.a OMK]

  beer

[Deleted]

[Wisconsin Beth]

Jul 26, 2013 7:12:25 GMT -5 busymom said:

Virgil, at least they're getting the food part of your order right.


We've got a KFC here in town that is "famous" for always messing up orders.  Always.  It gets to be a game seeing what part of the order they'll get right! 

I've got a McD's here that does that too.  I don't go there anymore. 

[busymom]

The biggest mistake McD's makes around here is forgetting the ketchup.  And, if the kids are with & want cookies, forgetting the cookies.  Other than that, they do all right.


Virgil, how often do you go to this place?  Maybe they think you're a stalker... 

[Virgil Showlion]

Virgil, how often do you go to this place? Maybe they think you're a stalker...

I eat there about once a week. I've seen nothing else to suggest the error is deliberate. They just really, really like stuffing food into bags. And asking rhetorical questions.

We've got a KFC here in town that is "famous" for always messing up orders. Always. It gets to be a game seeing what part of the order they'll get right!

I don't eat KFC. Even if I did, I'm not sure how eager I'd be to play incompetence roulette when buying chicken and coleslaw.

[wyouser]

Gender Bias...Gender Bias...POM has GEnder Bias....!!!!!!  Men don't have selective hearing!  We just have a superior SPAM filtration system.   We hear just fine and "spam" is instantly sent to to trash. 

[Deleted]

More likely you get distracted and start thinking about Spam! 

[justme]

Just have to say - less than 4 weeks until I get Tim Horton's again!!!  I always buy Timbits right after I land and then before I fly home.

[wyouser]

Beer, it works like this: My wife says "I want you to take me shopping."   I hear: "I'd like you to take me someplace different to eat"   See, simple built in spam filtration system and everyone is happy