The Wendy’s Experience - Again

It was suppertime and I had a desire for a fish sandwich. So I drove to Wendy’s and went inside to order a fish sandwich. The manager walked over to the register where orders are placed.

"I'd like a fish sandwich."

"We got rid of the fish sandwich." He walked away, I assume to do some manager-stuff, which doesn’t include dealing with lowly customers.

An older woman came to the register. I ordered my second choice.

"I'd like a spicy chicken sandwich."

"You can mumble mumble mumble," she replied.

"What?"

"You can mumble mumble mumble," she said again.

"I can what?"

"Mumble mumble mumble."

I had no clue what she was saying, and she was making no effort to speak louder or more clearly, so I said, "Just give me a spicy chicken sandwich." I hoped they still sold it.

A young lady in back, one of the cooks, shouted, "It's going to be six minutes."

The woman at the register said to me, "It's going to be six minutes. Is that okay?"

"That's okay," I replied. At least it would be hot. "And small fries and a small drink."

"Is that all?" she asked.

"You can throw in whatever discount you give to geezers."

"We got rid of the senior discount."

"Okay." I paid and sat at a nearby table.

I waited for my meal. Eventually it arrived and I walked to the condiments table to get ketchup. The first ketchup pump I tried was out of ketchup. I moved to the second ketchup pump. It was out of ketchup, too. I wasn’t surprised. That’s a part of the Wendy’s experience, at this Wendy’s.

I sat at a table and looked around. This was the evening-meal time of day.

This Wendy’s is on the “main drag” through town. US highways 1 and 301, both of which are major north-south highways, run jointly past the restaurant 50 feet from their door. You couldn’t ask for a better location for a restaurant. And this is the dinner hour on a Saturday night.

I only came here because I wanted a fish sandwich and I knew McDonald’s would be crowded. But crowded or not, the next time I want fast food I’ll go to McDonald’s — like everyone else.