Taco Bell — Restaurant in Town of Cicero

On 11/10/2024 around 9pm, I had the most bizarre experience at this Taco Bell. I pulled in the drive thru, and waited behind a vehicle that waited at the speaker for a bit before driving away. I decided to wait at the speaker too until about 4 cars pulled in behind me. I drove up to the window to let someone know nobody was on the headset where a gentleman was ready to hand me someone’s food. I said, “I didn’t order yet, no one is on the headset,” and a woman ran over to apologize. I told her it’s alright, I’m happy to drive back in line so you can take care of these folks first because they’ve been waiting and people are driving off. I didn’t mind waiting for a bit more and the line went fairly quickly.

When I get to the window, I pay and the woman hands me drinks, and I end up waiting for a while now. She hands me a large white plastic bag full of food including nacho fries just thrown on top. I didn’t order those, so I realize this is a completely different order. I have to wave her back to the window to show her this wasn’t mine. She looked at me confused until I showed her the bag had a receipt for “Christopher”. She apologizes again and takes the food back and tosses it back on the counter.

I wait again and a couple people come over to say it’ll be out soon. The first lady comes back and hands me a small bag with yet another person’s order in it. When I tell her she loses her cool, tells me something about them having a new system, and while I’m trying to tell her what my actual order is (she asked), she throws off her headset and storms off, leaving the other two workers, another lady and a young guy, to figure it out. I was very patient, and I never raised my voice or did anything to warrant her storming off. I felt like I was in crazyville where I speak a foreign language or something!!!

I have to give the young guy my receipt to figure out my order. Turns out they never even made my order so I’m now waiting at the window with a line behind me while my food is completely made. I’m honestly embarrassed at this point as it’s been nearly 25 minutes, so I get the young guy’s attention and ask if there’s any way I can get a refund. He says, “You don’t want the food?” I said, “No I want the food, I’m just wondering if I can get a refund for the trouble.” He says he can’t do that, so ok whatever I’m just done by this point and figure I’ll follow up in some way once I can get out of the drive thru.

I’m handed a large white plastic bag with mine and my husband’s food— two tacos, two chalupas, a quesadilla, and sauce cups— thrown inside. They clearly had paper bags (the second wrong order was in one), so why did they serve all these orders in enormous plastic bags, no boxes, where everything laid haphazardly? Of course, I was missing items, so I have to ask once more for the rest of my food, which I’m left WAITING AGAIN for, which I receive in a paper bag.

Why did I basically have to beg these kids to do their job? I did call as soon as I could to speak to a manager, which I’ve never had the nerve to do before, but I should have known better that there wasn’t really a manager there. The second female worker answers the phone and says she’s the manager, and while I’m telling her what’s going on, I hear her telling the first female worker what I’m saying. The first female worker absolutely starts FLIPPING OUT in the background about me because I’m the one that drove around (still wondering what I even did wrong!) and the second female worker says something about “let me ask my GM”. The so-called GM was the young guy that helped me at the window. He tells me, “I already told you I couldn’t give you a refund because you took the food,” and said how he gave me coupons. He starts arguing, so I told him to get it together, and hung up. I’m sure they served Christopher and the other customer the food was handled in my car.

I called my husband when I pulled into the drive through to get his order, he heard the whole thing, and the phone call was 30 minutes long when I left. Ridiculous experience. The food...

This is an update of a prior review...which was also 2 stars. That one was for consistency in screwing up orders. Good news. They seem to have fixed that. Bad news, the issue may be from higher up. Went in at just after 7PM on Sunday, April 23rd. There was a line at the drive thru. The car at the head seemed to be ordering Thanksgiving dinner. I couldn't hear anything, so I didn't know if it was them or just no staff and they were waiting. Turns out it was both. Every car took longer than usual. When I got to the speaker, I asked how the person was doing. There was an obvious pause. She said "not good" and elaborated. She said they were trying to close (at 7PM????), and that lots of cars keep coming and ordering large orders. Hours away 1AM, so I cannot come to grips with the early closing nonsense. I did sense her frustration. I got to the window and she looked as I assumed; labret, kinda shaggy hair, and a general look of discontent. Normally, this would irritate me. In her case, it didn't. She was at work...unlike the rest of her generation. I do not inherently assume it's because she's got a great work ethic and just wants to look "punk." For all I know, her parents force her to work. Maybe she has no choice, however the welfare state tends to make that a non starter. Considering that truth, I will give her the benefit of the doubt. She isn't taking the lazy way out. Management, however, may be. The Biden stay at home and collect plan has ended. With every one of these kids who is done wrong before they ever finish high school, we end up with exponentially more deadbeats, unwilling to enter the work force. Tell me about the high minimum wage, and I'll tell you, you let it happen. If the largest corporations in the country/world aren't willing to stand up against government regulations, who will? If you have no employees or the food and service suck, you will close. In this economy,...

Hopefully there are some changes made to this establishment. I understand retail and having to hire any warm body who applies,but the first issue of tonight was - Coming to pay at the window, the young guy did not read me my total. I knew what it was from the lady who read it to me after I ordered from the menu. So after he hands his hand out, I give him exact change. My total was 30.09 according to the total given at the digital menu, and I handed him 40.09. He proceeds to hand me back my.09. I said you owe me $10.00 back. He seemed confused and got a manager who did not apologize but asked me what I gave him. Maybe if he had read the total out to me in the first place,and gave me a receipt or if he had any common sense. I got back $10.09. No apology from her. "Here you go." and I didn't even get my drinks at that point when she probably would have liked to have thrown my change at me even though I wasn't rude about it, I just wanted what was clearly mine- my $10.00 after I paid. No receipt, one soda was out of syrup and I have no idea if I was missing any food at this point. Luckily this is my last time going here. At least chick fil a is nice about things. I get mistakes happen or you're having a bad day but there is no need to take it out on someone who did nothing wrong or wasn't acting like a Karen. Take it out on the kid who clearly can't figure out $40.09 - $30.09 is $10 dollars back,even without a calculator. Simple retail or fast food places also say the total before they place their hands out. Huge...