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You can’t get mustard only here

Always make sure you're in the right place.

August 10, 2011

A good friend of mine is a police officer and good naturedly shared this story with me on a customer service experience. He was on duty one day in his marked patrol car and at lunch time decided he was hungry for a burger. Not having much time for lunch, he went through the drive-thru of a local QSR along one of the busy highways.

He told the drive-thru cashier through the speaker that he only wanted mustard on his burger. He said he remembered he was very specific about that – mustard only! He waited patiently through the drive-thru line, got his order and pulled onto the highway. He drove a few hundred yards and pulled under a shade tree in the park and unwrapped his burger, only to find it slimed with ketchup, mayonnaise, pickles – the works.

He wrapped up the sandwich, muttering to himself, and headed back to the restaurant a bit ticked off. He said he pulled up to the building, got out of his police car, burger in hand, and went inside. He said he approached the front counter and actually waited in line. The longer he waited, the more frustrated he got. When he got to the front of the line he unwrapped the burger, showed it to the cashier, and explained the error.

She looked at him and said, "I'm sorry, I can't help you." The officer, in full police uniform, was now pretty upset and asked for the manager, dismissing whatever else the cashier was saying. When the manager appeared, he once again explained how his order was messed up after he specifically asked for mustard only. He said he was astonished when the manager looked at his burger and said, "I'm sorry, I can't help you". He said he was now almost apoplectic and replied in a loud voice that he was sure was heard throughout the restaurant. After all, he was determined to get his burger the way he wanted it. "What do you mean you can't help me? Just give me another burger, this time with mustard only."

He said what happened next has been ingrained in his memory forever. "Sir, this is Taco Bell. The burger place is next door."