Fast Food Fantasmagory


I’ve read a lot of news stories this week: Democrats Seize Control of House; VA Senate Race Still Too Close To Call; ’60 Minutes’ Ed Bradley Dies; Britney, K-Fed Call It Quits. But there’s one that I read every word of, one that had the magic ingredient to keep my attention–food.

That story appeared in the Boston Globe, detailing the latest use of call centers. These are the centers where you call for help with your Dell, and “Lance” from Delhi walks you through installing your printer, or “Mary” from Moscow helps you check the balance on your Visa.

The newest iteration is Chuck–or “Chuck”–from New Hampshire asking if you’d like fries with that. That’s right, the next time you roll up to a Wendy’s, your order may not be taken by anyone inside the restaurant or even the same state. To improve efficiency, that position has been outsourced to another location.

On the surface, that sounds utterly stupid and seems like another example of the downfall of the common worker. But there actually is something to it, at least according to Wendy’s, which is testing the system now in California and looking to expand the program next year.

The company says it will actually improve both the speed and accuracy of your drive-thru experience. The person taking your order does just that, takes your order. The person making your food makes the food. The person taking your money takes your money. By simplifying everyone’s role, the opportunity for mistakes decreases.

And I buy that. How many times have you pulled up to a drive thru window and seen a woman with a headset filling three cups with soda, grabbing stacks of napkins, handing you your change, checking your bag for fries, and asking if you’d like any sauce all while taking the order of the guy right behind you?

I value my fast-food experience, particularly my Wendy’s fast-food experience, and anything the geniuses there think is a good idea, I’m behind.

November 9, 2006 By cjhannas food technology Uncategorized Share:
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