The Glory of Fast Food

Do you prefer McDonald's or Burger King? For me, it has been a toss up based strictly on service and convenience. Several months ago I wrote a post about how McDonald's had to close because the computers went down. Since then I've discovered how excellent Burger King's coffee was so I decided to wear a path to BK instead. Seriously, it has got to be some of the best coffee around. After all, McD's coffee beat out Starbucks, it would be logical that another fast food giant would have good coffee too right? Trust me it is awesome!

I have been frequenting BK for nothing more than coffee for several months now. A couple of weeks ago I started buying the $1 sausage biscuits. That buttery little cholesterol dose tastes reaalllly good and goes great with their coffee. The biscuit costs $1 and a large coffee is just under $2. For 2 biscuits and a large coffee it comes to $4.17 with tax (local tax here is 7%).

Now stay with me here.

About 2 weeks ago I thought to myself, "You like cheese a lot. Could it be possible that cheese on your biscuit would make it better?" Indeed it did.

Last week I walked into my friendly neighborhood BK and stood at the counter awaiting what was sure to be a lovely grease laden treat. The cash register attendant greeted me with a smile. I said, "I will take 2 sausage biscuits with cheese and a large coffee."

BK Girl - "You don't want egg?"

Me - (re-playing my order to see if I ordered egg) "No, just sausage and cheese"

BK Girl - "You don't want egg?"

Me - "NO just a sausage biscuit and I want you to put a piece of cheese on it for me."

BK Girl - "No egg? hmmm." She stares at the keyboard for what seemed an eternity in "fast food time" and finally enters the information. "Your total is $6.73"

Remember the total from above? Now, I am not one to slow down the progress and expeditious delivery of the obesity causing fast food establishment but for some reason the price struck me as a little "off."

Me - "That doesn't sound right?"

BK Girl - "That's what it says" (referring to the cash register as if were speaking to her on some inaudible level)

Me - "OK, the sausage biscuit is $1 and the coffee is $1.89. That means you're charging me $1.20 per slice of cheese?"

BK Girl - Blank stare.

Me - Waiting for a response

BK Girl - Blank stare.

Me - "HOW MUCH WOULD YOU SELL ME A PIECE OF CHEESE FOR?"

BK Girl - Looking at the register, "It looks like 20 cents?"

Me - (as the people are getting grumpy behind me)"Bingo! Now sell me 2 biscuits and 2 pieces of cheese and a large coffee and I will be on my way"

BK Girl - "uhhh ok. uhhhhh hmmmm. Ok I think I got it. There we go"

Now, normally I pay attention to small purchases that I make and confirm that I am, in fact, paying the correct price. However, I am not the type of person that checks every item in my grocery cart to make sure I am not getting took. A buddy of mine told me that grocery store over charging is a HUGE problem and happens all the time. I just like to think that I have some sense of what something should cost and tend to pay attention a little bit.

As it turns out BK Girl was charging me for a sausage, egg and cheese biscuit and taking off the egg as a special order. This was the only way she knew how to ring it up. Anything outside the paradigm was completely unacceptable.

2 days later I went into the same BK and ordered the exact same thing but in a different manner. I asked for "2 sausage biscuits and after the order was complete, I said "oh, can you put cheese on them for me." They were able to figure it out and simply added 40 cents to my purchase price.

My fast food conclusions - You shouldn't eat it and the understanding of your order largely depends on your delivery.