Grown man gets mad because he doesn’t know what ordering a “plain” burger means

[u/50calTaco]

So I work at Five Guys and for those who don’t know, when you order a burger there you get to fully customize the toppings on it (helps justify the price tag a tiny bit i guess). And you choose between a little (single) or regular (double) burger.

I had a pleasant enough exchange with a customer while ringing up his food… and when it came to his cheeseburger I asked what toppings he wanted on it. He looked at me and said, “Oh you know… just a plain, regular cheeseburger.” Ok great, a cheeseburger with nothing on it, easy enough.

Well we make the food, and a minute after he gets it he comes back up to me, visibly annoyed and holding the burger.

“You made my food wrong. There’s nothing on it.”

“Oh I’m sorry sir, I thought you’d ordered a plain cheeseburger.”

“I did. Do you not know what that means? Like a McDonald’s burger.”

Ok first of all, “McDonald’s” is not a standard for how someone orders burger toppings and second of all, this guys in his late 40s to early 50s and has never once run into this issue ordering a plain burger?

“Ok I’m sorry about that sir, we’ll remake that for you. What exactly did you want on it?”

I shit you not, with an annoyed voice he ordered:
Ketchup. Lettuce. Pickles.
So notably NOT a McDonald’s cheeseburger???

He got what he wanted in the end and I apologized because customer service but like?? I’m in awe at the sheer level of misunderstanding and audacity.

[u/SapPhic-rage4209]

When this would happen to me I'd say something like, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I thought I heard you say 'plain'. That's why there's nothing on the burger. I must have misheard you. Were you wanting a regular burger like how it comes on the menu instead of a plain one?"

That's my customer service way of saying, "This is what 'plain' means, dipshit!"

[u/Itchy_Tumbleweed_417 → u/SapPhic-rage4209]

And this is the best way to do it because if you just apologize he’s going to continue ordering his stupid burger this way and he’s going to continue verbally abusing people who are doing the right thing.

It shouldn’t be your job to educate these idiot customers, but if you don’t do it nobody will.

[u/Disastrous-Job-5533 → u/Itchy_Tumbleweed_417]

I’ve learned the customer is always right saves a lot of time. Don’t get paid to educate people, usually better to just agree with their stupidity to save time telling them why they’re wrong as they won’t understand it anyway. 

[u/Ticon_D_Eroga → u/SapPhic-rage4209]

This is why when i worked at in-n-out, they taught us to always clarify “meat cheese and bun” when repeating the order back to the customer. Apparently its a big enough problem that they just had us get in front of it

[u/Caleb_Reynolds → u/SapPhic-rage4209]

A regular burger is a plain burger at 5 Guys, that's the point. Everything needs to be specified to be added.

[u/Professional_Face_97 → u/Caleb_Reynolds]

So many people not getting this. I'm starting to wonder if the customer in question is in this thread.

[u/ABS0LU7E → u/SapPhic-rage4209]

"Well make you a new one." Them you walk to the kitchen and ask for some LTPO and load it up and eat it in the server's sanctuary while he watches his friends and family eat the meals they bothered to specify.

[u/shosuko → u/SapPhic-rage4209]

The proper response. I think burgers are the only thing ordered "plain" like this, but its really a term for picky eaters. Regular people don't order plain burgers, and regular burger places don't make you pick the toppings - they are designated by the menu items.

I don't eat at 5 Guys much because of how weird they are always giving me plain burgers because I didn't tell them what vegies I want but like... when have I ever needed to tell someone that? I don't tell Mc Donald's, Red Robin, Smash Burger, or Chilies that I need vegies on my burger, they all understand THAT is the default state of it. Its only 5 Guys that will slip me a sweaty plain burger and act like its my fault.

[u/chewbaccataco → u/shosuko]

There's also a rather large sign above the counter explaining how it works (at least at my local one).

[u/Curjack → u/shosuko]

Are you the customer OP is referencing

[u/shosuko → u/Curjack]

Prolly not. I just noted the place sucked and never went back unless there was a reason to.

Their burgers are sweaty too, hate the way they wrap it. idk why ppl like 5 guys.

[u/Caleb_Reynolds → u/shosuko]

It's insane to get so heated over having choice over what's on your burger.

[u/shosuko → u/Caleb_Reynolds]

I have choice over what's on my burger either way, just one presumes I want a plain burger (nothing) if I don't know THIS place wants me to tell them every dumb thing to put in a basic ass burger, and other places (nearly all of them) that give me a real menu.

[u/LoadedSteamyLobster → u/shosuko]

That is entirely a “you” issue. People that’s aren’t dumb as a brick have no trouble ordering what they want at five guys