July 11th, 2008

El Pollo Grosso

I spent pretty much all of Thursday at one of my various local Kaiser Permanente facilities getting my wrist checked out.  Let’s just say that the whole appointment could have taken an hour or two max however,  both the radiologist and my orthopedist decided to take lunch breaks while I was with one or the other.  Yes, I was tickled fucking pink to be sitting in the waiting room over and over again.  Because, yanno, watching The Incredibles is better when you can see it three times in one afternoon.  Ahem.  Anyway, during one of their lunch breaks, I decided that I too would go get some lunch before my stomach started growling in my throat!  My choices were limited since I wanted to stay close to that facility so I quickly made my way to the drive thru at El Pollo Loco.

That’s when it happened.  A string of cuss words a mile long that put anything that I’ve ever said to utter shame.  Only, those words were NOT coming from my mouth but from the mouth of this super classy chick two cars ahead of me.  I mean really, I can understand being upset about your order taking forever then not being right but…wow.  Her insults ranged from “Don’t you fucking smart talk me, you ESL mother fucker” to “I bet your parents wished you were just a cum stain on their sheets”.  Hell, she said so many more things that even MY jaw dropped and you all know that I am not easily shocked by curse words.

Anydiddle, so I am sitting there listening to her rabid ranting, wondering when it’s going to stop.  Literally, I was in that drive thru line for about 10 minutes, most of which was held up by her.  The thing that absolutely slayed me about what she was doing?  Yeah, she’d given her food back and didn’t have her new stuff yet.  I’m sorry but I don’t care how wrong my fucking El Pollo Loco order is, I am not going to launch insulting tirades when they still have ample chance to either spit or defecate in my food.  I will politely ask for something to be exchanged or what have you but I’ve learned to kiss some restaurant and fast food ass (or so they think).  I think I am so smart but I bet a lot of you don’t really rock that boat!   So yeah,  I was sitting there with my superiority complex, completely judging her and somewhat giggling on the inside that her food was going to have “special ingredients”.

When I finally pulled up to the window, I handed the boy my money and when he gave me my change, he practically through it at me.  When a dollar bill went flying away, he just waved his hand and said, “oh well, your dollar is right over there.”  I smiled politely as he basically chucked my food at me as well, without even asking if my voluptuous ass wanted salsa.  Then I quietly said, “Now that I have my food, I’d like you to either give me another dollar or walk your ass out to where you dropped it and give me that one.”  Hey now, it’s not like I am High-Mai and could not have grabbed that dollar eventually…but holy fuck, that lady had been somewhat right.  This kid did not give a shit about customer service (like anyone does anymore) and had made me a little irritated.  He actually did give me another dollar and a scowl to accompany it.

So I got my way!  And erm, I probably won’t go back there for awhile just in case he remembers me!

Sausage McGriddle Kisses,
Me

Posted in Hilly's Life 2008, Silly Hilly | Comments (28)

28 Responses to “El Pollo Grosso”

  1. Finn Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 9:24 am

    Or he could have just been royally pissed to have been treated shit by the cunt in front of you.

    I say that as a former drive-thru employee. I once had a guy nearly stroke out because I didn’t hear that he didn’t want peanuts on his sundae. He had twenty things on his order and I had every single one perfect. Except someone talked in my ear when he said the part about the peanuts. When I asked him, he threw an embolism. I swear his face was purple. Some people simply need to be medicated or they’re just not fit to be with humans.

    That being said, he shouldn’t be taking it out on you. You did the right thing.

    Finns last blog post..Friday Fiction: Work In Progress, Part IV

  2. Les Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 9:37 am

    Girl, I am like Friendly McFrienderson when I go to out to eat or through drive-thrus. But only because I know what my H.S. ex-boyfriend did to food at his place of employement when people pissed him off. It was much worse than spitting… Ick.

    ~Les

    Less last blog post..On the Homefront

  3. Nat Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 9:48 am

    I hope your wrist is ok? Did I miss that update?

    Bad service is makes me blood boil, but so do people who give service people a hard time for no apparent reason. (Like the folks who under tip — consistently.) However, you gotta stand up for yourself too. Well done.

    Nats last blog post..Up here so high the boughs the break…

  4. suze Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 10:06 am

    I can’t say I would have been in the best mood after the tongue lashing you described, (In fact, I’d be hating my stupid-ass job, and people in general) but yes, he shouldn’t be taking it out on you. And how you handled the situation was perfect.

    Hope all is okay with your wrist.

    suzes last blog post..never was a cosmo girl…

  5. diane Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 10:31 am

    Yeah, I agree with most of what was said. I imagine the guy was just p.o.ed from the customer in front of you, but that was no reason to be a jerk.
    Your graceful response reflects best on you anyway. :)

  6. Miss Britt Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 10:42 am

    I thought stuff like that didn’t happen behind the Orange Curtain??

    I’m so disillusioned now. :cry:
    Miss Britts last blog post..And then I’ll say I GOT IT ON SALE!!!

  7. Employee No. 3699 Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 10:43 am

    I’m always extra sweet with a cherry on top nice until I get my food. If I find there’s something wrong then I’ll say something.

    And, yeah, that guy probably needed to pop a Mentos or somethin’ before dealing with another customer.

    Employee No. 3699s last blog post..10 Things About Me and My Body

  8. kilax Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 10:50 am

    I like how you had to clarify that the cuss words weren’t coming from your mouth, LOL!

    I worked at McD’s a LONG TIME. Sometimes it was our fault, but a lot of times, we had nasty customers, who came back over and over again, finding something to complain about, even when their order was perfect. I wonder if that lady was a little bit like that, and Mr. Rude Drive-Thru threw her off.

  9. Crys Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 10:54 am

    he was probably eviscerated by the charming woman who preceded you. he thought taking it out on you was the answer.

    come to think of it, i’d be pretty confrontational if i worked at el pollo loco

    Cryss last blog post..Curioser

  10. Hilly Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 11:00 am

    Finn: You are probably right, but dammit, I wanted my one dollar! ;)

    Les: Part of me wants to know and another part of me wants to gag!

    Nat: Erm, torn ligaments and tendons and shit making me pop pills and rest. All in all, good times. ;)

    Suze: Oh, I’d have probably jumped out of the window and throttled the bitch so yeah, I totally get what you are saying.

    Diane: I’ve not been called “graceful” in some time…haha. Yay and thanks!

    Britt: Well that was one of the things that shocked me the most. I mean, shit like this just isn’t *done* in Irvine!

    Employee 3699: Pop a mentos, smoke a joint…

    Kilax: Haha, well you know how it is with me and my foul mouth but I would NEVER use derogatory statements like that cunt licking whore!

    Crys: Dude, me too. I’d be one bitter little whore…

  11. hello haha narf Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 11:19 am

    i would have thrown my car in park, walked up to torrettes girl and told her a thing or two about manners. for fuck’s sake, no one deserves that string of insanity over a fast food mistake.

    (then again, i threw my car in park at a light, picked up the empty cigarette pack the jackass in front of me threw out his window, whipped it into his car towards the passenger side floor where he couldn’t reach it and politely told him that he is not to ever litter in my city again. that i had his license plate number and would be damn certain that every piece of litter i ever found would make its way to his trailer’s yard if he ever did it again. he apologized.)

    hello haha narfs last blog post..Thankfully You Will Tell Me Your Suggestions…

  12. Sybil Law Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 11:26 am

    Damn. That lady was a wack job!
    Still - good for you, making the little asshole give you your dollar. Frustrated or not, it wasn’t your fault, and he should’ve known better.

    I also have paranoia that they will screw with my food. Ick.

  13. Winter Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 11:27 am

    I’m on the side of he did cause he was upset by the bitch. However, that doesn’t excuse him taking it out on you. Especially, when you were nice to him.

    Actually, stuff like that DOES happen in OC. Try going to Rossmoor where the customers are all old people and like to bitch. Or go to Foothill Ranch where the women all think they are better than everyone else and we should all treat them like royalty when all they really are is a royal pain in the ass. In the lower middle class hood where I live, people are nicer. Prolly cause we’re all in the same struggling to survive financially boat.

  14. turnbaby Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 11:33 am

    I too am super friendly to servers–I did the Burger King gig and my time as a cocktail waitress.

    I will not tolerate rudeness from them nor will I tolerate someone with me being rude to them.

    Good for you sugar—how is your wrist?

    And LMAO @ Becky for the second time today!

    turnbabys last blog post..It’s Simple, Really

  15. Sarah Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 11:53 am

    That lady reminded me of the lady I had to deal with a couple of weeks ago. She wanted a hanger and I couldn’t give her one and because of that I am suddenly: fat, ugly, stupid, smelly, bitch. The list goes on.

    But I’ll have you know I was nice to everyone else even that lady (which probably pissed her off more than anything).

    Sarahs last blog post..The One Where Life Sucks

  16. Crys Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 11:57 am

    i don’t get how people can be so ugly and mean spirited (this is in response to sarah). i guess they feel if you’re in an employee position, you’ve got to bend over and let them have a party in your ass. see, i don’t know how i could do that. it’s like that guy in Safeway yesterday who was abusing the cashier and mentally handicapped bagger. they couldn’t really say anything to him, but holy hell, i could. so i did.

    flames! flames!

    Cryss last blog post..Curioser

  17. Hilly Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 12:14 pm

    Hello: hahaha, I love you more than my luggage. :lol:

    Sybil Law: Yeah, I always have to remember that it’s not the next person’s fault, even in my home life!

    Winter: And yanno, I had just returned from a week in Northern California where the rules are much different. Hell, I was in Berkeley for half a day…not stuck in the middle of botox central!

    Turnbaby: I did a stint at Burger King and Togo’s so yeah, I totally treat fast food people nicely, mostly. My wrist is great when I am on drugs! ;)

    Sarah: Oh hell to the no! I totally would have ignored her too, simply because that pisses people off more. But you in NO WAY should have had to deal with that.

    Crys: Flames here too! I do NOT tolerate people being mean to mentally handicapped people…not one bit. I know I shouldn’t be more pissed when they get made fun of but I am…because most mentally handicapped people don’t have a mean bone in their bodies. This may get me flamed but I hate it when some white trash welfare mother fucker talks shit to a mentally handicapped employee anywhere…I’m like, at least he HAS a job, assfuck!

  18. Crys Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 12:15 pm

    oh man, that made me har. for real.

    Cryss last blog post..Curioser

  19. Karl Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 12:31 pm

    Geez, it never ceases to amaze me what fucks people can be. Both the woman in front of you AND the employee were assholes. One does not justify the other in any way.

    And yeah, I’d definitely wait till I had my food before bitching.

    Karls last blog post..Actually, it is Karl With a K

  20. Carly Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 1:00 pm

    Your doctor plays The Incredibles? Lucky- mine has tattered, 6 year-old copies of Redbook in his office.

    Carlys last blog post.."I am somebody. I matter. People will be attracted to my positive energy and help me achieve my goals. I am right where I’m supposed to be and not dying for something to eat!"

  21. Sarah Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 1:19 pm

    Hilly-thankfully I don’t get customers like that on a regular basis and the nice people far make up for the not-nice people. So it some ways its worth it.

    Crys-I’m like that too when I am not at work, if someone is being overly bitchy or just vicious I will step up and speak out for the employee. It’s just a shame that we live in a world where it seems to be okay to be total asshats.

    Sarahs last blog post..The One Where Life Sucks

  22. Princess of the Universe Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 7:38 pm

    Hmm thanks for the reminder. I just ate Wendy’s tonight…I’m pretty sure I was super sweet to the guy though.

    Princess of the Universes last blog post..On Being a Dirty Whore

  23. Dragon Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 8:10 pm

    Definitely wait to get your food before you complain. Hope your wrist is feeling better

    Dragons last blog post..Lemon Butterfly Cupcakes

  24. Avitable Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 9:29 pm

    I like that cumstain insult. I’ll have to remember that one.

    Avitables last blog post..Trollbusters

  25. SJ Says:
    July 11th, 2008 at 9:40 pm

    Yeah, I’d bet money that woman got more than she paid for in her order. It seems to be traditional to abuse the food of an abusive customer. I’ve heard some real horror stories. *shudder*

    SJs last blog post..Late catching the A-Z Train

  26. Lisa Says:
    July 12th, 2008 at 9:01 am

    For the most part, there really isn’t any service at most “customer service” places these days. Sad, but true.

    I still don’t think that beeyotch needed to be so obnoxious about things, but he didn’t need to take out his frustration with her on you either.

    Lisas last blog post..F is for…

  27. Stacey Says:
    July 12th, 2008 at 4:24 pm

    I try never to piss off anyone who is involved in food service because I don’t want to discover “special sauce” on my food. However, I’d like to point out that despite being super nice, I’ve had some piss-poor service. Hell, one night we went to this place down the road and sat in the Tap Room and the waitresses decided NOT TO SERVE US. No reason. They just never approached our table. Even when we tried to get their attention (They probably realized at that point they weren’t getting a tip). Luckily the Captain knew the bartender, who eventually came over to take care of us.

    Staceys last blog post..Travelogue - 5 July 2008 (part IV)

  28. martymankins Says:
    July 13th, 2008 at 12:52 pm

    I fucking hate El Pollo Loco. The last time I ate there was over 2 years ago at the one in Victorville. Fucking so disgusting… shit ass weird food.

    martymankinss last blog post..Scooter Sunday #13

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