It’s only natural for customers, no matter what they’re shopping for, to want to get the best possible bang for their buck. If you’re buying food, whether it’s from a supermarket or restaurant, you’re going to want to make sure that it’s fresh.
However, it’s also important to consider where you’re buying your food from and what the expectation of “fresh” is. When it comes to fast food establishments, the convenience and speedy turn-around time are because many of the items are pre-packaged and follow a specific workflow, with cooking mechanisms devised solely for producing these menu items.
However, there are some patrons who still hold the expectation for asking for “fresh” food when visiting fast food locations, an idea that Wendy’s employee T-anna Mariie (@vibewmarie__) put on blast in a recent clip she posted on TikTok.
@vibewmarie__ #wendysdrivethru #fyp #trending ♬ original sound – Sunshynelove21
In the video, she is sitting at an ordering POS system. A text overlay appears on the screen that reads, “What I be thinking in my head when customers ask for they stuff to be fresh.”
The TikToker then lip-syncs a sound that features a woman laughing and saying, “Girl, fuck them kids and fuck you, too.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to T-anna via TikTok comment and Wendy’s via email for further information.
The idea of asking for a “fresh” order at fast food locations is one that’s oft-discussed online. In a Quora post, one McDonald’s employee said that don’t take issue with customers who ask for fresh food as they are paying for the best possible quality they can get for their order. However, they said a customer’s politeness is key.
“I work at McDonald’s, and honestly, just politely tell the cashier you want it fresh. There’s nothing wrong with you wanting fresh food, and you paid for it, you get to ask for it however you like,” they wrote. “As long as you’re polite about it, there shouldn’t be a problem.”
Others said that custom orders for food usually means that no matter what customers are going to receive a fresh order, like ordering a “plain” double cheeseburger with no condiments or accouterments, or added ingredients, i.e. a burger with Big Mac sauce.
A number of viewers of T-Anna’s post who work for fast food chains like Wendy’s agreed with the ire expressed in her five-second clip.
One user wrote, “They act like the order takers be making and bagging their food too”
Another penned, “No, when the ask the cashier is it fresh. IDK I DIDNT MAKE IT”
Others argued that if customers are concerned about their food being freshly prepared, the solution is for them to simply make it at home. “It’s always fresh when you make it yourself at home,” one commented.
Someone who said that they were a McDonald’s employee quipped that they had a “hack” of their own for customers who asked for “fresh” fries. “At McDonald’s we’d just throw them fries back in the fryer for a few more seconds lmfaooo,” they claimed.
