Fast food places: Do you tidy up afterwards?

kfallon

Just as a matter of interest, would there be less staff employed if everybody cleaned up after themselves???

starlit

K-9 wrote: »

Cravings when you've had a few.

Tend to get cravings for either crisps or chips after a few, don't know why that is!

kfallon

snuggles285 wrote: »

Tend to get cravings for either crisps or chips after a few, don't know why that is!

It's the same for us all Snuggie Bear, not sure why myself but beer means you want fast food!

thebigbiffo

i clean up after myself in all fast food restrurants...

on a train i leave anything and everything behind me because i totally f'uckin hate irish rail

Asphyxia

Yes I always do it's common sense! If you were making food at home you would clean up after yourself, it's ignorant to expect someone else to do it.

maninasia

No, you've been conditioned to do this by the fast food corporations while growing up following that system. Decades ago they employed people to clean up but they realised they could just put bins in and make people feel bad if they left their detritus on the table and then save at least one employee per shift.

If you really think about it they are forcing you to clean up for free as a courtesy for the next customer. So it is nothing to do with fundamental manners and everything to do with culture and peer pressure. And as someone pointed out earlier it leaves the place dirtier than if they actually cleaned the place properly.

Jesus Wept

Pocketfizz wrote: »

Yes I always do it's common sense! If you were making food at home you would clean up after yourself, it's ignorant to expect someone else to do it.

Would you follow this behavior through for all the eateries that you might frequent?
Serious question - would you scrape your plate in Bewley's and insist that they allow you put your plates and cutlery in their dishwashers/sink?
No.

I will speculate that the reason you differentiate between the two is because in McDonald's, they serve your food in packaging rather than on a plate.

Why do you think they do that?

• It saves them money (at a massive and significant cost to the environment)
• It allows them to influence people to take on the role of the employee. This cuts costs and increases profit.

On the environmental note, some of you may note that in other countries (Some European, dunno about elsewhere), they have separate bins for all the different types of recyclable materials and customers are expected to sort all the packaging when they are emptying their trays.

Is this a McDonald's initiative?
No.
It's something that must do due to the regulations in respective countries.
Do they do it here in Ireland?
No, because they don't have to.

Now It might sound like I am an environmentalist, I'm not, I don't care.
I admire McDonald's as a company. They are well run and they do everything that they can think of to cut costs and maximise profits, good for them, good for their shareholders.

You feel obligated to tidy up in McDonald's (but not Bewley's) because it makes them money, due to their clever social conditioning (again, well played McDonald's!).
I don't feel that need as I can see the wood for the trees.
I feel no ill towards McDonald's, I just see what is happening, I commend it but I am not biting.

In 2009, McDonalds had revenues of $22.7 billion and operating profits of $6.8 billion.

In fact, if you didn't do it, their labour costs would increase which would mean more jobs for people in this and almost every country on earth. (The need for jobs is being talked about incessantly). And this is a cost that they ought to incur, but they can get away with it because people are easily influenced.

Now this subject has popped up before and I understand that people who do clean for McDonald's feel very passionately about it (and that many consider anyone that doesn't comply to be filthy, believe me I'm not.)

I believe that a large part of why the feelings run so deep is that this particular conditioning (in relation to McDonald's itself) began at a very young age for most of us.

Many of us will have eaten at McDonald's from a very young age, it's essentially mecca for kids.
What better time than when your child is receiving a treat (and is hopefully thankful and compliant) to encourage them to give a little bit back and do the right thing, to teach them the lesson that they should tidy up for themselves (they should, generally). My parents did this too.

Kids are an easy sell. It's the reason why the church indoctrinates kids before they can even think and why Bank Of Ireland turned up at my school and gave everyone a bank account and an ATM card when we were in first year.

Many people nowadays (light years past good reasoning would dictate) are moving away from the church (let's not get started on banks).

It's ok to question other things too, it's good actually, you are now adults.
And your parents, as wonderful, well meaning and nurturing and awesome as they are, are not always right.

If you see me emptying my tray in McDonald's, there is a good chance I've bought some stock.

Bonito

The-Rigger wrote: »

I will speculate that the reason you differentiate between the two is because in McDonald's, they serve your food in packaging rather than on a plate.

Why do you think they do that?

• It saves them money (at a massive and significant cost to the environment)

Incorrectomundo my good man. 80% of the McDonalds stores at this present moment today in Ireland use packaging that is from 100% recycled materials and chlorine free.

All cardboards, light card, paper, plastics, food waste etc is separated in to completely separate bins.

1. Dry waste: Cardboard, paper bags that are not too dirty or have too many food stuffs left in them go in to one bin.
2. Plastics: All wrappings, bags, oil containers etc are placed in this bin.
3: Raw waste: Any unused raw food is placed in this bin which is sent to be composted.
4: General waste: This waste comes from what's in the bins at the tables from customers. Due to some people never finishing their drinks and/or food, it all goes in to the one pile. This pile is then sorted in store and everything is seperated in to it's appropriate waste bin.

• It allows them to influence people to take on the role of the employee. This cuts costs and increases profit.

McDonalds do not and never will expect customers to clean up after themselves. Even when they do it's redone to ensure where they were sitting is cleaned and sanitized.

On the environmental note, some of you may note that in other countries (Some European, dunno about elsewhere), they have separate bins for all the different types of recyclable materials and customers are expected to sort all the packaging when they are emptying their trays.

We have this here except unlike other countries, the customers don't have to sort their waste in the separate bins, it's done for them.

Is this a McDonald's initiative?
No.
It's something that must do due to the regulations in respective countries.
Do they do it here in Ireland?
No, because they don't have to.

They might not have to but they are aware of environmental impacts and take it on themselves to cut down on their carbon footprint.

Now It might sound like I am an environmentalist, I'm not, I don't care.
I admire McDonald's as a company. They are well run and they do everything that they can think of to cut costs and maximise profits, good for them, good for their shareholders.

Keep in mind the majority of stores in Ireland are under franchise and they can do recycle how they like, use what suppliers they like, use what bin company they like, use what oil disposal company they like all so long as they serve food and provide service to their customers that's an acceptable level to McDonalds. It's regularly inspected.

In fact, if you didn't do it, their labour costs would increase which would mean more jobs for people in this and almost every country on earth. (The need for jobs is being talked about incessantly). And this is a cost that they ought to incur, but they can get away with it because people are easily influenced.

I don't think you should have used McDonalds or even burger king as your example as they both solely employ people to clean the tables, interact with customers, make balloon animals for kids etc. They do a damned good job at holding good customer relations. That's one of the reasons to McDonalds to success. They're active in the community, they will chat with regular customers, even get to levels of 1st names, greeting each other if they happen to bump in to each other on the street/in the shops/out in the pub/at the cinema etc.

Now this subject has popped up before and I understand that people who do clean for McDonald's feel very passionately about it (and that many consider anyone that doesn't comply to be filthy, believe me I'm not.)

No McDonalds' customers are expected to clean up after themselves and are never seen as filthy or anything of the sort by the staff. Granted, if they wreck the place, then they're filthy.

I believe that a large part of why the feelings run so deep is that this particular conditioning (in relation to McDonald's itself) began at a very young age for most of us.

Many of us will have eaten at McDonald's from a very young age, it's essentially mecca for kids.
What better time than when your child is receiving a treat (and is hopefully thankful and compliant) to encourage them to give a little bit back and do the right thing, to teach them the lesson that they should tidy up for themselves (they should, generally). My parents did this too.

That onus would be on the parents then, and not McDonalds.

If you see me emptying my tray in McDonald's, there is a good chance I've bought some stock.

So you don't empty your tray simply because it's not lining your pockets? You're not expected to empty your tray. What you're expected to do is come in, order, eat, enjoy the service, relax and then leave. There are people there to clean up after you, it's part of the service, you're paying for it when you buy your meal so why not use the service?

seanbmc

I always do, I find it disgusting cleaning up unwanted food. And it's just good manners for the person who is going to sit at the table after you and the employee who is sick of cleaning up everyone's mess.

poisonated

Bonito wrote: »

. They're active in the community, they will chat with regular customers, even get to levels of 1st names, greeting each other if they happen to bump in to each other on the street/in the shops/out in the pub/at the cinema etc.

QUOTE]

Although I agree with most of your post. I don't think because someone goes into McDonalds and orders a burger, they are now going to be best friends with the person working there.:D

daltonm

I always do and encourage my kids to do so. I think it says a lot about a person who leaves a table full of rubbish. The attitude of " there is someone employed to clean up after me" is very misplaced.

There are people employed to clean the streets - does this mean that instead of using the bins provided that you dump your rubbish on the ground?

There are people employed to clean toilets, do you pee on the floor? Do you throw your tissue on the ground?

Jesus Wept

Bonito wrote: »

Incorrectomundo my good man. 80% of the McDonalds stores at this present moment today in Ireland use packaging that is from 100% recycled materials and chlorine free.
[/LIST]
All cardboards, light card, paper, plastics, food waste etc is separated in to completely separate bins.

1. Dry waste: Cardboard, paper bags that are not too dirty or have too many food stuffs left in them go in to one bin.
2. Plastics: All wrappings, bags, oil containers etc are placed in this bin.
3: Raw waste: Any unused raw food is placed in this bin which is sent to be composted.
4: General waste: This waste comes from what's in the bins at the tables from customers. Due to some people never finishing their drinks and/or food, it all goes in to the one pile. This pile is then sorted in store and everything is seperated in to it's appropriate waste bin.
[/LIST]
McDonalds do not and never will expect customers to clean up after themselves. Even when they do it's redone to ensure where they were sitting is cleaned and sanitized.

We have this here except unlike other countries, the customers don't have to sort their waste in the separate bins, it's done for them.

They might not have to but they are aware of environmental impacts and take it on themselves to cut down on their carbon footprint.

Keep in mind the majority of stores in Ireland are under franchise and they can do recycle how they like, use what suppliers they like, use what bin company they like, use what oil disposal company they like all so long as they serve food and provide service to their customers that's an acceptable level to McDonalds. It's regularly inspected.

I don't think you should have used McDonalds or even burger king as your example as they both solely employ people to clean the tables, interact with customers, make balloon animals for kids etc. They do a damned good job at holding good customer relations. That's one of the reasons to McDonalds to success. They're active in the community, they will chat with regular customers, even get to levels of 1st names, greeting each other if they happen to bump in to each other on the street/in the shops/out in the pub/at the cinema etc.

No McDonalds' customers are expected to clean up after themselves and are never seen as filthy or anything of the sort by the staff. Granted, if they wreck the place, then they're filthy.

That onus would be on the parents then, and not McDonalds.


So you don't empty your tray simply because it's not lining your pockets? You're not expected to empty your tray. What you're expected to do is come in, order, eat, enjoy the service, relax and then leave. There are people there to clean up after you, it's part of the service, you're paying for it when you buy your meal so why not use the service?

I do enjoy the service and I think they are a great company.

I was unaware that they recycle for us here, I wouldn't care if they didn't.
I don't believe they are recycling because they give a sh1t, it's merely to walk the line and maintain a decent rep amongst those that would hang them out to dry if they didn't imo. I don't care regardless of what their motivation is.

Also, I did not say that the staff think you are filthy if you don't clean up, I was talking about some posters here from previous threads.
McDonald's remain quite happy for people to clean up after themselves (especially at peak times) and it will reduce their labour costs, I didn't say that they don't clean tables or interact with people, it's a service business.

Plenty of people take away food from McDonald's and end up throwing it on the ground (obviously this is not the fault of McDonald's).
I doubt that their policy of packaging is better for the environment than using plates, it works out cheaper for them.
McDonald's play the game well.

daltonm wrote: »

I always do and encourage my kids to do so. I think it says a lot about a person who leaves a table full of rubbish. The attitude of " there is someone employed to clean up after me" is very misplaced.

Do you make them clean up in Eddie Rocket's, throw all their rubbish in a bin?

daltonm wrote: »

There are people employed to clean the streets - does this mean that instead of using the bins provided that you dump your rubbish on the ground?

There are people employed to clean toilets, do you pee on the floor? Do you throw your tissue on the ground?

I almost preempted this yesterday. These examples are completely different.

Bonito

The-Rigger wrote: »

I do enjoy the service and I think they are a great company (for shareholders).

Also, I did not say that the staff think you are filthy if you don't clean up, I was talking about some posters here from previous threads.

Ah, small misunderstanding. I thought you did but that's that cleared up.

McDonald's remain quite happy for people to clean up after themselves (especially at peak times) and it will reduce their labour costs, I didn't say that they don't clean tables or interact with people, it's a service business.

Of course. All businesses welcome a helping hand from it's customers.

Plenty of people take away food from McDonald's and end up throwing it on the ground (obviously this is not the fault of McDonald's).
I doubt that their policy of packaging is better for the environment than using plates, it works out cheaper for them.
McDonald's play the game well.

Happens a lot. Even seen to the extent on the 24 hour stores of louts chuckin' there burgers up the windows and at taxi' & buses etc. Nothing McDonalds can do to stop it but they go out afterward and clean up the mess within a certain radius to the store.

dave1982

Absolute height of ignorance not to clean up after you.How would you as staff like to be cleaning up after everyone needlessly,put it in the bin however wiping the table down is staffs job in fairness for hygiene reasons

And how many times have you went to get something to eat,place is full you find empty table but someone has left burger wrapper,chip cartons drinks

Regarding restaurants where you get plates etc i will put all waste on one plate and stack them.

NinjaTruncs

It depends, if the place is quiet I usually stack my rubbish on the tray but leave it for the staff to throw it out.

If it's busy I clean the table.

daltonm

The-Rigger wrote: »

Do you make them clean up in Eddie Rocket's, throw all their rubbish in a bin?

I almost preempted this yesterday. These examples are completely different.

No - what is different is the comparison between a cheap fast food outlet that serves food in disposable wrappers who provide the facilities for patrons to clean up after themselves, in the form of bins, no more than 2 feet away from them, if they wish, versus your two examples of restaurants, that serve food on delph and use cutlery, who do not provide bins and are more expensive.

If both Bewleys and Eddie Rockets provided that facility then I would of course encourage my children to use them, much like I encourage them to use the facilities provided by McDonalds.

If people feel it ok to ignore the facilities provided in McDonalds based on "shure someone is there to clean up after me" then why would they not say the same for the toilets and the streets?

It's the same mindset is it not?

Edit to add - and if both Bewleys and Eddie Rockets DID provide the same facilities as McDonalds, where patrons had the choice to clean up after themselves, then we would still be having the same discussion.

MrMatisse

Irish people I think are generally quite good, unless its 3AM.....hic.......

Jesus Wept

daltonm wrote: »

No - what is different is the comparison between a cheap fast food outlet that serves food in disposable wrappers who provide the facilities for patrons to clean up after themselves, in the form of bins, no more than 2 feet away from them, if they wish, versus your two examples of restaurants, that serve food on delph and use cutlery, who do not provide bins and are more expensive.

If both Bewleys and Eddie Rockets provided that facility then I would of course encourage my children to use them, much like I encourage them to use the facilities provided by McDonalds.

Right, and why do you think they serve your food in disposable packaging rather than plates which would be significantly better for the environment?

daltonm wrote: »

If people feel it ok to ignore the facilities provided in McDonalds based on "shure someone is there to clean up after me" then why would they not say the same for the toilets and the streets?

It's the same mindset is it not?

No, it just isn't. If you can't understand the difference then there isn't much point.
It's better that you clean up in McDonalds and don't piss on floors and throw rubbish on streets than do, so just keep going as you are if you can't find the nuances.

daltonm wrote: »

Edit to add - and if both Bewleys and Eddie Rockets DID provide the same facilities as McDonalds, where patrons had the choice to clean up after themselves, then we would still be having the same discussion.

And if they could without it costing them customers, they would and will.
And we'd be correct to still have the discussion.

Tesco's self service check outs are another example. Why do you think Tesco have installed them? Seriously?

You are a good worker bee, see how things are in 10 and 20 years from now.
Hopefully they start to pass the costs on to the customers but I'm not convinced they ever will.

daltonm

The-Rigger wrote: »

Right, and why do you think they serve your food in disposable packaging rather than plates which would be significantly better for the environment?

Do tell? Is it because they are assured that the patrons will clean up after themselves and therefore save them money? And really do you know how much it costs McDonalds to have recyclable packaging against the water charges that the other 2 companies are charged?



"No, it just isn't. If you can't understand the difference then there isn't much point."

I think that it is your failure to see the similarities that is the problem.


"And if they could without it costing them customers, they would and will.
And we'd be correct to still have the discussion."

If Eddie's and Bewleys provided the facilities that McDonalds to allow patrons to make the choice to clean up after themselves then it would not cost them a cent. Hence - we would still be having this discussion.

"Tesco's self service check outs are another example. Why do you think Tesco have installed them? Seriously?"

That have 2 people staffing them - it's for customer convenience if they have 5 items or less - is it saving them money - no it is not.



"You are a good worker bee, see how things are in 10 and 20 years from now."

Correction - If there is a toilet I will pee into it, if there is a sink I will wash my hands in it, if there is a bin provided for my rubbish then I will use it - my disposition is not dictated by geography - it's dictated by basic manners and ability.

Jesus Wept

Could you use quotes? It makes things a lot easier to use and respond to.

So you believe Tesco have brought in self service check outs for customer convenience, and that reducing labour costs is not the most significant factor.
Also, could you show me where it says they have two staff members dedicated to staffing each self service check out?

daltonm

The-Rigger wrote: »

Could you use quotes? It makes things a lot easier to use and respond to.

So you believe Tesco have brought in self service check outs for customer convenience, and that reducing labour costs is not the most significant factor.
Also, could you show me where it says they have two staff members staffing each self service check out?

Honestly - I can't use the quotes - would you be so kind?


In the Tesco that I shop in they always have 2 members of staff at the self service checkouts. I agree that the ultimate aim is to save money - but like with anything else we have to be "good worker bees" But it takes time.

I guess my point is less than what the servicer is providing and more of what we ourselves are willing to give. And it ties in with McDonalds and what they provide for us to choose to use, whether we use it and serve ourselves OR are of the belief that there are people employed to serve us and clean up after us. It's funny that you use the "self service" checkout as your example because that is like what McDonalds do if people in McDonalds leave their rubbish because there is someone to do that then doesn't that rule apply to the self service check-out? I mean do people not use it because they feel that those on the tills are paid to serve us?

Jesus Wept

daltonm wrote: »

Honestly - I can't use the quotes - would you be so kind?

You'll get the hang of it, I was the same.

daltonm wrote: »

In the Tesco that I shop in they always have 2 members of staff at the self service checkouts. I agree that the ultimate aim is to save money - but like with anything else we have to be "good worker bees" But it takes time.

I guess my point is less than what the servicer is providing and more of what we ourselves are willing to give. And it ties in with McDonalds and what they provide for us to choose to use, whether we use it and serve ourselves OR are of the belief that there are people employed to serve us and clean up after us. It's funny that you use the "self service" checkout as your example because that is like what McDonalds do if people in McDonalds leave their rubbish because there is someone to do that then doesn't that rule apply to the self service check-out? I mean do people not use it because they feel that those on the tills are paid to serve us?

I guess it boils down to me not being willing to give as much to them as you are willing to.

I almost never use the self service tills.
It isn't about having someone serve me.
It's not like I want a serf, I don't slap them with a glove on my way out the door.

The self service tills are just an unnecessary inconvenience for me.
I find there are usually queues of people for these machines and very few at the check out tills, so I choose the check out tills because they are quicker - I don't have to look for barcodes, scan things, re-scan them till they register, type in the number if they don't, wait for a member of staff if there is a problem and then go about feeding notes and coins into the machine before finally packing up to go.

What I don't understand is why the queue for these tills is longer than the queue for the check outs. (I'm pleased, bemused, but surprised).

Why is this?
Or is the Tesco I use different to others where it is quicker to use the self service tills? (baring in mind that they are slower per person than the check out tills).

K-9

Hate the self service tills myself. Witchcraft I tellz ya.

daltonm

The-Rigger wrote: »

You'll get the hang of it, I was the same.



I guess it boils down to me not being willing to give as much to them as you are willing to.

I almost never use the self service tills.
It isn't about having someone serve me.
It's not like I want a serf, I don't slap them with a glove on my way out the door.

The self service tills are just an unnecessary inconvenience for me.
I find there are usually queues of people for these machines and very few at the check out tills, so I choose the check out tills because they are quicker - I don't have to look for barcodes, scan things, re-scan them till they register, type in the number if they don't, wait for a member of staff if there is a problem and then go about feeding notes and coins into the machine before finally packing up to go.

What I don't understand is why the queue for these tills is longer than the queue for the check outs. (I'm pleased, bemused, but surprised).

Why is this?
Or is the Tesco I use different to others where it is quicker to use the self service tills? (baring in mind that they are slower per person than the check out tills).

No - they're a pain in the a*se to be honest and really only useful if you have one small item with a large barcode!!


It is true though that it is about me being willing to give a little more - but as a parent I encourage (force ) my kids to pick up after themselves, when I cook - they clear and load the dishwasher and then empty and put away the dishes - when I treat them to McDonalds I pay and they clear the table - maybe this is more about the relationship I have with my kids more than the service in McDonalds?

Vinta81

Yup, always. Although in the cinema I seem to be the only one of my friends and other patrons who bins whatever I bought, most just leave it on the floor. Bins are provided for a reason.

MonaghanPenguin

Having worked in a cinema for 10 years through school, college and as a part time nixer and having just finished working for four months with McDonalds, I would say don't bother cleaning up after yourself in a cinema, always do so in a fast food place.

In the cinema staff are paid to clean up after you, they either get extra hours after the show or before a show to do so. I never complained about having to clean auditoriums because it was in my direct interest to have to do so.

In a fast food joint however I was getting paid the same whether I had to clean up or not. And it wasn't doing anyone out of a job, for instance on an over night I was paid to work the tills, when it got quiet and the lobby was dirty enough I would have to run out and clean it. There was no money in the world that was worth having to pick up people's half eaten burgers, unwanted pickles, spat out lumps of food. And it didn't matter if a table looked clean or not, they all got disinfected.

wolfpawnat

Title says it all. After you finish your meal do you bring your tray with you and dump the contents into a bin?

I always did and the other day while treating myself, I saw two people leaving the table and one person doing the same. The friend snapped saying that is why they have staff and not to degrade themselves to doing that job!

I never did it for the staff. But because I am well brought up and I know when I see a free table but there is loads of food wrappers on it, its annoying trying to clear it. Not for the lack of staff, but because McDonalds on O'Connell street are very fecking busy.

AnonoBoy

McDejaVu

sh1tstirrer

wolfpawnat wrote: »

I am well brought up

If you were well brought up what are you doing eating in MacDonalds

bitemybanger

Do you offer to wash the dishes and clean the tables in any other restraunt?
But in saying that, I choose to empty my tray.