Did I order Five Guys in a good manner?

Posted by Equivalent-Bag2249@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 350 comments

Hello guys, I am a non-native speaker and live in Edinburgh. I walked in a Five Guys last Sunday and was looking at the menu on the top of the wall. I always feel hard to make decision, so I was looking at the menu for a one minute long. There was no customer in the queue at the moment. When I was thinking, the cashier kept saying hello? hello? hello? And I felt a little bit nervous and panic, so I made a quick decision and said: Can I have a little fries, please? The cashier said: no hello. So I gave a hello awkwardly, and I added: I wanna a spicy one (cajun). And the cashier said: I wanna go home. I feel uncomfortable but I am not sure if I make the cashier angry. Did I order impolitely?

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350 Comments

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KeefsCornerShop@reddit

In Scotland you have to say 'Fayve Gays' otherwise they won't understand you.

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SorryWeek4854@reddit

No you were not impolite or improper the cashier is the issue. Next time I would say to them to give me a minute to decide then order.

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Ok-Fox1262@reddit

If I'm staring at the menu then I defer to the next person in the queue. Happens a lot for me. If you can stand out of the way to think then please don't rush yourself. Just let them serve someone else instead. Then nobody is hurting.

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RalfyRoo@reddit

The cashier should have seen that you were having trouble choosing, and should have either offered to help you decide or should have asked could they continue serving others while you decide. When they heard that English wasn't your first language, they should have made allowances for that. The comment about wanting to go home could have just been a bad attempt at a joke, or could have been the cashier being sarcastic and rude. I don't see how either is your responsibility or fault. Maybe in future you could just say you're sorry you need more time to choose, can they keep serving others while you decide. I can't see any reasonable person having any issue with that.

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MasterPreparation687@reddit

The cashier was definitely rude and overzealous. However (this is probably just a language nuance thing) I wouldn't say "I wanna \[...\]" in this situation, to order food. "Could I have a \[...\] please", or even "I'll take the \[...\] please" would be more appropriate here.

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Similar_Quiet@reddit

Please no "I'll take the". We don't order things we ask politely for them.

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MasterPreparation687@reddit

I disagree. "I'll take (or I'll have) the \[...\] please" is so ubiquitous in informal restaurant settings that it can hardly be construed as impolite, as long as you remember your pleases and thank yous.

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whooptheretis@reddit

"can I get..." or "I'll take..." are grammatically incorrect. They're Americanisms that seem to be taking hold here.

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Luna_Lucet@reddit

How are either of those grammatically incorrect??

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whooptheretis@reddit

In the context they are incorrect. They are asking if you can physically get them or take them respectively, without the cashier being involved. What you mean to ask is if you can "have it", thus requiring them to bring it to you. Those errors are from the pervasiveness of Americanisms making their way over.

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Luna_Lucet@reddit

A) That’s not grammar B) By themselves, those phrases are wrong since they question the speaker’s ability to get or take. However, they can be perfectly correct with context. If you’re ordering in a restaurant, the implication of “can I get/take X?” is “from you, in exchange for my money?” This changes the phrase from questioning the speaker’s general ability to obtain the item, to questioning whether or not they can obtain the item under those conditions, which makes the phrase correct.

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whooptheretis@reddit

What happened to using "can I have?" This was ubiquitous, and the sole phrase to use in this situation. Americans started using "can I get?" and this started to be picked up by Brits. American English is different from English.

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Luna_Lucet@reddit

Language is always evolving, and can often borrow from other languages. It’s always been like this

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whooptheretis@reddit

If you started using a foreign phrase to order something in a cafe, there's nothing *wrong* with it, but it would be a bit odd, that's all. You also need to appreciate that rules of language are designed to aid understanding, so if you did use a foreign phrase then you must understand that you may be misunderstood. Try going into a clothes shop and ask them where the pants are, or into a supermarket and ask where the chips are.

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Luna_Lucet@reddit

But you simply aren’t going to be misunderstood in the actual scenario we’re talking about. The scenarios you’re providing are obviously different because we already have those words in our language

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whooptheretis@reddit

Exactly, and we already have "take" and "get" which would mean something else in this context. It is misunderstood by those who aren't exposed to American English.

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Luna_Lucet@reddit

I’ve already explained how take and get make perfect sense with the given context

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whooptheretis@reddit

Ironically, in another context it would be acceptable, just not this specific example. Just because it’s widely used doesn’t make it correct.

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Luna_Lucet@reddit

This is your fourth reply to me and you still haven't told me what makes it objectively wrong. Feel free to do so

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whooptheretis@reddit

Ahh, apologies, I explained in another comment elsewhere. If you said to a barista "I'll take a latte" that would mean that you intend to take it yourself. Likewise, "can I get a latte" would be asking if you can indeed, go and get one yourself. Whereas "Can I have" is the correct form for asking them to provide you with it. I acknowledge the difference between the can/may but the assumption is that if the answer to "can" is "yes" then the next question need not be asked, and is indeed omitted.

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Luna_Lucet@reddit

That's the initial reasoning I was talking about. Stealing a little from my past comment here - the implied part of "can I get/take X" in a restaurant setting is "from you, in exchange for money." This is the same case for "can I have" - to have is to possess. Therefore, similar to the other phrases, "can I have" is, by itself, only asking if you can possess the item, not if you can obtain it from them. It's only with the context of being in a restaurant that all three phrases become correct because of the added implication. I agree that you're likely to have more success with "have" since it's been the common saying for forever and therefore people are more familiar with it, but I disagree that the other two are actually incorrect.

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whooptheretis@reddit

I disagree. It should still be "Can I *have* X, in exchange for money." If you want to "get, in exchange for money", you'd still have to get it yourself.

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Luna_Lucet@reddit

Read the whole thing. I said that it’s “get, *from you*, in exchange for money.” As in, from the physical person you’re talking to, who will go and get it for you. Dictionaries agree that this makes sense. Oxford Languages defines “get” as to simply “come to have something; receive” while Cambridge’s definition is literally “to obtain, *buy*, or earn something.” Neither of these dictate that you would have to go get the item, and the latter explicitly incorporates the act of purchasing an item into its definition. Take’s definitions are pretty similar. Oxford’s is simply “lay hold of (something) with one's hands; reach for and hold,” which is something you typically do when purchasing an item. Cambridge’s is admittedly a little harsher - “to remove something, especially without permission” - however, “especially” does not necessarily mean that it *has* to be without permission, and the definition still fits since you’d removing the item from the employee with permission.

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thebestthingsinlife2@reddit

But you're repeatedly telling people to use "can I have", which is incorrect. "Can" asks possibility, "may" asks permission. "May I have" is what you should be arguing for. "Just because something’s widely used doesn’t make it correct." Apparently you believe is does.

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whooptheretis@reddit

You are indeed correct. It's a little more nuanced than that. The first question "can" is establishing the possibility of having it, to which the answer may be "yes". This would be followed by another question "may I have..." but I guess most people just skip the second question as it's implied by the first. If I know for sure that something is available, then I do indeed still use "may I?"

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thebestthingsinlife2@reddit

I think most people skip the second question because the former has almost completely superceded the latter in modern informal English in the last 50 years. [https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=Can+I%2CMay+I&year\_start=1800&year\_end=2019&corpus=en-GB-2019&smoothing=3&case\_insensitive=true](https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=Can+I%2CMay+I&year_start=1800&year_end=2019&corpus=en-GB-2019&smoothing=3&case_insensitive=true) In other words, the widely used term is the widely accepted term.

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thebestthingsinlife2@reddit

>What you mean to ask is if you can "have it" ...and then they just answer "I can" and do nothing at all because *you haven't actually asked them to give you anything*. Thankfully most of the rest of the world aren't quite so hung on semantic sentence structure while ordering a burger and are capable of normal human interactions and understanding linguistic context.

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whooptheretis@reddit

That's fine, you don't have to learn to spell correctly; people will still be able to understand you. But if you can't, know that people will judge you for your inability to do so, such as in interviews.

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WorhummerWoy@reddit

I keep catching myself saying "can I get" and immediately wanting to slice my own tongue off.

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zy44@reddit

Don’t, because it’s perfectly correct English and there’s nothing wrong with it

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whooptheretis@reddit

In American English it may be ok. It's incorrect standard English.

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zy44@reddit

No, it's correct in "standard English" too

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whooptheretis@reddit

I vehemently disagree.

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Milky_Finger@reddit

"Can I get a uhhhhhhhh....." We catch ourselves becoming the people we hate, sometimes.

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zy44@reddit

“Can I get” is grammatically fine and in the real world no one minds it

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whooptheretis@reddit

It's not, unless you're asking them if you can come around and get it yourself, without them being involved.

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pullingteeths@reddit

Why don't you just admit that you just don't like Americanisms lmao? I'm sure there's hundreds of English turns of phrase you could pick apart the same way but you don't.

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whooptheretis@reddit

I just don't like Americanisms lmao Happy? I think it's because people (both Brits and non-Brits) make the assumption that our language and indeed culture is the same. It's not.

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dmmfa@reddit

Only if you’re extremely specific about which definition of ‘get’ you accept, considering the second meaning listed in the Cambridge dictionary is [to receive or be given something](https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/get).

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MasterPreparation687@reddit

How on earth is "I'll take..." grammatically incorrect?

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pullingteeths@reddit

These people aren't bothered because of grammar or impoliteness. They know the phrase makes sense and they know the people who say it don't have any intention of being impolite. They just don't like it because it's American, it's that simple.

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whooptheretis@reddit

In the context, it's incorrect. If you're going to take it, then you would physically go behind the counter and take it; you wouldn't be given it.

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goldensnow24@reddit

English is a dynamic and evolving language, it’s not prescriptive like French. If you had your way we’d still be talking like Shakespeare.

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whooptheretis@reddit

> English is a dynamic and evolving language Indeed. However, this is oft cited as a convenient excuse not to know the rules. Shakespeare was an artist, he knew the rules, and how to use them or break them to make something great. You can't tell me that people who are making these mistakes are doing so out of artistic creativity, and not out of ignorance.

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vipros42@reddit

I work with Americans and have been out for meals with them and a lot of them now say "I'll do..." E.g. " I'll do the steak". Weird as hell

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Dans77b@reddit

It's considered impolite by people with good manners

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pullingteeths@reddit

People who still consider things impolite when they're fully aware the person's intention was not to be impolite (eg because they were still friendly and said please, or they're clearly not speaking their first language) are insufferable bores. Additionally reacting rudely to accidental impoliteness is 100 times more impolite. Maybe work on your own etiquette.

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Dans77b@reddit

If someone says 'can I get a large cappuccino', it doesnt offend me in itself, but it tells me that they never learned the most basic of manners. Then I have to wonder if they ever were taught more important lessons (such as sharing).

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pullingteeths@reddit

To me it depends how they say it. Someone could say it more rudely with a please. Sharing is actually about being a good person. Treating please and thank as the only options to express appreciation is just a social convention that doesn't necessarily indicate anything good about the person's character

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Dans77b@reddit

Of course it can depend how it's said, but I'm assuming all else is equal. Someone with good manners obviously isn't necessarily a good person, but if someone never learned their Ps and Qs, I just assume that they have other 'faults' when it comes to treating those around them with respect. I may quickly be proven wrong, but it never hurts to give a good first impression.

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knuraklo@reddit

By pendants who figure themselves arbiters of manners despite their obvious compulsion to correct others and see offence where there is none. I wouldn't consider this good manners at all.

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Similar_Quiet@reddit

There's a world of difference between promoting good manners in a discussion about manners and finding offence and pulling people up on it in person.

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Dans77b@reddit

It's not about arbitrary rules; 'May I have...' is objectively nicer than 'I'm going to take/get...'. There is no obvious compulsion to correct - you will never be corrected on it in public (except by your parents as a child) There is no 'offence', just silent judgement. It takes no more effort to ask for something the polite way than the rude way, so why choose the rude way?

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oktimeforplanz@reddit

Although if OP speaks with an accent that suggests that English is not their first language, I feel like people need to be conscious that it's hard to parse out what wording is rude, especially when that wording is might only be rude in specific contexts but perfectly fine in others, or around certain people, or when in their native language, the equivalent phrase is fine. I just tend to be pretty forgiving of people speaking what is clearly their 2nd (or more) language unless I seriously get the impression that they're trying to be rude.

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Similar_Quiet@reddit

Absolutely. I can forgive Americans saying "I'll take a.." too.

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oktimeforplanz@reddit

Yeah I imagine that's the default way of ordering in a Five Guys in its native country so it'd be really weird to act like it's suddenly rude when you plonk Five Guys in another country. I've never had the cashier be ultra polite to me in Five Guys either - "what can I get you?" is hardly peak etiquette, but it's fine, because I'm in a burger place that'll give me my order by screaming NUMBER 31 over the sound of all the fryers.

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Traichi@reddit

> Yeah I imagine that's the default way of ordering in a Five Guys in its native country so it'd be really weird to act like it's suddenly rude when you plonk Five Guys in another country. Obviously it is? Cultural manners aren't universal, and when you move to a different country, it's rude to just continue to follow your own culture's customs.

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oktimeforplanz@reddit

Cool, let the cashiers know that then, because they're not the height of politeness either. Or maybe people need to just relax a bit about politeness in all scenarios. As well as being forgiving of the fact that cultural differences and language barriers exist. If someone is talking to me in a language that is not their own, I'm going to be very forgiving of any social faux pas, especially when it's word choice, because it's ludicrous to get upset about it. Unless I'm getting the vibes that they're TRYING to be rude to me, I genuinely don't care. The other thing is that this obsession with politeness is a fucking nightmare for neurodiverse people. I'm autistic and I wish I got paid every time I found out that something I said or did was actually a faux pas that I had no idea was a faux pas. Or when I've entirely missed some subtle message I was supposed to glean via word choice and body language. We could all do with lightening up a bit about politeness, since sometimes it seriously harms our ability to actually communicate what we mean.

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Dans77b@reddit

I'm autistic too, I learned 'ill take...' is rude when I was about 7 years old. Its not hard. When I was a cashier, I wasnt offended by 'ill take...' - I just used to think of that customer as ignorant. That's not the vibe I want to give off personally. *obviously this doesn't always apply if the customer is speaking a second language.

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oktimeforplanz@reddit

Now, aside from the fact that I wasn't defending the use of "I'll take..." specifically, and more about OP's specific scenario: >Its not hard. Sorry but that is a singular example among a veritable ocean of examples of wording that is perceived as rude. It kinda doesn't matter if *you* learned it, or even if I learned it, we are not a representative example of every single autistic person. If it were easy to learn *everything* that is perceived as by people as rude in every scenario, to the point that we aren't perceived as rude, then autism wouldn't be a disability.

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Dans77b@reddit

I accept that my first response doesn't consider the case of OP speaking a second language. Maybe I'm wrong and you're right (I'm willing to accept that is true), and I accept some of the rules are a bit vague but in my autistic mind, but imo, this is a clear obvious rule that actually makes life easier to navigate.

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oktimeforplanz@reddit

But, again, it is ONE rule. There are plenty of rules that I know and could describe to you, but part of my problem and what lead, to some degree, to my diagnosis is the fact that my ability to call those rules to mind and apply them and still get across what I want or need to say quickly interferes with each other. In situations where I can have a "script", I'm fine - I used to work in a call centre for a bank. That was so rigid in what you can and can't say that I had scripts ingrained in my head for basically everything. When a conversation went off script, where I need to respond quickly and therefore quickly decide what to say and how to say it is where things would fall to bits because I had no instinct for how to balance being clear in what I mean and being polite. Too far one direction gets you perceived as blunt, too far in the other and you're misunderstood. It isn't all that easy to do that constantly, even if each individual rule is pretty easy to learn and understand.

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Dans77b@reddit

I get it, I have that struggle every day. I think I just had these rules very well embedded in me when I was young, and for whatever reason - they are important to me. (I still remember exactly where I was when I learned the 'I'll take...' rule) I'm still a long way off not judging a person who mis-uses it, and if I have kids, will almost certainly instill it in them too.

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Traichi@reddit

> Unless I'm getting the vibes that they're TRYING to be rude to me, I genuinely don't care. Standing there and blatantly ignoring a person trying to get their attention isn't being "actively rude" now?

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oktimeforplanz@reddit

Have you been in a Five Guys? It's loud, for a start. And even being autistic, if I can see that someone is looking up at the menu that's above me, there's a good chance that they're not deliberately ignoring me and instead reading the menu. Five Guys is relatively unusual as far as burger places go, and the placement of the menu is shit, forcing you to stand in front of the cashier to read it. It's not hard for the cashier to use a few obvious context clues and determine that maybe this person isn't being an arsehole for the sake of it. I don't get the impression whatsoever that OP was CHOOSING to be rude. More that they were in an unfamiliar situation, concentrating, and nervous. And having to communicate in a language that's not their native one.

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Traichi@reddit

> It's loud, for a start. It's the same value as any kind of diner. And OP very clearly heard them. > And even being autistic, if I can see that someone is looking up at the menu that's above me, there's a good chance that they're not deliberately ignoring me and instead reading the menu. I mean no offence, but you being autistic is probably why you think it's acceptable to ignore someone. >I don't get the impression whatsoever that OP was CHOOSING to be rude. He was incredibly rude. He ordered like a twat, he openly ignored the "service staff" and then he went to Reddit to bitch about them.

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oktimeforplanz@reddit

I feel like you read an entirely different post to what I did and you're really just looking to pick a fight now. You might be a happier person if you give people the benefit of the doubt in the future. You should try it.

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Similar_Quiet@reddit

Its in a different context and isn't staffed by Americans, having different expectations isn't weird. Sure, a burger place allows for a lower degree of etiquette in general, personally I think it's just easier to be polite all of the time though.

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Dans77b@reddit

Absolutely. I just take issue with the comment above saying 'I'll take...' is not impolite, it is impolite, but a strong accent is a very good mitigating factor.

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knuraklo@reddit

You're getting downvoted by pedants United Royce never heard of pragmatics.

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Training-Treacle3790@reddit

"I'll take" is not ubiquitous in the UK. Far from it.

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Traichi@reddit

We're not in America, yes it is.

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Impressive-Oil9200@reddit

> We don’t order things That is quite literally what you are doing when you are ordering food.

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Similar_Quiet@reddit

Perhaps, but this is England where we tend to maintain a polite fiction otherwise.

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Equivalent-Bag2249@reddit (OP)

!answer

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Strong_Star_71@reddit

It could have been a joke. That’s the problem with learning a new language the nervous energy of having to speak means maybe you can’t notice nuance or expression. I just say ‘still looking’ or ‘still deciding’.

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5um11@reddit

Probably going to get downvoted for this but the least you can do is to say hello to people who serve you. I am not saying that you were rude or the server. This situation happens all the time.

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Agreeable-Brief-4315@reddit

They're both rude. Even if this does happen all the time.

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New-Eye-1919@reddit

Yeah some places do this and it's fucking annoying. You've put the menu (usually with loads of small print) above the till, therefore forcing me to stand here awkwardly and decide. Cashier was rude as fuck - we aren't born with an innate knowledge of a restaurants offerings, and sometimes it takes time to choose

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BenedickCabbagepatch@reddit

To be charitable to the cashier; it's quite possible this guy came in, hovered in front of them without acknowledging them, said hello without making any sort of eye contact and then just said "I want a spicy one" without any pleasantries or a please. Add that on top of the shitty existence that is working in the fast food industry, I can imagine why they felt they earned a snarky jab.

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Wonderful-Pumpkin695@reddit

Also, could "I want to go home" have been misunderstood? The cashier may have been asking if the customer wanted the fries to go/take home?

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Agreeable-Brief-4315@reddit

Definitely not. Firstly 5 guys just gets chucked in a paper bag whatever. And secondly the guy/girl working there replied "I wanna go home" in response to "I wanna spicy one" They were taking the piss out of how rude it was.

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Icy_Obligation4293@reddit

This is 100% what happened. Op didn't even acknowledge the cashiers existence. For the benefit of the Reddit masses, it is polite to say hello to people who are saying hello to you. 99% of customer interactions go like this: Cashier: hello Customer: hello Customer: *stares at menu for a couple of minutes, then makes eye contact with the cashier again* Cashier: what can I get for you today? Customer: I'd like x please. Cashier: sure thing! would you like x with that? Customer: yes please! Cashier: and would you like anything else? Customer : no thanks Cashier: that's x amount please Customer: *pays* Cashier:thank you! Customer: thank you! And then maybe 1 in 100 customers are more like this : Cashier: hello Customer: stares at menu Cashier: hello? Customer: stares at menu Cashier: waits silently Customer: burger Cashier: right Customer: fries Cashier: silently adds to order Customer: much? Cashier: x Customer: pays Cashier: silent Customer: leaves Like, the second group is rude, right? I've been around long enough that I can mentally just accept it as "socially efficient ordering" but it still has an unsettling quality to it, and I can definitely see why younger cashiers can get frustrated with not having their basic humanity acknowledged rather than treated like a vending machine.

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itsableeder@reddit

I agree with you entirely here. I know that when I was doing minimum wage customer facing jobs my patience for rude people reached an absolute minimum. I can 100% imagine me saying "I want to go home" to someone who said "I want a lager" to me when I was bartending. Manners cost nothing and frankly when I wasn't being paid well the only thing I had left was my self respect. Spend enough time being spoken to like you're not a person and eventually you stop giving a fuck.

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BenedickCabbagepatch@reddit

I worked in a Waitrose on the meat counter for a while and there is nothing worse than snobby suppressed middle class housewives who feel the need to exercise superiority over someone on the lowest rung of the pecking order. I remember once a woman came in and asked if we sell chicken goujons. I admitted that I didn't know what those were and she quipped "what kind of butcher doesn't know what a goujon is?" "One that makes minimum wage, madam." ...though to be fair on the lady, I will admit that not knowing what a goujon is, is quite the unforgivable sin among the middle classes. >when I wasn't being paid well the only thing I had left was my self respect This 100%

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nunsreversereverse@reddit

How you never heard of goujon though

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BenedickCabbagepatch@reddit

I'm a Greggs man.

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itsableeder@reddit

I had a similar thing with someone who asked for a cocktail I didn't know how to make in my real ale pub that happened to have a very limited cocktail menu. Copped a proper attitude, saying stuff like "what sort of bartender doesn't know how to make X?" and then couldn't tell me what was in it for me to try and make one for him 😅

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Icy_Obligation4293@reddit

In a bar that comment would be taken as banter though. Wonder if OP's cashier has a bar job on the side and forgot to code-switch.

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itsableeder@reddit

I didn't even consider that actually. I've definitely done that myself when I had two jobs.

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devtastic@reddit

> and I can definitely see why younger cashiers can get frustrated with not having their basic humanity acknowledged rather than treated like a vending machine. Yes but you can also try and teach the cashiers some emotional intelligence/empathy and to not take it personally. Some customers have autism, Asperger's, anxiety and so on that might make them behave atypically. Or maybe they just lost their job or had a bereavement so are distracted today. Or, yes, maybe they are a massive bellend, but don;t assume that is the only option. Those things could also be true of the cashier too. Her reaction may have been nothing to do with how OP interacted. She might have just found she's been rejected from the uni she wanted to go to, or that her boyfriend was cheating on her and just wanted to go home and cry. Or perhaps she has Autism or something and treats everybody that way. Or yes, maybe she was a massive bellend, but again that is not the only option..

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BenedickCabbagepatch@reddit

> Some customers have autism, Asperger's, anxiety and so on that might make them behave atypically Rather than enable the behaviour, you take a jab at them ("I want to go home" is hardly a verbal assault); they go home all perturbed, make a post on Reddit, and learn a lesson! Seems like the system worked fine. No purported condition is free license to ignore social norms and niceties.

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themaccababes@reddit

When I was a waitress I would say hello how are you, and some customers would just jump into ordering straight away not even acknowledging me. I would just ask hello how are you again and most people realised their mistake I wanna go home is a bit out of left field though 😂

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Icy_Obligation4293@reddit

Aye its pretty snarky. Willing to bet a hangover was involved n all.

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ChemistryWeary7826@reddit

OP is in a foreign country, In front of a menu. He can stand there gormless as long as he wants and still not have 'eanrnt' being spoken to rudely. All these people bitch about the service industry without ever admitting 'I am not up to being polite to people who aren't singing my praises and thinking of me me meeee' you're in the wrong industry then, it's not the customers fault you picked a shit job and do it badly. In food service you are supposed to be almost invisible, that's why you're not paid entertainers wages.

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Icy_Obligation4293@reddit

I take it you're in the 1%. Bet your throw your empty crisp packets in front of street cleaners as well. *"What's the dirty look for? It's their job!"*

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xian0@reddit

In my experience if you say "hello" you're basically then in the ordering process and they will keep asking for your order. If someone else comes in you have to tell them you're "just reading the menu a bit" and then start the interaction with "hello" again. To avoid that you can try to make it really obvious that you're reading the menu and usually they will understand it and not say "hello" multiple times.

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ReekieDeekie@reddit

Eye contact? Fuck that, best I can do is a mumble while I look at anything but your face.

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Icy_Obligation4293@reddit

Ha in fairness I just fake eye contact with customers by looking at their nose. The autism would start kicking off otherwise.

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Jlaw118@reddit

This especially annoys me at the drive-thru anywhere I go. Having screens that show one promotion at a time and then the menu, then flicks off and then feeling under pressure to decide

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Scared_Fortune_1178@reddit

As someone with anxiety, I always make sure I know what I want before I go through a drive-thru. Same with places like 5 guys (or costa) if I can.

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oktimeforplanz@reddit

Yeah I sit in the car checking the menu (or, even better, order via an app if I can) because I absolutely hate the pressure of drive throughs.

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Jester1979@reddit

If people have to wait for a minute for you to decide what you want because the restaurant has stupid digital rotating screens or they put the menu by the ordering point then that's on the restaurant, not you. Describing it as pressure is putting unnecessary stress on yourself. No one died waiting an extra minute for a Big Mac.

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oktimeforplanz@reddit

Spoken like someone who doesn't have any form of anxiety. Whether the pressure is imagined or not is irrelevant - I feel it and manage it by using what is available to me. Being able to sit in my car and peruse my options at my own pace is very preferable to me. I also used to work on the drive through for McDonalds and know they're under pressure to clear any queues, so I won't add to it if I can avoid it.

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Jester1979@reddit

I'm not trying to tell you how you should feel in any given situation or how to deal with it, and anything you do to manage those in a way that suits you is a good thing. I'm merely trying to help you understand that some things are worth having anxiety about (and yes, I do have a level of anxiety about some situations) but choosing food from a menu in the fastest time possible because of poor arrangement on the part of some fast food chain's design department should not be.

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Thezza-D@reddit

OK? What are you saying exactly? Do you you think this person is choosing to feel anxious about this? Do you think anyone picks and chooses this type of thing? What an ignorant fucking comment...

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Jester1979@reddit

No, obviously people don't pick and choose their anxieties. I deal with people with these kind of issues a lot. This kind of anxiety usually stems from a place where a person would feel that they are a burden or getting in the way, low self esteem, things always their fault, that kind of thing (I am in no way making some kind of armchair psychiatrist analysis of the previous commenter). It's important to reiterate to people that other people's bad choices are not a reflection on them, and as a person they are important, and have every right to spend a few minutes picking their food at the drive through as much as the next person. I know it's difficult to convey the full meaning over Reddit. I am trying to help, albeit over a poor medium that is easily misinterpreted.

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Available-Anxiety280@reddit

Ooh! How much is a Big Mac? Oh shit the screen has changed... I'll have to wait for it to come around again...

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Jester1979@reddit

The frustration of the modern world. Technology was supposed to make things easier!

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AvatarIII@reddit

luckily 5 Guys does not have a rotating menu, except for special/seasonal shakes, so it's quite easy to just know what you want. They do have a LOT of topping options though.

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TentativeGosling@reddit

Animated menus are awful. You don't need to do the big sell to me anymore, I'm literally inside your store, so just show me your range of wares and let me choose

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V65Pilot@reddit

That's what I like to do when visiting a house of ill repute.

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Sausage-fingers_@reddit

But Charlotte only charges 15 quid,and teach you more then will know.

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V65Pilot@reddit

Wait. You know Charlotte? Small world.

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Sausage-fingers_@reddit

Yes. Did you hear the news? She had a motorbike accident, took a tumble at the Devil's bend. RIP

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Speshal__@reddit

"Me? The 13th Duke of Wybourne, here?"

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CMDR_Crook@reddit

Oh well

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exitmeansexit@reddit

Really don't understand why these animated menus have become a thing. I read reasonably well and have reasonable eyesight. They must be dreadful to use for anyone that struggles, I'm surprised there hasn't been a campaign against them. It makes the whole interaction awkward as you stand there waiting for page 1 of 6 to come up again. Plus they're just a waste of energy. Really wish they'd disappear.

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Professional_Base708@reddit

I’m just waiting for it to come round to the thing I want but didn’t see flavours the first time…..

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inide@reddit

Because it gives you less time to think, which makes you more likely to make impulse purchases and spend more money.

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exitmeansexit@reddit

Honestly for me I usually do the opposite as I just pick something I know from the regular menu rather than wait for the special to come back round again. But I guess it must work for others

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Johnnybw2@reddit

Whenever a retailer adds a sense of urgency they are trying to manipulate you into spending more money.

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benji9t3@reddit

It's probably to make it harder for people to read the menu and pick out the best deal for themselves, ending up under pressure and feel like they have to pick something quick, and the only things theyve seen are the big section advertising usually their most expensive burger.

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Sickphuck78@reddit

A shop does need to do the big sell once you’re in. Some items are higher profit than others. BTW it’s not always the most expensive item.

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DameKumquat@reddit

I was in a McDonald's at a services recently, first time I'd been in one in decades but a staff member was trying to apologise for a huge cockup by giving me and family free food. Tried to look at the menu and it kept running away, and no prices. I realised it was basically an ad and I should be reading one of the order touch screens but they had long queues and the staff were telling me to get more things. Most of which they didn't have in stock...

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Moonjellylilac@reddit

Tell me about it! I’ll be reading the options available on the limited edition menu, then it fucks off before I’ve finishing reading so I just have to stand there and wait until it comes back. Like wtf. So ridiculous.

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Timely_Egg_6827@reddit

I have learnt that some such shops do have a written menu on request. I left my glasses at home and am blind as a bat. Was really struggling and apologised to the lady behind the counter who was getting bit annoyed at me hovering (no queue and I wasn't blocking anyone else). She then smiled and handed me the menu they keep for the old dears with the same issue.

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KleioChronicles@reddit

The animated menu in my local Costa is horrific, it shows an ad for a minute and a couple of menu pages for very little time when I’m trying to have a look at what drinks they have so I’m standing about like a nutter for ages waiting on the menu to come back. That and the prices means I visit very little.

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VardaElentari86@reddit

Haha I'm in a Costa at the moment and that was just irritating me as I read this thread. At least coffee is (usually) simple and I could see my muffin. But anywhere with a more complex menu it's annoying af.

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Equivalent-Bag2249@reddit (OP)

!answer

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ichijiro@reddit

It was not the checking menu, its that you didnt acknoledge him being there and being human. One uses basic courtesies even with cashiers.

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KitFan2020@reddit

Bloody costa coffee does this. The drinks menu is above the barista’s head and if there is no queue you have to stand there awkwardly reading it whilst they stand and stare at you.

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TheHalfwayBeast@reddit

Fucking Costa. I have to stand there like a lemon for minutes on end waiting for the actual menu to show.

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slicineyeballs@reddit

Pribably go i to a Costa once a year but literally just came out of one where I queued for ages cos the guys in front had to keep waiting for the menu to come back around.

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Various-Storage-31@reddit

I realised I could get a costa from the machine in tesco, plus my lunch, plus a pastry for breakfast as a meal deal for less than just the coffee in store. Never going in again.

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Cainedbutable@reddit

Be careful with those self service machines. A friend of mine used to work as a repairman for them. Some of the pictures he sent of the insides had me retching. I used to use them all the time. Since he showed me some of the pics, I've not used one since.

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TheHalfwayBeast@reddit

Not the stuff I order, the fancy frappes and bubble stuff.

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Various-Storage-31@reddit

Ah, I'm basic

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Dave_Unknown@reddit

And it’s always the places that change/update their menus frequently, since the flashing adverts are normally seasonal items. I tend to order off the app these days or look at the menu on the website in advance

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Ok-Space-2357@reddit

Costa have lost themselves a lot of expensive frappe sales from my good self due to those interminably slow screens. I sometimes wonder if the staff slow them down on purpose, because they can't be arsed to prepare yet another complicated frappe. Almost can't blame them if so.

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Traichi@reddit

The menu has like 5 things on it....

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New-Eye-1919@reddit

It's actually over 50.

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Traichi@reddit

No it doesn't. Burger - Hot Dog - Fries - Soft Drink - Milkshake.

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Theratchetnclank@reddit

And varying toppings.

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Traichi@reddit

Which are all standard toppings.

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throwmeawayidontknow@reddit

Bruh nit everyone is versed in ordering as you and your fat momma

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Traichi@reddit

Burger toppings are fairly standard everywhere.

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throwmeawayidontknow@reddit

Yeah I wouldn't know unlike you and your fat momma. Also what are you even on about? Where are you talking about?

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Theratchetnclank@reddit

That's great and all but you still have to decide which combination you want, which is where this choice paralysis comes into play.

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Multitronic@reddit

So none of the things you mentioned have any sort option for quantity, size, flavour, extra toppings, sandwich/bun type?

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ancientwheelbarrow@reddit

They have Little Burgers and Regular Burgers, they even proudly state that there are over 250,000 possible combinations...but only put the menu right next to the till.

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New-Eye-1919@reddit

For a start, there are four burgers on the menu: - Hamburger - Cheeseburger - Bacon Burger - Bacon cheeseburger and four hotdogs: - All Beef - Cheese Dog - Bacon Dog - Bacon Cheese Dog If you ask for a "BUrger" or "Hot Dog", they are goign to say "Which one?" And *then* there are the toppings, of which there are 15. That alone gives a possible

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Tonk666@reddit

My local chippy has recently installed tv screen menus and have now got various adverts in a slide show format. So you only seen the menu about 20 seconds before it’s gone again. Stupidest menu I’ve ever seen

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BeefbrewbbqUK@reddit

Not only was the cashier rude, they clearly didn’t follow the processes and standards put in place by the restaurant. Next time let the manager know and they will walk you through any questions etc and will ensure that cashier gets retrained. Stuff like that isn’t tolerated.

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Equivalent-Bag2249@reddit (OP)

!answer

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Ready4it2@reddit

You were not rude. The cashier was rude. I’m sorry for her behavior.

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Prize_Hotel_7420@reddit

Ugh, terrible customer service

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but-am-i-bothered@reddit

Firstly it's really great that you are practising your english. Do not be put off..just use it as a learning tool. So, it is impolite to not acknowledge the server. Especially since they've said hello..3 times. So a quick Hi, can i have a moment still not decided...would be great. If you want something..its bette to say " can i have.." saying "i want"..is more of a demand! And not very polite. There's also no limit to the please and thank yous that you could use.

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ichijiro@reddit

It was not the checking menu, its that you didnt acknoledge him being there and being human. One uses basic courtesies even with cashiers.

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AmphibianNo8598@reddit

First of all, this cashier was incredibly rude and should not have spoken to you like that at all, but as the question itself was wether you ordered appropriately in English or not I’ll answer that as well. It would be polite to acknowledge the cashier once they say hello with something along the lines of ‘I’m just deciding what to order’, also ‘I want’ is a pretty rude way to order in the UK, overall though you’ve already got a please in there and most people should understand that there may be cultural differences when English is not someone’s first language and a regular cashier wouldn’t pick you up on it, just a little note for future ordering. But seriously don’t worry about this specific interaction, it was not perfectly handled by you but that is absolutely to be expected of anyone in any given situation, the cashier was extremely rude and in no way should be talking to any customer that way, it was not because you did anything wrong but because they are a prick.

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kempie_49@reddit

You did nothing wrong, but in future if the cashier is saying "hello", it would be better to acknowledge them and say "please give me a minute" or "I'm still looking", something like that. If they said "they wanted to go home", they were probably just having a bad day. For example you might have been their last customer before their shift ended, so as no-one else in the queue they wanted to rush you.

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Treadonmydreams@reddit

Cashier was a bit rude, yeah. But if you just stood there silently and didn't acknowledge them or anything then so were you. It's not hard to and say something like "hi, I just need a few minutes to decide what I want, thanks".

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Due-Arrival-4859@reddit

If the customer is clearly reading the menu and doesn't respond to your initial hello (you shouldn't even say anything until they approach you anyway) then you wait. Let the customer take as much time as they need and be ready when they lock eyes and approach the counter Considering what the employee said, I'd even say he should email the company and put in a complaint

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Moonjellylilac@reddit

You could still acknowledge the cashier. If you were in a restaurant, sat down reading the menu, and the waiter came over and asked if you were ready to order would you just ignore them because it should be obvious you’re reading the menu?

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Due-Arrival-4859@reddit

Fast food and restaurants are different when it comes to ordering. In fast food (and pubs), you approach the staff, but in a restaurant they come to you Also when it comes to restaurants, time matters. If you know the table has been sat for at least 10+ minutes, chances are they are ready to order their mains

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Xanthyl@reddit

OP and server were both rude to each other and all because they didn't communicate. OP certainly needed to say something like "just looking at the menu, thanks". Then the server won't feel ignored. Alternatively, server could have said, "need help with the menu?" or "I'll give you a moment. Let me know when you're done". This will give OP space they needed. Were all humans. Let's just be kind to each other when doing life's mundane things.

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ProfessorYaffle1@reddit

I think given the cashiers response that the fact OP said "I Want " rather than 'Please may I have / Can I have / Can I get was why they were rude but they oughtto have been more professional even if they felt OPs wording was a bit rude

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pullingteeths@reddit

Anyone who considers it rude for someone who doesn't have an English accent and is therefore clearly not a native English speaker to say that is a fool and shouldn't be working in a job where they serve customers.

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ProfessorYaffle1@reddit

Oh yes, I don't agree with the way they behaved, but it might be helpful for OP to know.

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knuraklo@reddit

Absolutely. I don't see where OP was rude, he was actually quite courteous to just ignore the cashier's aggressive attitude.

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Forsaken_Lobster_381@reddit

As a native speaker 5 guys gives me pure anxiety when ordering

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cogra23@reddit

CashIer was probably too stoned.

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strawbebbymilkshake@reddit

It’s a little rude not to acknowledge someone and let them know you want a moment to check the menu but that’s outshined by the exceptionally rude and frankly weird behaviour from the staff so I think you’re good

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Equivalent-Bag2249@reddit (OP)

!answer, this is the point I was thinking about. thank you!

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strawbebbymilkshake@reddit

I’d also add that saying “I wanna spicy one” is a bit rude and possibly why they responded to “highlight” it (poorly). For future reference it’s more polite to say “please may I have the spicy one” or “can I have the spicy one please?”. This still doesn’t make the way they spoke to you okay, though.

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MentionNormal8013@reddit

If the cashier judges a non native English speaker for that then the cashier is a berk. Christ knows I’m not busting out formal French on my hols

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lurkerjade@reddit

I would argue that expressing “please” and “thank you” are the first things you should learn in any language. Not a case of formality but a case of politeness. You might not be fluent in French but I’m sure you could muster a s’il vous plaît and a merci.

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And_Justice@reddit

To be honest, I find the insistence on please and thanks yous to be a bit... boomer? It's nice but it's never essential, you're literally there to do a job, not do the customer a favour.

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Icy_Obligation4293@reddit

Interactions in this country work in a two-step way. First, you acknowledge the humanity and consciousness of the person you're speaking to. Then you exchange your functional uses. This is why words like "hello" exist. That's the part where you're saying "I recognise you as another conscious being, rather than a just a machine designed to pass butter". Following that, you then do the *functional* part of the exchange. "Pass the butter". Then you again confirm your mutual humanity with something like "Thanks". These are the literal basics of human decency, they are literally SINGLE WORDS. "Hello". "Thanks". Human language rarely so efficiently communicates such a complex principle as "we are two fully conscious beings exchanging goods and services". Anybody who can't bring themselves to utter a single fucking word to a service worker shouldn't expect to be treated with even a scrap of respect in turn.

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And_Justice@reddit

I work in software support. I never receive please or thank yous - if I did, it would make absolutely zero difference to how I respond. Why? Because my job is to take requests and fix them, they're not asking me for anything beyond the usual expectation. I would expect a please or would give a thank you if someone has gone beyond mutually agreed expectation - this acknowledges that they have been considerate and added value. You know what expresses what you're talking about much more efficiently and effectively than arbitrary words? Body language and tone. Respectfully, please don't act like I'm a child because I refuse to join the herd in condemning people for not following arbitrary social rules - it becomes nothing more than a power play. Thank you.

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Icy_Obligation4293@reddit

Might as well let people swipe their credit card in your asscrack, robot.

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And_Justice@reddit

Irony of calling me a robot when your main argument is "because that's how it is"

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Icy_Obligation4293@reddit

I don't need any software support right now, thanks.

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And_Justice@reddit

I'm really sorry that not everyone lives in the same fantasy world as you, Life gets easier when you stop giving energy to worrying about things you realise are pointless.

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JHutch95@reddit

…have you really tried to call basic manners a “boomer” trait?

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And_Justice@reddit

Nope, just the insistence that they're required.

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pullingteeths@reddit

When someone makes every effort to be friendly and appreciative during their interaction, you know they have zero intention of being impolite, but you still judge them as impolite because they didn't arbitrarily include the specific words please and thank you in the interaction, then yeah that is a boomer attitude. Similar vibe to tiresome bores who are bothered by someone saying "can I? rather than "may I?"

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lurkerjade@reddit

It can be quite difficult to get across a friendly and appreciative manner in a language you have limited ability with, but knowing the words for please and thank you is a lot easier to implement. I think the situation you’re describing is quite far from what I meant.

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pullingteeths@reddit

It's useful and preferable of course. I just don't understand why people get offended when it's clear no offence is meant

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MentionNormal8013@reddit

Yeah, but in many languages and cultures you don’t use please and thank you as much as we do. It’s odd to say it for transactions in many countries

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Wide_Expression_1930@reddit

i think it’s a very basic part of british culture that please and thank you are used, and i can’t imagine any cashier anywhere taking a please/thank you as patronising- i think it’s always best to use it and i think it’s odd that op lives here and doesn’t know that we use please and thanks here

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And_Justice@reddit

If I received any kind of different treatment at a fast food restaurant for not saying please or thank you, I think I'd stop going to that restaurant. Pointless arbitrary thing to get hung up on.

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2xtc@reddit

Tbh you just sound a bit rude.

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And_Justice@reddit

I say please and thank you when I want to... I don't agree at all with them being necessary. We would do to remember that our culture's politeness is arbitrary and not a universal truth requested by the gods

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MentionNormal8013@reddit

Yeah, I still think give some leeway for someone communicating in their second language. On patronising I’m saying it can be elsewhere, to show that we perhaps make that mistake when we go abroad. Empathy…

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Wide_Expression_1930@reddit

yeah i do think that cashier should have clocked that it’s op’s second lang and been a bit nicer! i’m just saying that it seems odd that a resident doesn’t know what i have always thought to be one of the main british stereotypes, which is overuse of please and thank you! however, there are very few places in the world where somebody would think a customer rude for saying ‘please could i have…’

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lurkerjade@reddit

I get that. I suppose I’d always rather seem oddly over-polite than rude.

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MentionNormal8013@reddit

Being patronising can be considered rude. It’s a proper minefield. Whenever people hear a non native accent they should give a lot of leeway

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lurkerjade@reddit

That’s a fair point, I hadn’t considered it might seem patronising. Food for thought definitely!!

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strawbebbymilkshake@reddit

I mean, yeah, getting that offended by it is silly, but “please” and “thank you” aren’t exactly formal. It’s a basic part of English culture and OP made it clear they’re interested in learning how to order more politely so I have them the info

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MentionNormal8013@reddit

Also a basic part of British culture to recognise that Edinburgh is in Scotland, not England, if we’re obsessing about manners.

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strawbebbymilkshake@reddit

Good point! I meant British, not English.

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Puzzleheaded_Drink76@reddit

Also it was presumably clear that OP was a non native speaker from the way they ordered. So you cut them some slack on using perfect English.

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ProfessorYaffle1@reddit

Given the cashiers response I think it's also becasue they said "I want"rather than "Could I have / Could I get"

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Arsewhistle@reddit

Yeah, the 'I wanna go home' part was likely to just be a joke

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FirstAndOnly1996@reddit

'We should have stopped at Roy Rogers!' 'Yeah, and I should have fucked Dale Evans, but I didn't!'

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strawbebbymilkshake@reddit

Yeah 100%, I mentioned this in a further reply after it occurred to me. Rude way to handle it but they were likely getting fussy over OP’s handling of it.

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TentativeGosling@reddit

Yeah, some of this could be mitigated next time by saying something like "I don't know what I want yet" or "still deciding, sorry". Doesn't excuse the rude behaviour from the cashier but can help prevent it next time.

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strawbebbymilkshake@reddit

Yeah, it definitely didn’t help if OP stood there in silence staring at the menu (although as staff you’d also be able to guess why that is). The “I wanna” is also less polite here versus “can I please have” but they aren’t much compared to what the staff did and frankly if the rudest customer I’d ever had was OP, that would be a great day.0

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greggery@reddit

Next time just say you're still trying to decide. They'll just have to cope.

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JRCSalter@reddit

I usually say, 'just give me a sec to choose' and they're fine. Also, if I'm still being indecisive, I'll allow any other person to step in front of me.

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Equivalent-Bag2249@reddit (OP)

This is the first time I received so many comments! Thank you all. All kind comments would help me fit in the brit-culture better, THANK YOU!

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go-rilla702@reddit

I'm saying this to help you understand, as no one seems to be mentioning it in the top comments. People in Britain are funny, but one thing that annoys everyone is rudeness. I know you were 100% not trying to be rude to anyone, but ignoring someone who is greeting you is considered rude in Britain. From that point on, the server considers you rude and doesn't mind being awkward/rude/unhelpful to you in return. Just to be clear, I'm not having a go at you and the server was rude, but best to just say "Sorry, I'm just looking..." instead of ignoring someone completely in the UK.

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KitFan2020@reddit

No. You did nothing wrong. The person who served you was rude.

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nunsreversereverse@reddit

Yes I've had this before. Clearly reading the menu, cashier says what can I get you? I say I'm still looking at the menu but also saying durrr in my head.

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Kreigna@reddit

they are just what we call in the uk, a cunt, ignore them ur fine pal

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Icy-Revolution1706@reddit

The cashier was a nasty, rude bastard and the correct response you should've given was to say "Well go home then, you rude bastard" and then walked out. Places that have workers speak to people like that don't deserve your money.

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AvatarIII@reddit

it sounds like they were being rude to you, but in future if this happens, just say "sorry i haven't decided yet", and it is always polite to say hi to the cashier.

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-You_Cant_Stop_Me-@reddit

Akshually it should me "May I have" 🤓

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AvatarIII@reddit

May i have is peak, but can i have is acceptable.

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-You_Cant_Stop_Me-@reddit

I know, I was just being a pedant, haha. I say "can I" far more often than "may I".

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GroundbreakingBuy187@reddit

Nah they've just got bad manners pal. Saying hello help, whilst looking .. I'd have walked out ,without acknowledging them

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itsableeder@reddit

Don't you think that staring at the menu silently instead of just saying "hello" back to someone is also rude? The reason people in service jobs cop and attitude with customers is because they spend their entire day dealing with people who refuse to acknowledge their humanity. Just say hello.

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Sasspishus@reddit

If it's clear they're looking at the menu then the cashier can fuck right off.

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Incendas1@reddit

What if someone is hard of hearing? Or as in this case, needs some time to process reading and listening and speaking a foreign language at the same time, at the speed a random cashier desires. Why bother making a fuss over this.

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itsableeder@reddit

I'm not saying the cashier wasn't rude, just that I can sympathise and that OP was also rude. > Why bother making a fuss over this Never had a bad day at work? Sometimes all the tiny little things get on too at you and you lose your temper at something innocuous. People working in service jobs are human just like everyone else, is my exact point.

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Incendas1@reddit

Yeah, I do, and I don't take it out on my students since they're learning my language :)

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itsableeder@reddit

Never once in your life? Wow. Nobody is perfect except you, I guess.

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Incendas1@reddit

It's not really normal to snap at strangers, especially not at work, if they haven't done anything to you. So no I don't act this way towards random people, unless they're actively being horrible to me or someone else (insults, threats, etc)

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itsableeder@reddit

And I think that it can be a very normal human reaction. You don't know what sort of stresses this person is under. I personally really struggled in customer service roles because I have ADHD and autism and a big part of that for me is struggling with mood regulation. That work absolutely wasn't right for me but it took me 15 years to be able to get out of it. I'm positive I was very rude to many people who I shouldn't have been, and I'm not proud of that, but those jobs are hell and you do get treated like shit by a lot of people all day long. I'm not going to judge someone for not being perfect all the time. Again, I'm not saying it was cool, I'm not saying the cashier wasn't rude. But I also absolutely don't believe that you've never once in your life been rude to someone when you shouldn't have been, at work or otherwise, and I also think that OP was rude in this situation too. Part of learning a new language is learning social norms, and we say "hello" and "please" to service workers in English.

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Incendas1@reddit

I find it a little odd that you began the whole conversation without any obvious understanding of OP's situation then if you also have difficulties at times? If we're comparing being deliberately passive aggressive and just a little slow then it's obvious who's overreacting here. Sure, people make mistakes, and the cashier made quite a socially unacceptable mistake imo, being deliberately mean. One big issue I have with this is that it discourages language learners from actually learning. And it often happens because people don't realise why or how it all works, why a language or culture might be different, and the process of learning. They just assume someone is being rude rather than struggling with a skill they're attempting to learn. I find it hard to say the same thing about the cashier. It seems they took the opportunity to take out their frustration on OP - something they need to personally work on.

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itsableeder@reddit

> If we're comparing being deliberately passive aggressive here and just a little slow then it's obvious who's overacting here. I don't think it's an issue of being slow? It's an issue of not responding to a greeting *at all* and not saying please when ordering. The cashier doesn't know that OP is learning the language though, right? They just see someone ignoring them when they say hello and then not saying please when they order something. And I think it's reasonable to be annoyed in that situation, and while it's not "professional" to have an emotional reaction to that it *is* human. That's all I'm saying. You keep saying that the cashier was "deliberately" mean and passive aggressive but we simply don't know that. If they were being a deliberate prick then that's very different to someone having a brief emotional reaction and snapping at someone, and I won't argue that. But we don't know. You're extending grace and understanding to OP that you aren't extending to the cashier. I think the difference between our outlooks here is that you have a lot of experience of people learning new languages and the things they struggle with, and I have a lot of experience of being spoken to like less than dirt in customer service roles. I don't think either of us is wrong, we're just seeing the interaction from opposite perspectives. I'm of the opinion that service work would be much more pleasant for everyone working in it if they were given carye blanche to meet customers at their level of politeness, though. If someone is rude to you in your job I frankly don't see any reason why you shouldn't be rude back. Minimum wage isn't enough money to force people to swallow their pride and act like emotionless robots at all times.

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Incendas1@reddit

It's pretty obvious when someone is learning English honestly. In OP's quotes there are even misplaced words that would clearly tip you off, if you were to generously assume they have native pronunciation for some reason. I get this might be quite tied to your identity but it's absolutely not on to treat someone like this who's clearly trying hard. I do think less of people who treat others this way, even outside of language learning. I do think this is wrong. There is quite a difference between even being a little awkward and being outwardly offensive - getting frustrated with someone in the former situation is very much a personal issue that needs to be addressed.

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itsableeder@reddit

> It's pretty obvious when someone is learning English honestly. But OP didn't speak to the cashier until they ordered, at which point they'd already been rude by not returning the greeting. And as someone who's learned a few languages, the first things I always learn are how to say hello, please, thank you, and "I'm sorry, my [language] isn't great", explicitly because it helps to smooth these sorts of interactions. You don't seem to want to accept that sometimes people aren't perfect and have emotional responses to things that probably don't warrant them, and that when you're in a customer service role dealing with potentially thousands of people every day, many of whom are rude to you, sometimes you snap at the wrong person. It's not okay but it does happen and saying it's "a personal issue that needs to be addressed" is just another form of dehumanising hospitality workers. > I get that this might be tied to your identity Yes, extending grace and understanding to people who don't behave perfectly at all times of the day is very much part of my identity. I wish I could be perfect like you but I'm not.

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Incendas1@reddit

So, again, I don't think it's acceptable at all to snap at people who haven't done anything to you. I don't really care about your justification of that, as someone who also works with the public. This is kind of going in circles. I hope you're able to find something better for yourself.

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GroundbreakingBuy187@reddit

I was covering the whole as a general , We all deserve yo be treated equally . One small problem ,we are not all made equally !! But I agree , I at times have looked at menu and rather than look away , have just responded hi. But the whole expiriecne, there was bang out if order, they were pushing with power.

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fukayoubtch@reddit

Agreed clearly use your common sense and realise the guys looking at the menu and will come up when ready.. what’s the rush ffs

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LongBeakedSnipe@reddit

Yup there are no unwritten politeness rules of when to exchange pleasantries. Before or after looking at the menu is fine. But if someone acts like a dick while im looking at the menu, then pleasantries are off the table.

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GroundbreakingBuy187@reddit

Or better still ,ordered ,waited two mins , and saud ah ,I've changed my mind.

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codeverydamnday@reddit

I had this experience when my bf came to the UK too, he’s Korean with English as a second language. Everyone else was awesome to him but the Five Guys cafe was laughing at him and rolling her eyes while I was helping him order. I nearly leapt over the counter lol

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Enough_Jellyfish5700@reddit

You were ok. I start with “Hello” and when they answer, I say “ I need a minute”. I’m a native English speaker. I just need to see the menu and decide. Then I say “Ok I’m ready” (they say something) “l’ll have….

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PhoenixRosehere@reddit

The cashier was rude and obviously untrained and/or shouldn’t be working with the public with that kind of attitude. I’ve worked most of my life in customer-service job and I wouldn’t have thought to treat a customer that way. It takes little to read body language. If you were just staring at the board and no one else was there, they could have left you to it especially when you didn’t answer and was obviously looking at the menu. If you had a question, you would have likely asked. Once you were ready, all they had to do was take your order and finish the transaction not be snarky or try to teach you manners. Yes, you could have been more “polite”, with please and thank you, but nothing you did warranted the way they acted towards you. I’ve worked with people like this, and they’re usually the same people whose manners are bare minimum and will immediate talk about a customer once they are out of earshot. As long as you’re not stopping anyone from ordering while you decide, acknowledge the person assisting you (smile, nod, or say hi), and say a please and a thank you each during the interaction, you’re good.

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JohnCasey3306@reddit

You were not the problem in this scenario, the cashier was an asshole.

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FridayGeneral@reddit

Nah OP is TA here. "I want"? No "please"? Even children know "I want, doesn't get".

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wiggy_pudding@reddit

I'd say it is generally rude to not acknowledge the server greeting you. If you're not ready to order, then it's still good manners to reciprocate the "hello," but just say that you need a minute or two to decide. I can see how you got off to a bad start with the server. However, I'd contend that they didn't need to get a chip on the shoulder over it. This kind of faux pas is really easy to fall into and not that big of a deal, all things considered.

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SmoothRoutine@reddit

If your not ready just say so, they were probably not in the best of mood, hence the sarcasm as well, not a problem, just carry on

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Gorilla_Dawg@reddit

I think you all over exaggerating, persons said hello, manner are to say hello back, if cashier then asked what would you like to order? You say I am still thinks, deciding…. It’s maybe person want to be nice. As by any hospitality training you should engage with customers. What person responds back I want to go home. Probably again in funny way to show you they are human too. I would take a lough and said me too or with counter question what’s so interesting at home?…. You are going to five guys not to Michael start restaurant. People have lough. I hate when somebody in not interested in what they are doing and that staff member to me sound like lough. And I am 100% there are menus in Five guys so you don’t have to stand in front of board. With all due respect.

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minecraftmedic@reddit

They were rude, but "I want" is also bad manners, which is why they said "I want to go home". I want is basically you demanding something. If you said "I want" to me I would have said "that's nice" "well I want a million pounds and that's not happening either". Saying "Hello" and "Please may I have" or "could I have" instead of "I want" is much better manners.

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pullingteeths@reddit

The cashier had ears and could hear he didn't have an English accent. It's a good tip to not say "I want" but vastly more rude to react to it that way when you know they're not a native speaker of the language. Cashier was completely in the wrong.

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PlatypusWorking2663@reddit

the cashier is annoying as fuck, so impatient

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RiaMaria92@reddit

Well,you didn’t said “hello” and is the polite thing to say,that’s not giving the right to that person to speak to you like that. But next time when you are not ready to order just say “sorry I am still deciding” or “I am not ready to order now” and go aside for you to still be able to see the menu and for other people to be able to order. And you can try to brush up your grammar if you are living in a country that speaks English.If you were a tourist is fine,but if you live here maybe you should try to get a bit better at speaking the language. “I wanna a spicy one” is not really correct try “can I have some spicy ones,please?

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Significant-Leek8483@reddit

Bloody hell. I always take offence when someone makes me rush. I would just leave and make sure leave a nasty complaint with their twitter or email them. Some of the customer service is really pathetic

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Zavodskoy@reddit

I'm using "leek" from your username for a hypothetical situation here I come into your shop where you sell leeks. You say "hello, welcome to my leek shop" I ignore you completely After 60 seconds I then go "I'd like a leek please" You say "okay" I then go "and another spicy leek" The cashier is not the rude person in this scenario

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Significant-Leek8483@reddit

😂😂😂😂😂😂

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brynley72@reddit

So you should have answered hi straight away, then just looked at the menu. The server was being impolite as you never said hi when they said hello

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National_Summer927@reddit

>I am a non-native speaker and live in Edinburgh. So a native Edinburgh. You can't order a "little fries" in 5Guys because their whole "thing" is giving you a million fries. As they're the cheapest product.

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HirsuteHacker@reddit

We're you ignoring the cashier? It's annoying when they do that but it's also rude to not acknowledge when someone's talking to you. Just a quick 'hi, sorry, haven't been here before so just reading the menu' would have been appropriate >So I gave a hello awkwardly, and I added: I wanna a spicy one (cajun). And the cashier said: I wanna go home. Sounds like they've had a long day and were trying to make a joke

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Zavodskoy@reddit

Cashier was rude but it's generally considered polite to at least say hello to them and something like "I'm just looking at the menu" and they'll stop bothering you

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FirstAndOnly1996@reddit

Yeah exactly - the cahiser absolutely could have been nicer but like you say, this could have been the cherry on top of an already shit day - he might have had about 10 people before OP do the exact same shit.

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SigourneyReap3r@reddit

Cashier was rude. In fact, cashier was both rude and unprofessional, unfortunately you just got someone that has had enough with their job and as an ex customer service worker I understand it, but there is no excuse for being like that to a customer tbhm If a cashier says hello please don't be afraid to say 'hi, just need a few minutes with the menu, thanks' and continue to peruse. I understand the anxiety and pressure when ordering somewhere new but no harm in saying you need some time.

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Kiel297@reddit

I used to work at Five Guys and the cashier definitely shouldn't have acted like that. For a start, if you had been a mystery shopper (every store gets one every week), they would have failed the entire store just for that alone and everyone working that shift would have lost their bonus as a result. There's specific training on how customers get greeted, but it seems like they've misunderstood that they are supposed to greet you in a friendly manner; whether you say hello back or just go straight to your order is inconsequential. It seems like the person serving you may have been having a bad day, which I understand. Five Guys isn't a great company to work for, and some days it can be really difficult to put on a happy face and act enthusiastic about being there. I know I definitely had days like that when things were really hard but I never passed that negativity on to the customer. But you did nothing wrong in this situation.

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Unusual-Art2288@reddit

Total lack of service. They put the menu on a board where sometimes it hard to see, and expect you to order in minutes.

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Squeak_Stormborn@reddit

Cashier was awful and I'm sorry for you. They were just rude and shouldn't be working in customer service. You did fine.

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randem_mandem@reddit

You did just fine, the worker was a jackass. If I were you I’d put in a complaint - I’m sure the manager would be interested to hear this is the attitude his/her staff are giving to customers. I did a decade in hospitality/service industries and honestly the hardest skill is knowing what level of service to provide. Some people won’t want to read the menu and will want to talk options through with you, others will want to be left alone until they have decided and only then interact. Most will sit somewhere between the two and may change mid-convo. But it is always, always up to the customer to decide where on that scale they want to be and it is your job to meet them where they are. You do not berate them, much less unload your emotional baggage on them, even on a bad day. If you can’t do that, then you can’t do your job

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faddiuscapitalus@reddit

Just sounds like crap customer service

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bryan-without-b@reddit

Report that cashier. Their attitude is disgraceful.

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Emilyx33x@reddit

fuck them, you’re good

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Cheese-n-Opinion@reddit

You should've acknowledged them with a hello and said you need a minute to decide. As a non-native it's not your fault, but you probably did come across as ignorant, and I personally wouldn't really fault the cashier for being a bit snarky. I also don't think it sounds like they were that rude, just a little cheeky, which imo is fair enough.

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Thumperstruck666@reddit

Yeah just tell them your new or you need a moment , I’ve been to many a chipper , also lol

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Pantsman_Crothers@reddit

You did nothing wrong, the cashier was rude. I imagine they would not do any better if they tried to order in a restaurant that wasn't in their native language.

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Airportsnacks@reddit

Rude. This might not get seen, but thought I would throw this in here. I work with the public and you just have to accept that not everyone is from an English speaking country and things that are rude in some places aren't in others. I have a regular who clicks her fingers at me and calls me Lady every time she needs something. Do I find it rude, yes. But do I also understand that English is not her first language, she doesn't know my name, the place is loud and she needs help, also yes. So I roll my eyes later in the day and joke about it with my co-workers but I just get on with my life. Now, if someone is obviously a native born English speaker and they are being rude that is a different situation. I still wouldn't be rude back, because everyone has an off day, but I'd be more annoyed at them.

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Original-Storm-7593@reddit

You aren’t there to form an emotional bond with the server, you are there to make an order You did nothing wrong

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MikeMcLoughlin@reddit

You were very polite. The cashier was just being awkward.

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Wide_Expression_1930@reddit

in what world was op polite lol

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crdctr@reddit

You did nothing wrong. It seems the place was closing and the guy was at the end of his shift = tired, annoyed and wanting you to order fast so they can go. Their boss wouldn't be happy but it's understandable as well that they are trying to move things along so they can lock up in time.

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Willing-Werewolf-500@reddit

Fuck that cashier.

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Matttthhhhhhhhhhh@reddit

The cashier was an asshole. You did nothing wrong. If other customers were losing patience, they were assholes too.

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Jazzlike_Recover_778@reddit

It’ll be 6 guys when I get there

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MobiusNaked@reddit

The correct protocol is to say ‘calm down Five Guys Boy, I am reading the menu’

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Xanf3rr@reddit

Sounds like the cashier was having a rough day. Don't sweat it too much, happens to everyone sometimes.

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qmzpl@reddit

Five guys has exceptionally bad customer service for somewhere that charges 50 quid for a burger and fries

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EternalAngst23@reddit

The cashier sounds like an asshole, and no, you did nothing wrong. If you need more time to look at the menu, just say so. You’re under no obligation to order just because they want you to. If I ever spoke to a customer like that in front of my manager, I’d be sacked on the spot.

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542Archiya124@reddit

Next time, when you're still deciding, just say "Hi sorry I'm still deciding give me a moment." If there's other people behind you, tell them to "go ahead I'm still deciding". It'll always work and I did this all the time when I was lacking in self-confidence. Even now as a very confident person I'll still say this if I am taking my time to decide. It'll always work. There are some people in this country that demands British politeness. Just part of the culture. But there's also rude people. I used to work in customer service but I don't believe that just because someone, especially a foreigner, was lacking in British politeness that warrant me to be disrespectful against a customer. (For those who don't know, not every culture on Earth demands the absolute necessary "hello" "bye" greeting. Some culture just get on with it or just absolutely no communication unless absolutely necessary. Western or Eastern or middle east or whatever.) If there's a rude employee, don't hesitate to call supervisor/manager and escalate.

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Level_Ingenuity_1971@reddit

You’re speaking to a Scottish person who doesn’t like their job, the correct response would have been to strike up a conversation about unpleasant jobs. Scottish people can come across as brash, but it’s just the accent and directness that foreigners find aggressive.

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CosyBosyCrochet@reddit

Wow what a bellend, you should write to them to complain that’s totally unprofessional

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comicmuse1982@reddit

You did fine. The server was awful.

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Key_Preference7143@reddit

This is crazy imo. I’ve never had an experience like this at the local Five Guys, sounds like the cashier was being incredibly impatient and rude. I get it she might be having a rough day, but that’s not your fault, nor is it an excuse to take out her frustrations on you. Advice for future if you ever have to go to this location again is try to stand just to the side of the queue area to read it or try to get it up on your phone. You shouldn’t have to, but it would be much calmer for you not to have to deal with people like that.

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hairymouse@reddit

At 5 guys, look for the red card on the counter that lists all the possible toppings. I usually just read from that and the cashier can deal with it easily.

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Spreehox@reddit

Cashier is a wanker

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real-person-humanguy@reddit

So as someone that works in hospitality, and grew up somewhat biliingual i'll say this. If you didn't acknowledge the cashier, or say hello in return, or tell them you just needed a minute to decide, they probably interpreted this as rude. This is also possible if you didnt say "please" or "thankyou". I often find that hospitality workers interpret non native speakers as being rude when they may be unaware of nuances in the language, or delivery. It also works both ways, i had a Spanish customer complain about a member of staff for saying "there you go" as he handed him a pint... literally nothing wrong with that. In summary, cashier was probably ignorant and impatient, and despite you having no intent to be, you may have come across as slightly rude.

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Tall-Razzmatazz9447@reddit

Rude cashier it’s clearly obvious you’re looking at the menu.

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ProfessorYaffle1@reddit

The Cashirt was rude. Ideally you would have said hello when you went in and perhaps said something like 'Ijust needa fw minutes to decide" I think with the cashier's comment they were xcommening onho you phrased your order - "I want" is technically not very polite - I think because it's more of a demand than a request It would be better English and more polite to say "Could I have \[order\] please ?" or "Pleasse May I have \[order\] " ***but*** the wording you used is not unusual and it was rude of the casher to pick up on it like that.

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marshall453@reddit

Nah the cashier did wrong not you

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NeverCadburys@reddit

The guy's customer service skills could do with a bit of improvement, however you did start this off by completely ignoring them and not addressing them when they said hello and tried to get your attention repeatedly. All you had to say was that you were reading the menu and couldn't decidde, but you can't go back and change things now just do better next time. You were both in the wrong, Learn from it.

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BenedickCabbagepatch@reddit

>Did I order impolitely? You came in, hovered in front of the cashier, didn't acknowledge them until pressed to do so and then when you made the second part of your order, you said "I want" (without a please) rather than "Could I have" or "May I have." To be fair, people will usually cut you some slack if you're a non-native, but a straight demand (without any conditionals) is technically an imperative; an order or a demand. So yes, it's pretty rude. And you did order the fries correctly, imo! In your situation I guess it would have been ideal to have said "Hey how's it going? Sorry, just need to read the menu first please." Then make your order with your usual can I/may I/could I and a please. It's also perfectly possible that the guy was just ribbing you (having a bit of sarcastic fun, not intended maliciously). I'd hope it was humour. Something like if someone says "I want to go to Spain" "Yeah? Well I want a solid gold toilet."

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Fit-Bedroom-7645@reddit

I've been to 5 guys once, and walked out for the same reason. Give me a chance to familiarise myself with the menu, or put it somewhere else

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wardyms@reddit

So many chain places are in no way helpful to first time users. I can't imagine what it would be like going into Subway for the first time and just trying to get a sandwich.

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Yokabei@reddit

This cashier sounds like an idiot

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kewpiemoon@reddit

Fucking hell I would report that person actually. I can’t imagine being so rude. You did nothing wrong and were very polite. Don’t let it get you down

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Harry283@reddit

Had this yesterday at Five Guys and im a native speaker. Guess they are just rude

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WowSuchName21@reddit

I find places like five guys where the menu is above the cashier incredibly annoying, print is small and it puts you in a rush to order, likely intentional I think! I wouldn’t say your etiquette was overly poor, I just would’ve said ‘Hi, sorry just deciding what I want’ as you walked up to order, this would’ve cleared up confusion a little bit the issue here sounds like the cashier being rude more than anything.

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Icy_Obligation4293@reddit

You literally just had to say "hello", and then you could continue looking at the menu. It's extremely annoying when customers can't even take half a second to acknowledge that you are a human being who exists, and this cashier had likely had a run of bad customers who all refused to greet him before ordering, thus he probably felt like shit, and took his bad attitude out on you. No, he shouldn't have done it, he should have been more professional. He was even a bit rude. But you were rude too. Just say "hello", it's not that hard. Everybody else does it. Why some people just pretend you don't exist until they need something I don't understand. We're not vending machines.

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worldisbraindead@reddit

The good news is that soon enough an automated menu kiosk will put her ass out on the street where it belongs. There is no excuse for her being rude to you.

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DOPEYDORA_85@reddit

The server should have been more patient, as long as you weren't rude. You did a great job!

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Lava-Is-All-You-Need@reddit

You did really well. Nobody likes being rushed, especially in public settings. The cashier was rude, which is unfortunate because, in my opinion, Five Guys consistently has some of the best customer service in several countries i have been. Here is what I usually do when I am being rushed: I politely say, "Good afternoon! Let me take a moment," or "Let me take time to pick something." Take as long as you need. Just to keep in mind, here in the UK, we are serious about the fairness of the queue. If people are behind me in the queue, I step aside and say, "Would you like to go ahead?" This works all the time and gives me time to pick something I will enjoy. Do not feel uncomfortable; you did everything right. As long as you are being polite and communicating your intentions, the rest is up to the cashier. They are probably upset because of something else. Remember, they deal with hundreds of people, some of whom are unpleasant. Be compassionate and understanding, but remember you are not responsible for their emotions. Spicy Cajun is a great order.

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AccomplishedRush5343@reddit

Just tell them your looking mate. If the cashier pipes up, say you’ll smash the till over their face. 👍

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KingPizzaCrust@reddit

Tell them to calm down and be patient whilst you choose

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The_Pixel_Knight@reddit

This is why I prefer the touch screen ordering. As somebody with hearing problems too, it can be dificult to order with music playing. Add bad customer service on and it's just impossible, so I just don't go to five guys.

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Ecstatic_Food1982@reddit

I don't go anymore because they keep getting my order wrong. But the rest is true as well, there's one in particular that I used to go to that's just so loud. I don't know what it is, so probably the acoustics, but it's just so bloody noisy.

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po2gdHaeKaYk@reddit

Hi OP. A serious answer. Part of growing up, especially in foreign places, is learning all the little customs and traits. Yes, it was rude from them, but you will also get better yourself. Here this is what I do: 1. Understand that you are the consumer. You don't have to feel rushed if you don't want to. 2. Take a step to the side. Don't stand in the way. 3. Make eye contact if they are looking. Smile, and just say "Hi, I'll just have a look at the menu". I know it's silly, but some foreigners are not sure how to act. So the above should help. Conversely, some native people are shitty, un-empathetic, and rude. They might have long days and are tired with 'dealing' with foreigners. It's the same if I were to wander to a foreign streetmarket.

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Minimum_Cupcake@reddit

The cashier was absolutely rude and I wouldn't be against sending some feedback, even if via their website. However, it is rude to not acknowledge if someone is greeting you, so they may have felt spurred on by that, even if your intention wasn't to be rude. Not an excuse in the slightest though, the cashier should absolutely have known better and never acted out like that, even if they were frustrated. As someone who hates these sorts of scenarios myself, I would suggest in future to perhaps: 1) look at the menu on the restaurant's website or app prior to going somewhere (if you know you are going and it's not a spontaneous visit). That way, you have an idea of what they serve and what you might like. 2) if it is a spontaneous visit, greet the cashier when they greet you and say something like "I'm just going to take a look at the menu, I'll let you know when I'm ready to order", then step aside so you're not directly in front of the till. If any other customers come in, stepping away from the till shows them that you're not being served and they can go ahead and do so. They may even ask if you're waiting and you can just reply that you're still looking at the menu and they can go ahead and order. Also, letting the cashier know that you've acknowledged them and that you don't need their attention at this time means they can get on with any other tasks they may have to undertake during quiet times (cleaning, replenishing stock, tidying, etc.). Retail and fast food jobs are very rarely "one task", and they have to make sure that the area around them is presentable to customers as well as doing their primary duty. So knowing that they have that little window of downtime to maybe tidy the straws or wipe the counter makes a massive difference to them.

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Ok-Space-2357@reddit

Although I generally advocate giving the benefit of the doubt to service staff, because dealing with the general public is a demanding job and not well paid, this cashier sounds extremely rude. Ordering at the till abroad in a non-native language is really stressful and it doesn't sound like this person showed the appropriate level of patience at all.

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BaconJets@reddit

Cashier was definitely a dick. If a cashier is angry because you were a little indecisive, that's not on you.

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KayC720@reddit

If they didn’t want to be there they could always get a job that’s not a five guys. You’re good mate don’t worry

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StackerNoob@reddit

You could have just said hello back then continued looking at the menu. Problem solved. I’m inclined to go against the grain here and say customer should just have acknowledged the cashier and all would be well

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kittycatt99@reddit

If you aren’t ready to order when the cashier asks, say “I’m just looking, thank you.” Also, if you’re unsure about how to order - it’s okay to tell the cashier! “Hello, sorry this is my first time, would you mind telling me how the menu works?” A lot of people get so anxious about ordering food as if the server is going to judge you/grade you on it. They see all sorts of customers all day long. Whether you can’t decide, mumble, have difficulty with the language - it genuinely doesn’t matter. It’s okay to make mistakes. The stakes are very very low. I guarantee the server won’t think twice about it (I know, I used to be one).

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Kineth@reddit

If I'm having trouble deciding what I want, I usually just let the cashier know that I'm still deciding. Regardless, that person sounded pretty rude.

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Downtown-East6958@reddit

write a review in their page so no one else have to deal with such pricks and you would actually be doing a favour for both the company and other customers

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LiamJonsano@reddit

That’s crazy for them to do that in Five Guys. Every time I’ve gone in with someone new to them they always take a bit of time - there’s a lot to read! I’ve never been particularly rushed, albeit I don’t tend to go with new people during rush hour But as far as I’m concerned you did absolutely nothing wrong. I’d email or tweet at them if you can

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AlpsSad1364@reddit

If an employee of mine spoke to a customer like that they would be going home permanently.

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RonnCraggs@reddit

I'd be definitely putting in a complaint

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halos1518@reddit

This is one of the reasons why I stand as far as I can from the counter while reading the menu until im ready to order. People will be a lot more impatient if you initiate an interaction but then make them wait (not saying they're allowed to be rude).

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finniruse@reddit

Fuck that cashier. If it was me, I'd probably have said, "I need a minute." But that guy is absolutely being a dick. Obviously he knew you were deciding what you were having and instead decided to pressure you probably because you didn't look confident.

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NoBadgersSociety@reddit

Five guys is terrible for this. There are 100 options, no set menu, and this asshole bugs you while you’re trying to read them.

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I_AM_NOT_LIL_NAS_X@reddit

Fat food chains aren't the place to go for good service you get it now and then because some people are just nice but it's not the standard, people working there know they don't have to talk to customers with the same respect they might in a restaurant or cafe and many use it as a coping / stress relief mechanism to get through their awful jobs (I've done it before I'm not proud) the managers broadly don't care as long as they only hassle the meeker customers who won't make a scene or spread the word to others about the standard of service as long as the money keeps coming in and there's no guarantee it won't just from bad service. Even if a place like that has shit service a lot of people are just addicted to the slop so they'll keep coming back no matter how poorly they're treated and spoken to Next time you're out and after a bite I highly suggest going somewhere that's not a big chain there's a chance the person working there might have an interest in keeping the place open (not 100% but a chance) and so might even talk to you like a person and not act like a petulant cunt cus you took a few seconds deciding what you wanted

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Coconutpieplates@reddit

When you encounter this just say Hi, I'm just deciding for a minute and they'll leave you alone. He was just messing with you for say "I want" instead of can I have.

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PureDeidBrilliant@reddit

You're not in the wrong, OP. That cashier was just being a rude prick to you. Don't let it bother you - and next time go to a nicer burger joint than Five Grease (van burgers sold for £20!)

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VOOLUL@reddit

What time was this? Close to closing time? Why would they say they wanna go home.

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donutsandkilts@reddit

You were busy reading the menu, sure you could have said "hi" back, but the cashier shouldn't haven gotten snarky with you. They could have easily said "Take your time, let us know when you are ready". Not your fault. But now you know next time just be prepared to say a automatic "hello" to the cashier first. Their "I want to go home" comment might or might not be directed at you, they are probably just immature. Don't pay attention to them.

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KB0312__@reddit

Dickhead cashier. Would contact their manager and complain.

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dinkidoo7693@reddit

The cashier is a dick and needs better training in customer service, instead of suggesting things you might like they were rude and unhelpful towards you.

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Equivalent-Bag2249@reddit (OP)

!answer, thank you!

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wildOldcheesecake@reddit

Are you just going to put answer for every response now?

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Technical-Elk-7002@reddit

They were rude, however you do make some small mistakes. I would order "could I have..."

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NotHumanButIPlayOne@reddit

They were very rude. Please don't think we're all like this person here.

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ediblehunt@reddit

If they greet you/ask for your order, just say "one second" or "hi, just need a minute to decide"

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DukeOfDevon@reddit

Theres a rule in the uk No one actually eats at five guys its a ripoff

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plopmaster2000@reddit

Cashier hates their job and took it out on you.

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Lower-Ad-2082@reddit

They were just rude and probably fed up, not your fault at all

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Equivalent-Bag2249@reddit (OP)

!answer

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Embarrassed_Quit_404@reddit

You’re all good

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fiddly_foodle_bird@reddit

I hate those places too, that force you to stand in from of the tills and stare upward to see the menu. You did nothing wrong.

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Equivalent-Bag2249@reddit (OP)

!answer

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RaggamuffinTW8@reddit

That's a rude cashier not a bad customer. Don't feel bad, sorry this made you feel uncomfortable X you did nothing wrong.

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Equivalent-Bag2249@reddit (OP)

!answer, thank you!

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knight-under-stars@reddit

They were rude. In the future tell the cashier you are yet to decide and step back so you are obviously not looking to order.

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Equivalent-Bag2249@reddit (OP)

!answer

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ukbot-nicolabot@reddit

[OP or a mod marked this as the best answer](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/comments/1dsnkk8/did_i_order_five_guys_in_a_good_manner/lb3kaom/), given by /u/New-Eye-1919. > Yeah some places do this and it's fucking annoying. You've put the menu (usually with loads of small print) above the till, therefore forcing me to stand here awkwardly and decide. > > Cashier was rude as fuck - we aren't born with an innate knowledge of a restaurants offerings, and sometimes it takes time to choose --- [_^(What is this?)_](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/comments/jjrte1/askuk_hits_200k_new_feature_mark_an_answer/)

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TheNotSpecialOne@reddit

Cashier is a dick

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