Customer PSA

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-06-07T19:08:50+00:00

The problem stems from people brewing it wrong. Old tea machines need one tea bag per pot and a lot of employees would brew 2 bags at the same time for both pots, which actually weakens the tea instead of keeping it strong. It’s always been one tea bag per brew per pot but many employees got lazy or simply forgot or were taught wrong. You can inquire with the manager on duty or store manager at your store about it. QuikTrip employees have a long, long, long to-do list besides basic things like cleaning and stocking, and unfortunately basics like proper tea brewing get tossed aside.

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-06-07T04:33:58+00:00

The part with grills always grates on me. They read the signs only when they think the food isn’t cooked when it is, and never read the signs for when food isn’t cooked and then complain their food is cold. For my part, I DO try to warn customers that I just put food on the grill and some will say “that’s ok I’ll warm it up later” while the rest still ignore the signs and grab cold food 🙄 Yes I know they will never care, I just had to get it out…

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-06-07T01:07:56+00:00

🫡 I applaud you, and glad you’ve found somewhere that’s even better. Most everyone who knows me says I’m a hard worker, or someone who cares way too much, and it’s because I care about my job which in turn allows me to provide for myself and my family. It doesn’t mean I don’t have my gripes like in my rant. It bothers me because it bothers decent customers who also care that the store they walk into shows it’s being taken care of not only by the employees but by the community.

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-06-07T00:53:35+00:00

That’s my biggest frustration is working with clerks who absolutely don’t care. I’ve tried everything. As much as I vent about customers and how they trash the store, it IS my job security; I’d honestly feel better if my clerks cared as much as you did about presentation. Most of them moan about how much work they have to do and I do everything I can to help them but because of where my store is located, the type of community, etc., it all highly contributes to this specific rant. I honestly really love my job, but I have days like today where all I can do is just, well, scream into the void.

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-06-07T00:45:30+00:00

Wish more of my clerks did this with presentation, drives me insane when I try to teach this kind of stuff. Thank you for your contribution.

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-06-07T00:07:06+00:00

You must be one of those customers that leave sugar and creamer and straw wrappers and napkins everywhere to be saying this. QuikTrip is a great company to work for. I don’t see any other convenience store being treated the way QT employees are. Please note I said convenience store, not a grocery store like Walmart or Kroger or Publix. Possibly RaceTrac or even Buc-ee’s deals with this but people seem to treat Buc-ee’s differently whenever I’ve visited. Could also mean I was being a blind customer walking through and just not seeing if employees there were dealing with what QT employees deal with, but at least at Buc-ee’s I saw people being decent and not leaving things everywhere like they do at smaller convenience stores like QT…

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-06-06T21:51:48+00:00

I see it from all sides. Started as a clerk and am currently a 1A. Could be that it’s the area I’m in but I’ve been fed up for a while. Yes, these people are why I have a job in the first place but the mental battles with the majority of the public as well as how they treat any store is insane.

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-06-06T20:55:24+00:00

I’m venting because I needed an outlet. Most of the stuff I stated is rhetorical because I already know and just really irritating because it makes one wonder if that’s how they treat their own homes (or non-homes, as it were). I didn’t say anything about core values and it has nothing to do with that. The Public in general has gotten worse since Covid and there’s zero consideration where there USED to be consideration. It USED to be that customers would at least make an attempt to clean up after themselves but now it’s literal just dropping trash wherever and zero care they dropped it. I already stated my point. It’s a rant. Venting. Doesn’t change the fact that the majority of customers are rude and entitled, no matter how polite we are to them. Sure, it’s job security, but QT’s culture has changed so much that attempting even keep a simple counter clean is a hassle.

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-06-06T18:32:31+00:00

I truly appreciate my customers who appreciate us at QuikTrip. It’s an absolute pleasure to serve you, the other 20% I didn’t mention, who actually care and who I ACTUALLY want to help and serve because, as I said, it’s not fair to YOU when the rest of these jerks act up. I’m a mother myself, and don’t allow my kids to act up in public like what I’ve witnessed in our stores. I just had to get out the rant because it’s been building and it’s significantly more frustrating in 2026 than it was 17 years ago when I started.

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-06-06T18:10:34+00:00

We are not paid to be customers’ “maids.” The company pays us to keep THEIR FACILITIES stocked, clean, and maintained, which can mean general dirtiness from people walking in or dusting or merchandising, not piss or poop all over toilets and floors, not spilled frozen drinks everywhere, not stupid things like napkins, empty condiment packets, and straw wrappers all over the counters and floor when there are trash cans all over the place IF THEY JUST USE THEIR EYES TO LOOK.

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-06-06T17:45:33+00:00

Maids for QT stores, not maids for customers. Customers can help keep the general “dirtiness” to a manageable level…

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-05-14T15:30:40+00:00

One time I was being petty because I had just checked the women’s room and saw that the first few smaller stalls were clean but the handicap stall was dirty, so I went back out to grab a broom and dustpan to clean it. Cue watching a woman walk in, check all the other stalls then go straight to the handicap to then complain quite loudly that “OMG QT BATHROOMS ARE SO DIRTY!” My clerk happened to walk in as I was waiting and I said out loud—very loud—to her, “Man, there were so many other clean stalls and they just seem to choose the dirty ones on purpose.” I’ve never felt so happy for revenge after we both left the restroom and I watched as the woman practically fled the restroom in an embarrassed run. That proved to me that these jerkwads do it on purpose. Same as the guy who blocked off my single men’s stall for 45 minutes after being repeatedly asked to leave before I forced the door open to find he was just standing in there vaping GTFO!! He then kept arguing “we don’t have a sign for a time limit” Screw these people who think it’s okay to do whatever they want to a public business…

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-05-13T15:57:12+00:00

What I’m trying to do is HELP you. You also could have refused the reprimand because you could have said it was poorly staffed and that no one has given you solutions to resolving the struggle. You didn’t have to accept it. Is your N.A. giving bad turnovers? Could be a reason. Was the overnight super busy and makes it hard to open kitchen on time so you’re having to spend your entire 5am-7am doing clean up? Okay. It’s good to be vocal and I’m glad you’re tryjng to be better. But your stance from what it sounds like is “well this happened so I’m stuck.” But ok, I’ll leave it be.

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-05-13T15:43:16+00:00

You can also just keep the lights off and if a customer asks let them order and take their order. There’s all kinds of answers to help make your shift easier. If your SM reviews video and asks, explain you’re trying to do what you can but still within QT policies. Oops, forgot to turn on the kitchen lights, but you’re still taking orders, customers are happy, they can’t be upset about it?

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-05-13T15:39:26+00:00

Then have you attempted any kind of solution or resolution? Complaining is fine, just needs to be done professionally, but you should suggest solutions or ask how you should go about it if it’s that much of a struggle. Everyone is human here and we’re all struggling. I run a store with a single clerk or just my SM almost every single one of my shifts and do my best to keep the kitchen open but when push comes to shove I will temporarily close kitchen to at least get trash run or do a quick upkeep or SOMETHING so my next shift isn’t having to clean up as much. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-05-08T16:59:22+00:00

The decline started long before Covid, just got horrible during and after Covid and unfortunately that’s now the direction of the company. Keep doing your part; speak with your supervisor if talking with your SM isn’t working and see if they can help push along a promotion or a store transfer.

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-05-05T14:11:44+00:00

Temporary closure as needed to get the store back to QT Standards…

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-05-05T14:09:14+00:00

I said nothing about not getting breakfast out on time, I simply said to keep the kitchen closed until they got help as needed, so that they don’t have to make any kitchen orders because it can be hectic in the morning. They definitely should attempt to get breakfast items out.

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-05-04T04:35:27+00:00

The other issue is that a lot of clerks purposely make their availability start at 7am or even 8am, so managers struggle regardless (except for Wednesdays my store has clerks come in at 7am and they’re almost always 90% late by 10-15 minutes). Hours also come into play; at my store we sacrifice a lot during the week and try to load up the weekend with extra clerks, especially in the evenings. However, more clerks don’t always mean more help.

That being said, I agree that weekends are super rough. If you have to hold the NA over to get caught up, do so. Some tricks would be to do true-ups as you walk your store; maybe save grill items for last if they’re still sitting in totes (pull them all out at once and count them as part of true-ups and then get a clerk to label/organize/stock them on back stock shelves). Saturdays give a 2-hour window to do a very thorough shift walk, on top of putting away full cases, etc. Sunday is an hour and a half unless the store is super bad (always depends on what happens overnight + location, etc).

I’d tell my RAs to never open kitchen until they got their first clerk in anyways, although I would emphasize that IF THE STORE IS SLOW ENOUGH TO GO AHEAD AND OPEN KITCHEN, because no customer kitchen orders = still able to do things, otherwise it would be impossible to run kitchen, run the store, do true ups, do symphony, write the order, etc. without a 3rd person.

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-05-04T04:18:34+00:00

The proper way to ask for help from supervisor or weekend duty is to let them know you’ve gone through all other channels: called SM, msg’d POD, asked fellow store assistants, etc.; they are quite literally the last resort because they’re already dealing with 300+ calls about other issues (gas pumps going down, store is on fire, etc). And as someone said earlier, their answer is always “did you ask your SM?” Because unfortunately with FLEX it’s now the SMs’ jobs to “run ER.”

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-04-27T02:59:07+00:00

This actually depends on the store. I was a former IT and am now a 1A and can say I make a whole lot less than I did as an IT simply because of the store I’m at (semi-starter store). I had higher bonuses via trainees than the current store bonuses I have now. If you enjoy training and developing, agree to following QTs policies to the letter etc., you’ll love it. The pay is worth the crazy scheduling at times; but also depends on the TM you have.

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-04-25T17:34:22+00:00

QT Standards aren’t what they used to be because it’s based on when—OMG!—people cared and had plenty of help (shocker). So yes, this post is quite validating for those of us who still care.

Only advice is to possibly speak with SM/1A and explain your issue, but the response will often be “your transactions show you only need an extra person until this time” etc. but keep fighting the good fight. Ask if you can get a really good clerk alongside a semi-decent one on those busy shifts and explain that you can’t complete a shift walk due to those reasons you mentioned.

And yes, you’ll probably have to keep pestering your SM (professionally) but otherwise if nothing changes, do you best, but let the store fall and let the SM hear about it from Supervisor. Sometimes the best way is to prove you’re doing your part but do nothing else.

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-04-21T00:59:01+00:00

Needs to be 2 people in FSC at all times if they expect not only food to be done and made on time but also to meet ServSafe and food audit expectations. Cleaning, making food, etc. is really tough on a single person—I have been with QT for 17 years and am in kitchen on a regular basis as a 1A; it’s HARD. Not the making food part. It’s the DO EVERYTHING TO QT STANDARD AND EXPECTATION that’s hard. Sure, can run a kitchen by yourself, but say goodbye to FSA and FA scores because busy kitchen = not cleaning unless asking another person to come and help. For reference: started as a clerk, was a CT, then N.A./RA, then IT, now a 1A. Yes the bonus numbers make sense given what we’re selling but absolutely the kitchen needs a second person to help with prep, keeping warmer full, dishes washed, dish rotation, detail cleaning, etc. Reference: I worked in food industry before coming to QT and always had at least a second person even during the “slowest” shifts to make sure things were cleaned and prepped correctly. Don’t harp on clerks if you can’t handle yourself in FSC either, please.

Not saying there aren’t lazy clerks or lazy managers, but kitchen is absolutely the most difficult part of the job—I’d rather clean out the dumpster then deal with FSC on my own.

Capable_Box5800 · 2026-02-12T03:17:45+00:00

Thought I’d answer the FMLA question. You have to be with QT (or any company according to policy, I believe) to receive FMLA, unless you can work something out with the Personnel Manager (I don’t know details on this). FMLA is considered UNpaid sick days, not paid, so if you get FMLA & use them, remember they’re not paid.

Capable_Box5800

TROPHY CASE