I finally figured out why my customers get so grumpy about the ketchup packets

I work drive thru at a burger joint near the highway in Phoenix, and I noticed a big change over the last year. Before the pandemic, people would just grab a handful of ketchup and go, no drama. But now, every shift I get at least three people flipping out because I only gave them two packets. I think lockdowns made everyone weird about hoarding supplies, like they're scared we'll run out. Last week a guy literally demanded 20 packets for a single order of fries. I told him we have a limit of four per item now because of supply chain stuff, and he gave me this death stare like I personally invented the shortage. Has anyone else's store had to set packet limits cause customers lost their minds?

2 comments

2 Comments

blairm351d ago

Oh wow yeah I actually saw some article about how people got super weird about condiment packets during lockdowns. Something about scarcity mindset kicking in hard. It's nuts that someone would ask for 20 ketchups for one fries order though, like what are you doing with all that, deep frying them?

terry122h ago

Haha oh man that reminds me of this guy I used to work with who had a whole drawer in his desk filled with hot sauce packets he'd grab from the cafeteria. Like every single day he'd pocket like eight of them. One day I asked him about it and he just goes "you never know when you're gonna need a little extra heat" with a totally straight face lol. I think some people just get a weird thrill from hoarding free stuff even if it's literally just ketchup or hot sauce. It's like they see it as a little victory against the system or something. But yeah 20 packets for one fries is insane, unless they're making some kind of ketchup soup at home.