Working at Chick-fil-A might seem like a straightforward job, but the employees have seen it all. From drive-thru disasters to dining room drama, there are certain things customers do that make their shifts way harder than they need to be. Some of these behaviors might surprise you because they seem perfectly polite on the surface. The truth is, what you think is being helpful or courteous might actually be creating more work for the person taking your order. Here’s what really grinds their gears.
Telling workers how to make menu items they already know
Some customers love to explain exactly how to prepare their sandwich or salad, step by step. Maybe you worked at Chick-fil-A years ago or you’ve ordered the same thing so many times you know the recipe by heart. Either way, you figure you’re being helpful by walking the employee through it. The problem is that the workers already know how to make everything on the menu, and they’ve been trained on the current recipes and procedures.
When you start telling them the ingredients or the assembly order, it comes across as patronizing rather than helpful. Restaurant policies and recipes change over time, so what you remember might not even be accurate anymore. The employees have to follow their training, and having someone hover over them giving instructions makes the job more stressful. Instead of trying to direct the process, just place your order and trust that they know what they’re doing. If something comes out wrong, politely ask them to fix it.
Taking forever to find exact change at the window
Paying with cash is totally fine, but digging through your entire wallet, purse, or car console looking for exact change creates a major bottleneck. You might think you’re making things easier because the cashier won’t have to count out your change. In reality, the register does all the math instantly, and counting out coins and bills is one of the easiest parts of the job. What’s not easy is dealing with the growing line of cars behind you and the increasingly frustrated customers waiting for their food.
The drive-thru is timed, and when cars sit at the window for too long, it affects the restaurant’s performance metrics. More importantly, it means other customers get angry about the wait, and the employee at the window has to deal with those complaints. Have your payment ready before you reach the window, whether that’s cash, card, or your phone. If you want to use cash, grab it from an easily accessible spot so you can hand it over quickly. The few seconds you save the cashier from making change gets eaten up tenfold by your search mission.
Starting a pay-it-forward chain during rush hour
Paying for the car behind you seems like a genuinely nice gesture, and it can be. The problem happens when this starts a chain reaction during the breakfast or lunch rush. Once you pay for someone else’s order, they feel obligated to continue the chain, even if they weren’t planning to spend that much money. Some people get confused about what’s happening and need extra explanation. Others want to share their life story about why this act of kindness means so much to them right now.
Meanwhile, the drive-thru employee has to keep track of multiple orders that aren’t matching up with the cars receiving them. This creates opportunities for mistakes at the register and slows down the entire line significantly. If someone breaks the chain, they sometimes feel guilty and need to explain themselves or apologize, which takes even more time. Baristas and drive-thru workers agree that while the gesture is sweet, it creates chaos during busy periods. If you want to do something nice, consider visiting during a slower time of day when the staff can better manage the extra coordination required.
Reaching across the counter to grab items yourself
You spot the napkins or sauce packets right there on the other side of the counter, so you reach over and grab what you need. It seems efficient, and you’re just trying to save the busy employee a few steps. Unfortunately, this violates several restaurant policies and can create actual problems. Items kept behind the counter or glass are positioned there deliberately because staff members are supposed to hand them to customers. When you reach across and grab something, especially food items, you risk contaminating everything nearby.
Your hands haven’t been washed according to food safety standards, so if you touch lime slices, condiment containers, or anything else back there, workers may have to throw out all of it. Even grabbing individually wrapped items can be a problem if it goes against store policy, which exists for liability and hygiene reasons. The employee isn’t trying to be difficult when they tell you not to reach over. They’re following rules that protect both the restaurant and other customers. Just ask politely for whatever you need, and they’ll be happy to hand it to you.
Trying to hand over tips they can’t accept
Tipping has become expected in so many places that you might assume fast-food workers appreciate cash tips too. Many national chains, including Chick-fil-A locations, have policies that prohibit employees from accepting tips. When you insist on leaving money or adding a few dollars to your bill, you’re putting the worker in an awkward position. They have to refuse your generosity, explain the policy, and sometimes deal with you insisting that you’re just trying to be nice.
Some customers try to be sneaky about it, sliding cash across the counter or tucking it into a handshake. This doesn’t help because if a manager sees it or reviews security footage, the employee could get in serious trouble or even fired. The worker genuinely appreciates the thought, but they can’t risk their job for a few extra dollars. If you want to show appreciation at restaurants where tipping isn’t allowed, a genuine thank you and a smile go a long way. You can also fill out the customer survey on your receipt with positive feedback, which can sometimes result in recognition or rewards for the staff member who helped you.
Commenting on their working conditions at the register
You notice it’s really hot in the restaurant, or the employee looks exhausted, or they’re clearly understaffed. Your instinct is to acknowledge this and express sympathy. Comments like “I can’t believe they make you work in this heat” or “They should really hire more people” seem empathetic. The reality is that these observations don’t help the employee at all and can actually make them feel worse about their situation.
The worker at the register has zero power to change staffing decisions, temperature settings, or scheduling policies. Pointing out how bad their working conditions are just highlights problems they’re already painfully aware of but can’t fix. It comes across as pitying rather than supportive, which can feel patronizing. If you genuinely care about working conditions at a restaurant, the person taking your order isn’t the one who can address it. Instead, direct your concerns to management or corporate, or vote with your wallet by choosing to spend money at places that treat their employees better. At the counter, stick with friendly small talk or a simple compliment about the quality of service you’re receiving.
Apologizing for eating fast food or ordering frequently
Some customers feel the need to explain or apologize for their food choices when ordering. They’ll say things like “I know this is so unhealthy” or “I’m so bad, I was just here yesterday.” Maybe you think you’re bonding with the employee or showing self-awareness. The truth is that the person taking your order isn’t judging what you eat or how often you visit. They honestly don’t care, and your apologies make the interaction unnecessarily awkward.
Fast-food workers see hundreds of customers every shift. They’re not keeping track of your eating habits or forming opinions about your life choices. When you apologize for ordering food at a restaurant, you’re creating an uncomfortable moment where they have to reassure you about something that wasn’t even on their radar. You don’t owe anyone an explanation for what you choose to eat or when. Just place your order confidently and move on. The employee is there to make your food, not to judge your dietary decisions. If you’re concerned about your eating habits, that’s between you and your doctor, not you and the teenager working the register.
Giving permission to break rules or skip steps
When you see an employee following a procedure that seems inefficient, you might try to help by telling them to just skip it. Maybe an ingredient is temporarily unavailable and you tell them to just substitute something else without ringing it up properly. Or you say they should charge you the original price even though your modification costs more. You figure you’re making their life easier by giving them permission to bend the rules.
The problem is that you’re not their manager, so you can’t actually authorize them to deviate from established procedures. Making substitutions without properly entering them into the system messes up inventory tracking and order accuracy. Charging the wrong price, even if it’s in the restaurant’s favor, creates discrepancies that the employee might have to answer for later. These systems exist for reasons beyond just this one transaction, and breaking them can have consequences for the worker. Let employees do their jobs the way they’ve been trained, even if it seems like it’s taking longer than necessary. They’re following procedures that exist to keep everything running smoothly, and your good intentions can’t override company policy.
Hovering at the counter while they prepare your order
After placing your order, you might stand right at the counter watching the employees prepare your food. Maybe you’re just interested in the process, or you want to make sure they get everything right. You’re not trying to be pushy, just attentive. Unfortunately, having someone stare at you while you work is uncomfortable and stressful, no matter what job you’re doing. It makes employees feel like you don’t trust them, which adds pressure and can actually lead to more mistakes.
Most fast-food restaurants have systems in place to get your food to you when it’s ready. There’s a counter area where completed orders are placed, or they call out your number or name. Standing directly in front of the workspace creates a barrier between workers and other customers who need to place orders or pick up food. It also makes the employees feel scrutinized, like you’re waiting to catch an error. Give the staff some space to do their work. Step to the side after ordering and wait for them to call you. If your order takes longer than expected or something seems wrong, you can politely ask about it without hovering over them the entire time.
Fast-food employees deal with all kinds of customer behaviors every single day, and they genuinely appreciate people who make an effort to be kind. The good news is that being considerate doesn’t require grand gestures or extra effort. Simple things like having your payment ready, trusting workers to do their jobs, and respecting restaurant policies make a bigger difference than elaborate displays of politeness that actually slow things down. Next time you visit Chick-fil-A or any fast-food restaurant, remember that the best way to help is often just to step back and let the professionals handle their work.
