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Old person @ Subway on Grand Ave.

I was at the Subway on Grand Ave behind a old person when he was ordering a sub. It was the most drawn-out process ever, here is the dialog.


Old Person - "I want a foot long subway sandwich"
Subway Employee #1 - "What kind of bread?"
Old Person - "Oh... let me see here, what kind do you have?"
Subway Employee #1 - *points to sign and reads off the different typs of breads*
Old Person - "Oh ok... I will go with a foot long wheat then"
Subway Employee #1 - "What kind of sub do you want this to be?"
Old Person - "Wow, there are too many choices, what kind of subs do you have?"
Subway Employee #1 - "All of them are listed above, or else you can make your own"
Old Person - "I will have to think about this."
*1:47 passed, yes I timed it"
Old Person - "Ok, I figured it out, I will have a roast beef sub"
Subway Employee #1 - "What kind of cheese would you like on your roast beef?"
Old Person - "What kind of cheeses are there?"
Subway Employee #1 - *points to sign and reads the type of cheese*
Old Person - "Oh ok, I will go with the white cheese"
Subway Employee #1 - "Do you want this sub toasted?"
Old Person - "Toasted?"
Subway Employee - "Yes, in the toaster oven"
Old Person - "No, I don't want that"
Subway Employee #2 - "Would you like the works on this roast beef today?"
Old Person - "The works? No, I just want my sub"
Subway Employee #2 - "Ok, do you want anything on your sub?"
Old Person - "Yes"
Subway Employee #2 - "What would you want on it?"
Old Person - "What can you put on it?"
Subway Employee #2 - *points to sign and lists ingredients*
Old Person - "Oh... just lettuce would be fine"
Subway Employee #3 - "Would you like to make this a meal?"
Old Person - "Isn't it a meal already?"
Subway Employee #3 - "I meant did you want chips or soda with this?"
Old Person - "Don't you have coffee?"
Subway Employee #3 - "no"
Old Person - "Then never mind, I will have just the sandwich"

It was simply amazing that someone could be so confused about Subway.

Comments

Old people are funny.


I was behind someone at Subway once who took out their cell phone and called their friend to ask them what kind of cheese they wanted. When the friend didn't answer, they left a message, and made the Subway employee wait for the friend to call back.


I SO miss working food service!!! /sarcasm

@Barrett: I can't believe the guy waited for a callback! I would have waited about 2 seconds, than put his food aside and said he can get back in line once he knows what the hell he wants.


I believe it is an accidental quality that this person was "old."

Believe me, annoying and clueless people come in all ages, races, genders, and shoe sizes.


Someday you will be old and the rude, snot-nosed punks you spawned to replace yourself with will be just the same as you.


Perhaps the sandwich maker should be "leading the witness" a little.
No: "What kind of bread do you want?"
Yes: "Is wheat bread OK?"
No: "What kind of cheese do you want?"
Yes: "Should I put American cheese on that?"
You suggest the most common choices.
I worked in the cafeteria through college. Real education.


Good advice, Beverly.


It's not that I dislike old people. It's just that they are more prone to being confused about today's "innovations"

There are things that gen x and y take for granted and even are able to do subconsciously, but elderly people have a hard time doing. Take driving for example.

I think that the current baby boomers, gen x, and gen y will have a better grasp on thing when they are older.


Oh my god that is funny!!! I used to work at the Canal Park DQ and the old people would come in amongst the hoards of tourists and not have a clue what was going on. They would look at that menue like a monkey doing a math problem and get just pissed at me for having so much on the menu. I love old folks, so many charaxters out there. SaumZ, what did the person say to the Subway employee when he/she gave him/her the bill?


I used to hate going to Subway because I could never decide what to get, and I'm not all that old. Then I started just getting the sub of the day. Or better yet I go to Erbert and Gerberts where they design the sandwich and just ask white or wheat.


I agree too with what Beverly posted.

Places like Subway, maybe when it isn't crazy busy, staff may want to fit the order process/dialogue to a customer who they may perceive is having some difficulty choosing.

There are myriad choices on the menu at Subway & other "fast food" places - nothing wrong with that - it may for some people be overwhelming what to order no matter what age.


Maybe the guy couldn't see the menu? Beverly's right though. It's common to "lead" the consumer on to a decision in almost any industry.


Saumz. I think I know you? Sergei, Steve, Victor? If that rings a bell, how ya doing?

Otherwise nevermind this post.


As being one on the brink of 'elderly' I too get impatient when people don't quite 'get it'. I get even more impatient with fast food line staff that not helpful. I agree that the person behind the counter could have sped up the transaction by being a bit more helpful. Of course, then there was the Subway that I used to frequent at least twice a week in Duluth where I ordered the same sandwhich all the time. Even though I interacted with the same person on nearly every occasion not once did they remember the preferences of bread, cheese and other assorted items I would have on my sandwich. I guess that even though they were 20 years younger than I was they were suffering from premature old age where memory isn't what it used to be.


I agree that much of this can be laid at the feet of the employees. Why, after all that went before, did Employee #3 decide it was a good idea to ask the old guy if he wanted to make it a meal?

Also: If SaumZ really stood there and timed 1:47 on his/her watch while the old guy thought about things, SaumZ is guilty of a real lack of initiative. He/She could easily have made eye contact with one of the employees and discreetly placed his/her order.

Bottom line? The old guy, who may never have been inside a Subway before, is the least guilty party in the story.


Suamz said:
"I think that the current baby boomers, gen x, and gen y will have a better grasp on thing when they are older."

Egads! What happens after gen z? Maybe gen aa? Or will we use greek letters like gen alpha? (That alone sounds really creepy)

I'll be honest, being middle-aged, I get more confused than anyone ordering at fast fooderies. But, I'm sort of an indecisive person, so that doesn't mean much :)


There is a possibility that this person may not have been able to read.


Ian - yes :) we took classes together. What are you up to?

madeline - I was on my lunch break, I had nothing better to do, and I am impatient, sue me.

huitz - I am just using the generation models presented by my HR @ work. They are common models

speechie - that is also possible, but Subway has pictures of the bread and you can clearly see most of the toppings.


I think that person, old or not, should have whatever the time he needs, 30 sec. or 30 min. It is to the service people to make it efficient for other customers and allow them to pass ahead. Why in the world should we influence his choice? In name of rush??


Since when does adding chips and a Coke to a sandwich make a meal? This sounds so stupid. Every time I go in there and hear that I want to kill that bitch.


I think Old Person had the best line in the play: Isn't it a meal already?


A big pet peeve of mine is people who get "Menu Mania" and can't decide what they want. It's like, "you knew we were coming to an Italian restraunt, just order your favorite freaking pasta!" And people who ask "what kind of pop do you have?" and make the waiter go through the list: coke, sprite, rootbeer, etc. Jeezus, just order your favorite and they probably have it or a similar kind, That really pisses me off when people do it at a bar/restraunt where they have every type of drink imaginable in stock. Also people who get seated at a restraunt and right away go to the bathroom. Meanwhile the waiter comes to take the order and then has to come back after you're through. Make your order, THEN go wash your hands while the food is being prepared. This type of stuff just incenses me. THE ANGER SHARKS ARE SWIMMING MY HEAD!


I think the whole Subway sandwich system is set up for this type of mind-numbing confusion and prolonged dialogue. I get the exact same thing every time I go in there, and it's still like, "What kind of bread...what kind of cheese..." the process takes for freakin' ever! Sometimes I want to just throw up my hands and go to a place like Erbs and Gerbs, where you get one sandwich and you get what's on it, not all of these choices!...

On a related note, I was actually at Subway today, and this young-to-middle aged woman in front of me took nearly two whole minutes to process that they didn't have the Chicken Florentine sandwich anymore and make another choice. It was hard to keep my eyes from sticking in the "rolled back" position while I waited for her...


speed and efficiency have become all consuming for much of the service industry, which spawns an expectation of such in customers, which in turn puts pressure for further increases in speed. repeat. repeat. repeat.

i know that if i cannot use an atm for a transaction at the bank, i find myself steadily become more and more impatient standing in line. same goes for self service checkouts at the groccery store and big box stores. it is hard to remember that at one point we had no other option, even though such technology has only been common for a decade or so.

also, i see at my work how people are more than willing to find fault in the process when waiting, but then expect all the time in the world when they have something that requires extra attention. everyone always expects to be the exception to the rule.

on a side note, i love that some chain places have caught on that the most efficient way to help people is to have one longer line that feeds several cashiers. that way no customers get caught in the "slow" line.

just my two cents.


SaumZ, if you think that GenY or Z is going to be better prepared to handle technological innovations than today's oldsters, think again: by the time the cyborg/robot/AI/ sandwich makers/autobots are routinely making your fast food, you will be still accustomed to the previous generation of robots and not able to cope, too.

Younger people ALWAYS think they are smarter, funnier, faster, and have better music than their elders. Eventually you will be on the non-hip side of that equation!

:-)


While recently at a different fast food emporium, I walked in the door only to discover an elderly man lying at my feet. His equally elderly friend (they had to be in their 80's) was trying to help him up. I got the poor guy on his feet and when I looked up at the counter, all those snot nosed youngins were just staring at us. Not a single one even thought to come out from behind the counter to help the guy or even ask if he was ok. I know I'm going to be old someday and that kind of attitude is just bad karma. My only goal now is when I'm 80. to enter this establishment and dump a load in my Depends...oh no! I forgot to wear my Depends!


Girl From the North Country - sorry to burst your bubble. Time are always changing, I do believe that today's younger generation are smarter, funnier, faster, etc. But, that is always happening. The next generation will be even smarter, funnier, faster, etc.

That is how innovations happen in the world, that is why records are always being broken in the Olympics, that is why our civilization advances.

The one gripe I have with today's teenagers is that they have no respect. I am only in my early 20's and I know the meaning of respect because I was brought up with it, maybe I am different, but respect is a key factor for me in everything I do.


Luckily bad spelling still exists.


Go into Subway, tell them you want the club on whole wheat with pepper jack cheese and toasted. Do this as soon as they ask you or look like they are going to ask you what you want. Give them this much information no matter what sandwich you are ordering. See if they still ask you which cheese you want.

Go into the golden arches and ask for 2 hamburgers. When they ask you if the order is for here or to go say I just want the hamburgers. In other words you want the hamburgers without the tray and without a to go bag. With the tray they waste paper by putting down the paper mat and with the to go they waste a bag and napkins. However, don't expect this to go smoothly.


Oh I forgot you have to tell them at Subway what length of sub you want first. Also at the golder arches you could bring you own plate and say put the burgers on here. Maybe a paper plate folded up to fit in your pocket and unfolded at the counter.


Yeah, SaumZ, you seem all about the respect. Ahem.

My point is, if the next generation is ALWAYS going to be faster, smarter, etc, you will still end up at the bad end of that equation some day.

So have a little 'respect' for the confused ones, as ye may be one yourself, someday.

(Burst my bubble, indeed. Please!)


SaumZ, I think being faster, stronger, etc. is not a generational trait, but an age one. That being said, I've seen old fishermen almost break young football players in half like a twig, and could quote Shakespeare. Also, you left out the wiser part :)


I was at taco bell once and the person in front of me in line had absolutely no idea what a taco was (no joke.) The cashier basically had to explain everything on the menu, then the lady ended up buying a single taco, nothing else and getting mad that it wasn't big enough to be a whole dinner.


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