Woman complained to manager about DD

Why make it "lighthearted" when you're obviously trying to deliver a rebuke? That's not lighthearted, that's passive aggressive. And you've no idea how she'll react. She might respond positively or she might burst into tears, get angry, tell you to fuck off, drop your food on your head; you've no idea.

If you're going to complain about customer service, the manager is the person to speak to. They have the authority and they are (supposedly) trained and competent in this. The girl is likely to take your "lighthearted" PA swipe as you just being an arse; from her manager, she knows that it's the correct protocol.

I never said lecture. I mean saying hello yourself and if she ignores you then say are you not talking to me and make it lighthearted at this point most people will say sorry hello

Well it's a lesson learned for your DD really @Bearaque .

When you work in customer service people will look for the slightest thing to complain about, many will embellish what actually happened to make it sound worse and some will totally make stuff up. What you don't do is freely hand them the ammunition to complain about you if you can at all help it! And younger staff with less life experience need to be guided and taught that.

And that's unfortunately what your DD and her colleague did. Most people wouldn't be happy with this type of service and although may not go to the management over it, would certainly have a grumble and some thoughts on it.

Unfortunately many customers are very entitled and rude and see people serving them, and especially young people, as an outlet for that. I'm the first defend our staff and step in and make it clear that unless they treat our staff with a basic level of respect, they're not welcome.

But in this instance, where DD and the colleague admit that it happened then I would speak to them and explain where they went wrong, why and how to address the situation in the future. If that upsets them, well that's unfortunate but it does need to be addressed because if they carry on then so will the complaints.

It's not the end of the world, the customer hasn't come to any harm, however some customers will behave like it's been a traumatic and life changing event and feel justified in doing so, it's not and it's a ridiculous over reaction, however it is the reality of working in a public facing role, no matter what it is or what age you are.

I'm not sure you'd have been happy to be served that way, most people wouldn't, a lot wouldn't go to the manager over it but they'd have thoughts and a grumble.

You feel the way you do because your DD is upset, totally understandable, but don't try and justify it by saying the customer was the one in the wrong and should have just been happy to get their food, because that's not what's expected by the vast majority of people when they're a customer.

So many people are expectant of great service wherever they go, complain about poor service, will leave 'honest' reviews, will complain about the slightest little thing - until it's them or a loved one being expected to deliver, then it's all not fair and expectations are too high.

I wouldn't have bothered saying anything to anyone, but if I did mention it, it would be to the manager. It would be more appropriate than lecturing the girl, especially with customers waiting behind you, and not knowing how she might react or how it might go. Her manager can then have a quiet word, and has the required authority.

Unless the manager was abusive about it, which it doesn't sound as though she was, I can't see the issue. Why would it be better to hear it from a customer, whose opinion she might not value and who isn't trained in handling these sorts of situations?

It's a good life lesson for her
The hospitality industry is just that
Manners should be second nature in customer facing roles
She admitted it to you so it was obvious to the customer

Your daughter thought it was okay to hand an order to a customer in absolute silence - no ‘here you are’, no ‘thank you’, no ‘bye’. That is really unfriendly, ignorant and rude. It’s not appropriate in a customer-facing role. Now, your DD may actually be a lovely, kind person but at that moment at work she did not appear to be and was surly enough for someone to take the time to complain. The customer has done your daughter a favour by flagging these poor social skills in the workplace so she can improve them. Your DD is upset not because it’s unfair but because she’s seen how she appears to other people and it’s an uncomfortable truth. She’s young and can learn from the experience which is half the point of having part time jobs when you’re a student.

Wow really. Iv never worked in mcdonalds but don't think it looks easy at all it's constantly busy the ones near me are anyway and no job working with the general public is easy. Secondly she chatted with a mate she's not murdered someone I don't think you can comment on her whole future based on one 30 second Interaction with a customer. And to anyone reading wtafdidido post this is the general public and the sort of people workers have to deal with on a daily basis.

If a customer called your DD stupid because she works at McDonald's would that be justified?
My DD worked in the service industry and customers can be very unkind. Everyone deserves respect no matter who they are or where they work.

My son is training manager at a large McDonald’s and your daughter’s behaviour would not be tolerated. Standards of behaviour are expected to be high. Not sure how your daughter slipped through the net and even got a job there. She would have been given a warning on his branch. Like others have said it is a basic and easy job and if she cannot even manage that she doesn’t have a very bright future but from your responses on here it seems she hasn’t had a very good role model in you to follow.

I'm not saying she shouldn't of said hello and acknowledged the customer, she absolutely should of. I'm saying some people are very quick to run to a manager instead of giving the girl a break or if that bothered saying something to her.

What do you think they might ask you in a McDonald's drive thru?

So she couldn't spend 10 seconds saying:
▪︎ Hello
▪︎ £12 please
▪︎ thank you, have a nice day

I agree. I get so fed up of people saying "ooh how lucky you are if that's your biggest problem in life!" Who said that was their biggest problem? Are we only allowed to complain about our biggest problem now and keep our mouths shut and put up with shitty service?

Op why don't you just teach your DD some manners and back her manager.

It doesn't matter where you work, paying customers deserve good service.

Being ignored is the height of bad manners and the customer may have been petty but you are worse for having an issue with it

In a local branch of Tesco a few years ago I asked the young woman on the meat counter to cut 12 pork chops for me, she replied 'I'm not allowed to cut meat' and didn't seem to see the irony of it.

At a drive through you spend about 30 seconds with a customer and it's a constant flow of customers so obviously at times the customer won't get 100% of your attention but most people are OK with this as it's fast food and don't want to hang around for a chat with a 16 year old

Oh come on! You're being picky.
You don't keep talking to your friend and not engage with your customer when serving someone. No one is saying you don't talk to your friends all day 🙄

So you never talk to your colleagues. Mcdonalds staff don't go on breaks together and it's a busy fast paced job. Their is no when it's quiet or between customers to ask each other if their alright. The poor girl had probably given her full attention to 99% of customers that day. We can't all be perfect all the time that's not real life

I'm trying to remember back when I was 16 and working my first job it was in a clothes shop. I had a baby and my mh was in the toilet. It was a bad time and I remember twice being complained about and both times really affected me negatively (probably more then they should of) but iv since been diagnosed with eupd and my mh has improved so I can cope better now as an adult. They were both for ridiculous reasons. One was an old school teacher who hated me and told my manager I gave her a dirty look, I didn't and the other was I was helping a customer and another customer butted in mid sentence and when I said I'd help her in a minute she stormed of straight up to a manager to tell her I was chatting instead of helping her. I'm not saying poor customer service is acceptable I'm just saying to all the people who first thought when they have the slightest problem or inconvenience is to run to a manager to complain just remember these people are human beings and you don't know what's going on in their lives. I was trying my best to do right by my daughter and people trying to ruin that by trying to get me in trouble or get me fired need to really think of the consequences of their actions. I put in a complaint once against a dr for an actual proper reason, not just because he didnt say hello to me and he was no longer allowed to work in the Trust, within 3 years his family had broken down and he had committed suicide I will forever regret my decision.

Good for her manager pulling her on it. It was rude and hopefully your daughter will now understand and not do it again. Lesson learnt at a good age

I wouldn't have complained, cos it's McDonalds but nothing pisses me off more in retail then having to interupt a staff chat while I'm stood their obviously waiting to be helped.
And the last time I used a drive through Maccies, we received really great service from the teenager at the window, it's important.

Chatting and gossip is what breaks are for. Not whilst you are serving customers. Can you not understand this basic concept?

It is poor service not to acknowledge customers, "hello" "thank you" "goodbye" isn't much to expect.

Sometimes you need to talk with coworkers about needing change or whatever, but I'd always say "sorry just one moment" or something.

I also think it's incredibly rude when customers don't acknowledge the person serving them.

OMG 😂

Did you call back and did you complain or at least give feedback? I hope so.

People work 8/10/12 hour days they do need to at times communicate with their colleagues. Not every little thing has to be a formal complaint. People aren't robots and i understand this . I'm also not the sort of person who likes risking other people's jobs and livelihoods over minor things but I guess some people don't care about the after effects of their actions.