Minor things that bother you

[kphoger]

Autofill unloading after one extra keystroke as you go to hit ENTER, so you end up searching for "butt" instead of "butterscotch sundaes" when there was no reason for it to remove the autofill.

Fast food restaurants wanting a name for your order. I don't think it improves quality of service from a customer perspective and it's one more question that cashiers have to ask you to repeat because they didn't hear it correctly.

But if they give out numbers, some customers will forget their number by the time their food is ready.

Also, our ears can pick our own name out of the din more easily than anything else.

[J N Winkler]

The fast-food restaurants I use regularly for takeout (always from the inside, never the drive-thru) all use numbers.  That is what I prefer, especially since, like most deaf people, I struggle with consistent phoneme production, meaning that what I intend to say bears little resemblance to what an hearing person hears:  once I had a coffee waiting for "Steve."  Unless I am already familiar with the restaurant and its point-of-sale procedures, I may not even recognize when I am being asked to supply a name:  thus I have been "Yellow Shirt."

[dlsterner]

Fast food restaurants wanting a name for your order. I don't think it improves quality of service from a customer perspective and it's one more question that cashiers have to ask you to repeat because they didn't hear it correctly.

Next time, just tell them your name is "Poiponen".

[JayhawkCO]

The fast-food restaurants I use regularly for takeout (always from the inside, never the drive-thru) all use numbers.  That is what I prefer, especially since, like most deaf people, I struggle with consistent phoneme production, meaning that what I intend to say bears little resemblance to what an hearing person hears:  once I had a coffee waiting for "Steve."  Unless I am already familiar with the restaurant and its point-of-sale procedures, I may not even recognize when I am being asked to supply a name:  thus I have been "Yellow Shirt."

Cool nickname, bro. 

Heck, I'd probably just always wear a yellow shirt -- easier than interaction with fast food workers even for hearing persons.

[kphoger]

The fast-food restaurants I use regularly for takeout (always from the inside, never the drive-thru) all use numbers.  That is what I prefer, especially since, like most deaf people, I struggle with consistent phoneme production, meaning that what I intend to say bears little resemblance to what an hearing person hears:  once I had a coffee waiting for "Steve."  Unless I am already familiar with the restaurant and its point-of-sale procedures, I may not even recognize when I am being asked to supply a name:  thus I have been "Yellow Shirt."

Yes, I like numbers.

[roadman65]

The fast-food restaurants I use regularly for takeout (always from the inside, never the drive-thru) all use numbers.  That is what I prefer, especially since, like most deaf people, I struggle with consistent phoneme production, meaning that what I intend to say bears little resemblance to what an hearing person hears:  once I had a coffee waiting for "Steve."  Unless I am already familiar with the restaurant and its point-of-sale procedures, I may not even recognize when I am being asked to supply a name:  thus I have been "Yellow Shirt."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWfaiTLPUKQ

[Big John]

I have a speech impediment, so saying John sometimes comes across as saying Don. Then they get on my case if the names don't match.

[kphoger]

I have a speech impediment, so saying John sometimes comes across as saying Don. Then they get on my case if the names don't match.

Can't you just come up with a fake name that you use just for that type of situation?

King of like how, if I'm at a party where everyone gets a red Solo cup (I lift you up) and a Sharpie, I always write "Orlando" on mine.



Also, I feel like this is a good time to re-post this receipt, which I got in March 2020:

[ZLoth]

The fast-food restaurants I use regularly for takeout (always from the inside, never the drive-thru) all use numbers.

Why not order from the smart phone app?

[JayhawkCO]

I have a speech impediment, so saying John sometimes comes across as saying Don. Then they get on my case if the names don't match.

Can't you just come up with a fake name that you use just for that type of situation?

King of like how, if I'm at a party where everyone gets a red Solo cup (I lift you up) and a Sharpie, I always write "Orlando" on mine.



Also, I feel like this is a good time to re-post this receipt, which I got in March 2020:

Better than "Gavachos".

[mgk920]

I remember learning a decade or so back that that is not considered to be a slur used by Mexicans in Mexico to refer to those from north of the border, rather just a normal term.  Am I correct, or is there more to that.

Interesting.

Mike

[vdeane]

Another nice thing about numbers: you can see how the queue is moving.  Not foolproof, but at least it's something.  If you're 99 and 97 just got their order finished, you know that your order has good odds of being done soon.  If, on the other hand, they just called 87, probably a good idea to find some light reading on your phone.

[kphoger]

I remember learning a decade or so back that that is not considered to be a slur used by Mexicans in Mexico to refer to those from north of the border, rather just a normal term.  Am I correct, or is there more to that.

In my experience, it's somewhere between offensive and inoffensive.

When I refer to myself as a gringo in mixed company in Mexico, there are an awkward five seconds during which the Mexicans look uneasily at each other while they try and figure out how to react, and then after those five seconds they shrug it off and smile.

The most uneasy situation, however, was when I was stopped at a military checkpoint on Carr. Fed. 40 approaching Saltillo from the west.  A soldier wearing full camo, bullet-proof vest, face mask, and rifle had taken my passport back to her fellow soldiers for review while we waited on the shoulder.  Through the open window, I heard her remark somewhat condescendingly to the others, "Gringos."  I hoped that wouldn't bode ill.  When she returned to our vehicle and handed back my passport, she pleasantly wished me a good trip—in English, no less.  Still, for those couple of minutes...

[1995hoo]

Another nice thing about numbers: you can see how the queue is moving.  Not foolproof, but at least it's something.  If you're 99 and 97 just got their order finished, you know that your order has good odds of being done soon.  If, on the other hand, they just called 87, probably a good idea to find some light reading on your phone.

Usually, but not always. There was a place in downtown DC for many years, Ollie's Trolley, where they had a basket of numbers and they just gave you whatever the next one was—it bore no connection to numerical order because I might get 25 and then the next person to order might get 10. But the process worked fine in terms of getting you your order.

Regarding restaurant employees messing up names, there was a place around the corner from where I worked 20 years ago where the Spanish-speaking employees had trouble pronouncing my name, so I wound up just saying "Ricardo." That worked quite well, although I got funny looks from other customers when my name was called. Still much better than the time a guy at Fuddrucker's somehow managed to butcher it with typos by typing "4" instead of "R" and "8" instead of "I" so the ticket said "48CHA4D." The guy who had to call the names on the microphone was quite flummoxed by that but started laughing when I came up without him calling my name (because I saw the look on his face and knew whose order it had to be based on what was on my receipt).

[dlsterner]

Another nice thing about numbers: you can see how the queue is moving.  Not foolproof, but at least it's something.  If you're 99 and 97 just got their order finished, you know that your order has good odds of being done soon.  If, on the other hand, they just called 87, probably a good idea to find some light reading on your phone.

Usually, but not always. There was a place in downtown DC for many years, Ollie's Trolley, where they had a basket of numbers and they just gave you whatever the next one was—it bore no connection to numerical order because I might get 25 and then the next person to order might get 10. But the process worked fine in terms of getting you your order.

Regarding restaurant employees messing up names, there was a place around the corner from where I worked 20 years ago where the Spanish-speaking employees had trouble pronouncing my name, so I wound up just saying "Ricardo." That worked quite well, although I got funny looks from other customers when my name was called. Still much better than the time a guy at Fuddrucker's somehow managed to butcher it with typos by typing "4" instead of "R" and "8" instead of "I" so the ticket said "48CHA4D." The guy who had to call the names on the microphone was quite flummoxed by that but started laughing when I came up without him calling my name (because I saw the look on his face and knew whose order it had to be based on what was on my receipt).

A number of restaurants near me use a pile of numbers as well - "Noodles & Co." and "Slim Chickens" come to mind, where the cashier just grabs the closest plastic placard regardless of the number.

A few years back, at a different "Noodles" where they used names, somehow after I said "David", they heard "Vegan".  Took a while for me to figure out it was my order they were calling.  Ironic in that my order was definitely meat-based.

[D-Dey65]

I remember learning a decade or so back that that is not considered to be a slur used by Mexicans in Mexico to refer to those from north of the border, rather just a normal term.  Am I correct, or is there more to that.

In my experience, it's somewhere between offensive and inoffensive.

When I refer to myself as a gringo in mixed company in Mexico, there are an awkward five seconds during which the Mexicans look uneasily at each other while they try and figure out how to react, and then after those five seconds they shrug it off and smile.

The most uneasy situation, however, was when I was stopped at a military checkpoint on Carr. Fed. 40 approaching Saltillo from the west.  A soldier wearing full camo, bullet-proof vest, face mask, and rifle had taken my passport back to her fellow soldiers for review while we waited on the shoulder.  Through the open window, I heard her remark somewhat condescendingly to the others, "Gringos."  I hoped that wouldn't bode ill.  When she returned to our vehicle and handed back my passport, she pleasantly wished me a good trip—in English, no less.  Still, for those couple of minutes...

But does this term refer to anyone north of the border, or just White Americans?

Consider Dexter Holland, the lead singer of the Offspring. One of his side projects is a group of hot sauces called "Gringo Bandito." With a name like that, it seems like he's saying, "I'm probably the last person you'd expect to be an expert on hot sauces, but give it a try anyway." Someday I want to do that.

On a more personal level, I've never taken offense at Mexicans or others in Latin America referring to me as a "gringo." I've never been offended by Afro-Americans calling me a "honkey." And I've never been offended or felt threatened by residents of the Southern United States calling me a "Yankee."

[Rothman]

I remember learning a decade or so back that that is not considered to be a slur used by Mexicans in Mexico to refer to those from north of the border, rather just a normal term.  Am I correct, or is there more to that.

In my experience, it's somewhere between offensive and inoffensive.

When I refer to myself as a gringo in mixed company in Mexico, there are an awkward five seconds during which the Mexicans look uneasily at each other while they try and figure out how to react, and then after those five seconds they shrug it off and smile.

The most uneasy situation, however, was when I was stopped at a military checkpoint on Carr. Fed. 40 approaching Saltillo from the west.  A soldier wearing full camo, bullet-proof vest, face mask, and rifle had taken my passport back to her fellow soldiers for review while we waited on the shoulder.  Through the open window, I heard her remark somewhat condescendingly to the others, "Gringos."  I hoped that wouldn't bode ill.  When she returned to our vehicle and handed back my passport, she pleasantly wished me a good trip—in English, no less.  Still, for those couple of minutes...

But does this term refer to anyone north of the border, or just White Americans?

Consider Dexter Holland, the lead singer of the Offspring. One of his side projects is a group of hot sauces called "Gringo Bandito." With a name like that, it seems like he's saying, "I'm probably the last person you'd expect to be an expert on hot sauces, but give it a try anyway." Someday I want to do that.

On a more personal level, I've never taken offense at Mexicans or others in Latin America referring to me as a "gringo." I've never been offended by Afro-Americans calling me a "honkey." And I've never been offended or felt threatened by residents of the Southern United States calling me a "Yankee."

Amazing what a position of racial privilege allows.

[kphoger]

There was a place in downtown DC for many years, Ollie's Trolley, where they had a basket of numbers and they just gave you whatever the next one was—it bore no connection to numerical order because I might get 25 and then the next person to order might get 10. But the process worked fine in terms of getting you your order.

At Planet Sub (at least here in Wichita), they use playing cards as numbers.  So you might be "the five of diamonds" and the order before yours "the nine of clubs".

I remember learning a decade or so back that that is not considered to be a slur used by Mexicans in Mexico to refer to those from north of the border, rather just a normal term.  Am I correct, or is there more to that.

In my experience, it's somewhere between offensive and inoffensive.

When I refer to myself as a gringo in mixed company in Mexico, there are an awkward five seconds during which the Mexicans look uneasily at each other while they try and figure out how to react, and then after those five seconds they shrug it off and smile.

But does this term refer to anyone north of the border, or just White Americans?

I don't know.  I haven't traveled in Mexico with someone who is neither white nor Mexican.  Good question.

[JayhawkCO]

I don't know.  I haven't traveled in Mexico with someone who is neither white nor Mexican.  Good question.

I have. Just white people in general. My Asian friend was called "chino", even though he's Korean. (Obviously in Mexico, it's pretty nickname people by features -- "chino", "gordo", etc.)

[roadman65]

I used to like White Castle in the eighties when they would give you a number on a cardboard card and wait for your number. They weren't in order though so you never knew who came first.

Then they went to receipt numbering on your own receipt to generate more orderly numbering.

[vdeane]

I have a Samsung Smart TV.  Whenever the SmartHub updates, it pops a message saying it has been updated and asking if I want to run it.  Why would I want to see or do that if I haven't made an attempt to open it to that point?  Just let me watch TV and don't bother me.

Another thing that bothers me is when websites force you to download a PDF instead of allowing you to just view it with the browser's built-in PDF reader.  What is the point of that?  Why do browsers allow this?  All it does is force me to open my Downloads folder and delete the downloaded file afterwards (and clear my downloads list in the browser) for no reason.  Do web and browser developers have no comprehension that some of us actually like to keep our file systems from getting cluttered?

[ZLoth]

I used to like White Castle in the eighties when they would give you a number on a cardboard card and wait for your number. They weren't in order though so you never knew who came first.

WhatABurger has customizable version of their iconic table tents on sale through their store.

[Hobart]

This is extremely minor.

I tend to open door levers by pulling up on them. There are doors at my university that don't let me pull the handle up like I prefer, so I first fail to open the door, then have to open it in a way I don't prefer.

[kphoger]

I tend to open door levers by pulling up on them.

I do that too, although I'm not sure when I started doing so.  It seems like a more natural motion.

[Scott5114]

I used to like White Castle in the eighties when they would give you a number on a cardboard card and wait for your number. They weren't in order though so you never knew who came first.

WhatABurger has customizable version of their iconic table tents on sale through their store.

Whataburger has had trouble with law enforcement officers in Texas stealing the table tents to use as evidence markers. I seem to recall some higher-up leadership post had to go to the extent of writing a memo directing officers to stop doing so, as it was both illegal and unprofessional.

The last time I ate at the Whataburger in Norman, they had done away with the table tents. I made a remark to my wife that I wondered if Norman PD had started stealing them and that's why they weren't around anymore.