I don’t ask for much when I eat fast food from a drive-up window, but it’s the little things that make the difference. I used to live in Chicago, and for the most part every McDonald’s and Burger King there got it right. Napkins, ketchup and salt would automatically be placed in the bag almost every time. If not they would ask me. Since I moved out west, it seems nobody gets these rules. The restaurant employees have no perception on what the customer experiences. Here are the only rules I ask of the employees at the drive-up window:

• Ask me if I want ketchup, salt, etc. before you close the bag. Don’t make me ask you so that I have to fumble with opening the bag again so that I can place the ketchup in there. Sometimes I ask for ketchup before they close the bag only to find it still isn’t in the bag when I get rolling away from the window. Then I have to go in or roll back around to the window again.
• If I have to wait for my food, at least give me a straw so I can start nursing my drink. Don’t just hand me a soda and have me let it sit there staring at it, ice melting looking so delicious.
• Napkins should always be in the bag. No asking required.
• Don’t touch my food if you’ve just handled money, touched the register or anything else that’s not wiped down every 15 minutes.
• If I have chicken nuggets or some other food that tastes bland without a sauce or seasoning of some sort and I forgot to ask for it, please ask me. It’s common sense that most people wouldn’t want to eat their chicken nuggets without something on them.

It’s all I ask, and it’s not much. I know these guys make minimum wage, but hey, they are still paid money to provide service.