Crew tries to break drive-thru record
By From staff reports
Published in News on February 1, 2013 1:46 PM
Full Size
News-Argus/MICHAEL BETTS
McDonald's General Manager John Williams smiles while talking to a customer in the drive-through lane at McDonald's on Berkeley Boulevard.
Coffee, biscuits and McMuffins flew out the drive-through window early today at the McDonald's on Berkeley Boulevard, propelled by a fast-working crew of employees intent on breaking the business's record of 179 drive-through customers served in an hour.
"It has been hard working this thing, and it's been busy. It's fun, though. We don't know how to make them come. We've tried to steal customers in the lobby but they won't come," McDonald's worker Jessica Brown said.
The first attempt at the record started at 7 a.m., but the restaurant started serving up orders at 5 this morning when Seymour Johnson Air Force Base held an exercise. The military is always a big presence at the restaurant and is notorious among employees for lumping together huge orders, which slows the drive-through workers down.
But the crew was ready today.
To help speed things up, an employee stood outside the drive-through window taking money. Usually, Tina Smith mans the money counter by herself while also taking orders. This morning, she was swiping credit cards and counting change at hyperspeed. She said the only other time she could recall it being so busy was Christmas Eve.
"It's fun. That's what it's for. It's fun," she said.
"We're not getting anything out of it," said worker Christina Torres, who was taking orders as fast as possible.
Even if they didn't break the record, the crew said they will keep serving customers at a pace that has made the company renowned for true fast food.
"It's been pretty crazy," said counter worker Mannie Smith. "But we'll get the job done."
General Manager John Williams was pleased with the effort -- record or no record.
"We did 130 cars, that's really good," he said.