Yes, I definitely realize fast food is not good for me. Yes, I shouldn’t eat it. But sometimes I give in. I can blame it on the kids — who complain as if they are very deprived since we rarely go there — but I’m not sure that’s entirely fair.

Anyway, we’re getting to the point where the kids meals are not always enough for them. A 10-piece order of chicken nuggets for the kids and I to share helps with that, and if I’m going to have some I want Hot Mustard Sauce to go with them.  Not honey mustard sauce. Not barbecue sauce. Hot Mustard Sauce. It’s been a choice since they introduced their nuggets decades ago (at least here in the US).

So today, when I asked for Hot Mustard Sauce, the woman behind the counter gave me an odd look. That was not a good sign. She reached under the counter and pulled out a couple of packets of regular yellow mustard. Not exactly what I asked for. The conversation went something like this…

Me: Ummm, can I have hot mustard sauce?

Server: That is mustard.

Me: Yes, but I asked for hot mustard sauce. This is regular mustard.

Server: We have honey mustard.

Me: No, I don’t want honey mustard. You have a hot mustard sauce. It comes in a square small package.

Server: We don’t have that. We have honey mustard.

Me: You’ve always had it before…

At this point I’m thinking, perhaps it was discontinued? It has been a while since I’ve gotten this fast food. The server, meanwhile goes to get the rest of our order.

Server (to the manager): Do we have hot mustard sauce?

Manager (pointing under the counter by the register): Yes, it’s right there next to the others.

It’s at this point the Server comes back to the register and reaches under the counter.

Manager (watching the server obviously still not getting it right): No, to the right.

Manager: No, the next one.

Finally, without saying a word the Server pulls out a package of Hot Mustard Sauce and puts it down with our order.

Now, do I dare mention that for the three of us, we really need more than one?

Although I haven’t actually calculated it, I’d guess about 50% of the time when I receive change from a cashier they hand me the bills then attempt to place any coins carefully on top of the bills. Excuse me, but what’s wrong with these people?

You would think that as they watched some of the coins slip off and fall to the floor they just might realize it would be so much easier to put the coins in my hand first, and then the bills. You would think this is something they would eventually learn. Sadly, I don’t think they ever will.

In addition, placing the coins on top of the bills virtually guarantees that I’ll need two hands to put away my change. If I’m holding bills in one hand and balancing coins on top of them, how am I supposed to put them away like that? Especially if I’ve got a hot cup of coffee in the other hand?

It’s simple: when giving change you should ALWAYS give the coins first, then the bills.