Is it really necessary . . . .

I go to McDonalds maybe three or four times a year. There is always a long line of vehicles waiting at the drive-through, but very few people inside. I can haul my carcass out of the truck, get my 1/4 pounder, and be back in the vehicle in a lot less time than it would have taken at the "convenient" drive-through.

Maybe a sign should be posted stating "We reserve the right to deny service to anyone using a cell phone in the drive through lane or at the order window."

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More than once, I've needed to find out what someone wants in place of the advertised special that is discontinued "as of today"... If I'm on the phone, I don't talk instead of ordering, paying, moving, whatever, but I don't feel it's so rude to ask the other person I'm getting food for what they want so the order is accurate if what they want is not available. Getting out of line and going around again is an option if the person doesn't have an instant answer, but I, for one, have been more aggravated by someone who is dithering over their order for half an hour than someone on a cell phone who gets done and gone. JMHO

linn, all businesses have the right to deny service, for any reason. The hard part for the fast food industry would be coming up with a phrase that is effective yet not too offensive-and then getting the youngsters that work there to actually say it, lol

I've had folks pull up to my office and sit outside for longer than ten minutes, presumably business related but who cares, right? What really frosted me happened just a couple weeks back:

Guy shows up in a flat bed truck, rolls up to spot in front of office. (Not the yard where there is ample space for loading, mind you) I see he is chatting away on the phone, so I wait. And wait. After about four minutes I go outside and see the company logo and know what the guy is there for. I wait another minute or so, the guy talking non stop with one hand to his head with the phone. He opens the door, comes around the front....and, still talking, motions to the flat bed. I ask for "so and and so" and size, and he nods yes.

So I hop into the forklift and go pick up the septic tank. Drive back to the truck after touching it up, and see him leaning against the hood of the truck, facing the other way-still talking. I wait. Drive up as to place the tank on the bed but it's rotating in the breeze. I roll back a few feet and wait. Guy is paying no attention, still talking. Wait some more. Nothing!

Back up rather quickly and set tank on the ground and wait another minute. Yes, a full minute! He finally turns around and motions me forward, and he comes around to stand at the bed, near the passenger door. I drive on up and sure enough, he is still talking....with his back to me.

Now, this is over a thousand pounds of steel, suspended on a hook with a short length of chain and it's swinging........there is no way I am approaching this vehicle with this load without his full attention-too dangerous! This time, I back up aggressively (to make noise) and set the tank down on the ground. He turns around and waves me forward again, and I set the tank while he uses his one free hand to assist.

I am able to unhook and back away easy enough as I do it all the time. As I am walking back into the office for the paperwork, he is still jabbering away on the phone, using one hand to toss the cargo straps and ratchet down.

I was annoyed, to say the least. First, I bet the boss doesn't know he does that on his paycheck, and secondly, it is incredibly dangerous to be around heavy equipment without giving it your full attention. If it had been my employee.....well, would not have happened because I have rules about that.

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Now Pouncer's story is where cell phone use is a hazard, not just an inconvenience! I'd find a reason to talk to his boss and just casually mention the incident... Someone will get hurt with that type of thing. Next time, ignore him till he's off the phone and comes and tells you what he wants. Be funny if you can close before he's done...

Yes, people ARE that clueless not to mention downright rude.

I guess it's necessary. Cell phone addicts are ruining customer service everywhere.

It was almost as bad before cellphones. At a movie theatre, most people show up within fifteen minutes of scheduled showtime. With a popular film, a cashier must process about four hundred people or more in that time period. Inevitably, a few people wait until they get to the cashier to search for their money, figure out how many tickets they need, and so forth. Then they complain that the movie has already started...

I had a standard speech of a few sentences that I used to give whenever a line started forming at the cashier, just to get people out of their reverie and conversations and focused on the task at hand. The two pylons of signage at a drive-up window are intended to do something similar.

Cellphones are the new cigarettes. People have to do something with their mouths and hands.

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Today, we live in a society of predominately self-centered people. Yes, people are just that clueless. It's a me-me-me world.

I've ridden my horse thru a drive through-- also taken a horse and carriage thru one....

You get a lot of interesting looks.

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Even better: Our house is tucked back a bit from the road. Not hidden but easy to miss if you don't know it is there. Since we are on the down slope of a hill two or three times a week we will see someone pulled over to talk on their cell phone just past our driveway where it is a little safer- but not much as people drive like maniacs down the highway.
I find it a little creepy to have someone I don't know plunked in front of our home it normally isn't a big deal. Usually.
DH came home one day to find someone had pulled into our driveway to use their cell phone. He had put on his turn signal thinking they would get the hint but the man talking on his phone in the driver's seat ignored him while his wife shot dirty looks at DH. DH pulled over and rolled down his window to jesture to the drive and say: 'I live here!' Except for more dirty looks they ignored him. DH had to wait on a narrow shoulder of a busy road for them to finish their converation
Rude. Rude. Rude.

We were at the McDonalds the other day in Seymour Missouri and we saw an Amish man and wife coming down the road in their horse and buggy and joked about them going through the drive through. Well they turned into the lot but instead of going through the drive through we figured out that the McDonalds had a hitching post outside and they hitched to it while the man went inside and ordered an icecream for he and his wife. We just thought it was so cool and we enjoy that around here.

But cell phone users can be the most rude and ignorant people around and I like the jammer idea. If I were a business owner I would use one.

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Yep. My oldest ds used to work at Chick Fil A and frequently worked the drive-thru. He said it happened all the time and there was absolutely nothing they could say about it. People are just so consumed with self and entitlement these days.

Carol

Farwood, if I were the husband I think I'd be tempted to call the Sheriff's Dept and tell them I had someone acting suspicious and not allowing me to get into my driveway and my wife was alone up there. Might get their attention.