The journey from there to here

I was headed back from a late day at work, and decided to stop at Taco Bell because I had a short window of time before I needed to be at the school. I placed my order and waited in line 20 minutes, something I've come to expect.

After 20 minutes, when I got to the window, they still hadn't assembled the order. They were arguing about what should be in it when it was right there on the stinking ticket. I had ordered a chicken quesadilla "value meal".

Well, after they finally gave me the order I opened the bag to find my "quesadilla" was a wad of tortilla, STEAK, and a cheese like substance. Any resemblance between it and an actual quesadilla (even of the Taco Bell variety) was purely imaginary.

That got me to thinking about the possible connection between poor customer service and a welfare society. What incentive do these workers have to succeed? Nothing. Basically, they've been taught their whole lives that if they fail all they need to do is play the victim and someone will show up with a check. And they work in an economy so desperate for work they employ these useless bums, who otherwise might be begging change on an interstate onramp somewhere.

I believe that this is one of the most compelling reasons to do away with government welfare programs. Experience tells us that when people truly need to find a way to survive, they find a way. But when people get a "free lunch", they content themselves with the free lunch and seldom try to better themselves.


Comments (Page 1)
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on Oct 02, 2007
Stupid rondo kids.

That's the exact opposite of how I behave in my sorta-retail job (being a teller at the bank and all) - I hustle my ASS if we're busy because I don't want my branch to lose accounts because of me.

I couldn't live with that weight on my shoulders.

But then, I guess my parents don't suck and have actually taught me the value of a hard day's work.
on Oct 02, 2007
I personally wouldn't want to try to live on a welfare check. I think poor customer service is the fault of the store management or even the corporate training. Does every fast food restaurant in your area have bad service? In my town Arbys and KFC have horrible service but the service at Chick-Fil-A is always wonderful.
on Oct 02, 2007
Does every fast food restaurant in your area have bad service?


Every restaurant, every store...virtually every place where people have to deal with customers...INCLUDING my workplace (which is something I'm hoping to change once I take over the PC repair Dept. in the middle of the month). It's atrocious, Loca. Seriously.

When I was a teenager, we were NEVER as bad as the kids working these restaurants. I've seen food returned and put back under the warmer for resale, constant, almost completely inevitable service, atrocious service times (including, at my workplace, one incident where a coworker actually walked away from a ringing phone when there was nobody else there to answer phones because his smoke break was more important).

You may not want to live on a welfare check, Loca, but you'd be surprised how many people honestly don't care if they do.
on Oct 02, 2007

{Don's Col Klink Hat}

It's Bush's Fault! [/sarcasm]

Actually, in a way is.  When the economy is good, and low end jobs go begging, the people who are hired to fill them are the low end of the job pool (it may be that they are of the welfare mentality - or just the low end).  That is who gets hired.  Everyone else is getting better jobs and moving up.

In a way, you are right.  It was not that way when you were that age.  Why? The economy stil had some room to expand labor wise.  So McDonald's was not a dead end job, but an opportunity (there are still those folks around like this - just harder to find).

I really dont know if it is the chicken or the egg.  We have always had bad workers, and in boom times, they are more visible.  Does the safety net make them more lazy as they know there is that net?  Or is it just that they now have a job that they dont care about (and never will) and we see them more?

on Oct 02, 2007

In answer to the title: yes.  I absolutely believe that a welfare state encourages poor customer service.  It encourages poor performance in every way.

Call me a pessimist, but I believe that people are inherently lazy.  Many of us (hopefully) overcome that, but far too many don't.  If there is no extrinsic motivation for people who have no intrinsic motivation to start with, why work hard at all?

But I don't believe that it is just this idea of a welfare state.  Our society is breeding a culture of entitlement.  We want what we want and we want it now.  As long as we don't have to work for it.  So people get jobs, figure they are entitled to that job no matter what, and then act accordingly.  The end result?  Poor performance with no desire to improve.

on Oct 02, 2007
I think you're right, but for a different reason. The welfare state breeds a sense of entitlement.  When someone of that mindset does go get a job, that sense of entitlement continues.  The employer OWES them the money simply because they showed up.  They owe the employer nothing.  Why?  Because they have never had to connect income with performance before.
on Oct 02, 2007
I believe that this is one of the most compelling reasons to do away with government welfare programs.


Your reasoning is a riot. Do away with government welfare programs because someone with a job put steak in your chicken quesadilla "value meal".

This place was worth the price of admission just for that. Seriously. You should take this act on tour.

You're a very very funny man, Gideon. Keep it up cos this stuff is priceless.
on Oct 02, 2007
I suppose I'll be called a racist for pointing this out (sighs, what else is new? but i call 'em like i see 'em) but most of these slow-motion employees are black, so Simon and I have come up with our own terminology to describe them.


As an "apparent" liberal I feel it my duty to inform you that we dont call people "racists" anymore. Its considered offensive and demeaning to those to whom the label is applied.
We now prefer the term "ethnically challenged".

on Oct 02, 2007
Agreed Gideon, do away with the government welfare systems and let the private churches and organizations be there for those who CAN'T do for themselves.
on Oct 02, 2007
Your reasoning is a riot. Do away with government welfare programs because someone with a job put steak in your chicken quesadilla "value meal". This place was worth the price of admission just for that. Seriously. You should take this act on tour. You're a very very funny man, Gideon. Keep it up cos this stuff is priceless.


Ah yes, we can always count on the idiotic liberals to come out of the woodworks and make fools of themselves. And they wonder why people vote for Republicans. Nice job braniac, you make it so easy for the rest of use to show you liberals for the fools you really are it almost makes me feel like a lazy Democrats not having to do the hard work since others are willing to do it for me.

As an "apparent" liberal I feel it my duty to inform you that we dont call people "racists" anymore. Its considered offensive and demeaning to those to whom the label is applied. We now prefer the term "ethnically challenged".


Thank you for proving my point.
on Oct 02, 2007
Your reasoning is a riot. Do away with government welfare programs because someone with a job put steak in your chicken quesadilla "value meal".


Tiddler,

Back under the bridge, you little troll!
on Oct 02, 2007

Back under the bridge, you little troll!

Careful - he thinks he is a genius.

on Oct 02, 2007
Thank you for proving my point.


Seems like Little Whip is the only one with a sense of humor.  
on Oct 02, 2007
Ah yes, we can always count on the idiotic liberals to come out of the woodworks and make fools of themselves. And they wonder why people vote for Republicans. Nice job braniac, you make it so easy for the rest of use to show you liberals for the fools you really are it almost makes me feel like a lazy Democrats not having to do the hard work since others are willing to do it for me.


???
on Oct 02, 2007
Careful - he thinks he is a genius.


Only relative to you Dr Guy..... much like the way an ordinary girl finds herself an ugly friend.   
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