Dunkin’ Donuts

I think I’m spoiled. I’m going to admit that up front. When I go to Dunkin’ Donuts branches out in New Jersey, I generally order, the cashier takes my order and within 5 – 10 minutes whatever food I ordered magically appears at the end of the counter. I mean really, this is what happens no matter whether it’s the branches in Elizabeth or Linden.
So when I entered this (relatively) new Dunkin’ Donuts near my job I assumed the process would be the same. It was rush hour in the AM so I expected to wait on line, and to be honest I was very pleased with how fast the line moved.
Then I got to the cashier and I specified I only wanted a turkey egg white sandwich and she kept trying to upsell. She automatically put in the hash browns. I stressed I didn’t want the hash browns (they’re delicious and wonderfully unhealthy). She changed the order. Then I ordered the veggie egg white sandwich (I make it a point to use the word sandwich) and she tried to up sell with a coffee. Okay, we all have a hustle right? So I let it go, took my receipt and stood to the side and waited.
And waited.
As I stood there, one person after another got their order.
And I waited some more.
After every person who was on line with me had left, I looked at my receipt and my phone and realized I had been there 15 minutes. I showed the receipt to one of the employees who was bringing the food to the front. She looked at my receipt, told me she already made the food and aggressively told me that someone must have «taken it». Excuse me? Is this number on my receipt for fun? To give me something to read while I’m standing there? Why did my order go to someone who didn’t have my receipt?
She took my receipt, went to the back in a huff to make my order. No apologies, not even the hint of empathy on her face. Just pure annoyance.
23 minutes after I had put in my order I could finally leave. The food itself was good (hence the one star) but I will never go back. Terrible customer service and there are plenty of other choices in the area for a quick breakfast sandwich.

Stalest donuts ever; simply too old to be sold in good conscience. Do not waste money in this place.

I guess the reason why people open fast food restaurants all over the place is because people know exactly what to expect. If you serve the same food at all your locations, people already know what they want. They like the coffee, the like the donuts. Much easier to turn a profit.
This particular establishment caters to the business diner. Somewhat nice. Quick. Easy. It’s relatively clean, and the neighborhood already seems to have adopted it as part of their morning.