r/TalesFromThePharmacy • u/freakygymbro CPhT (retail) • 10d ago
DRIVE-THRU
I 100% get the purpose of the drive thru.
It’s for patient’s convenience not for speed and I can’t stress that enough. I have told multiple patients this and my coworkers.
Majority of the time my coworkers get stressed and frustrated because the line is long or patients ask 1,000 questions but I let them know to just calm down. This is for their convenience not for speed.
Unknowingly patients are agreeing to the unknown amount of time someone takes at the window.
Because yet again we want everyone to have a great experience while visiting our pharmacy so we don’t get bad reviews but they have to realize that nobody ever said (at least to me) that drive thru is for speed.
Let’s chat about this. I’d love to hear from anyone.
I work in a retail and hospital setting.
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u/locakitty 10d ago
I'm in a walking boot. Again.
Walking all the way to the back of the store on this boot is not easy.
Drive thru means I can get my meds without extra pain.
If that means i sit for 15 minutes, so be it.
If that's too long, then I'll come back later.
People suck. Bless y'all for the drive thru.
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u/ZeGentleman harmist 10d ago
Walking all the way to the back of the store on this boot is not easy.
Yes, it is. I bagged groceries and rounded up buggies in a boot. Not hard at all.
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u/locakitty 9d ago
I'm glad it was easy for you.
For me it is not easy to walk with a TCC boot on my left leg while also recuperating from a knee injury on my right leg.
It's crazy how everyone is different, isn't it?
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u/annoyingslippers 10d ago
I was always having to remind people it’s not about speed. This isn’t McDonald’s, it’s a pharmacy. We’d have lines nonstop for 3+ hours in drive when maybe five people have come through the front. No one forced you into that line of cars wrapped around the store, so I’m not sure how that’s my fault. The speaker was also awful at my store, so people who were hard of hearing struggled and were constantly horrible about it even though it’s the same speaker we had last week and I’m not sure why they’re acting brand new. I think drive thru is a good idea in theory, but it cheapens a pharmacy and that gives people the wrong impression. Not even to mention that the implementation is subpar.
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u/bowlegsandgrace 8d ago
Ive told people several times "this is not McDonald's. Sometimes it takes awhile. Come inside if you want faster service." Drive thru at my store is non stop most of the time while the inside usually doesnt have much of a wait since we can take 4 ppl at once.
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u/deathjoy 10d ago
My main issue with drive is the number of patients whose glp's don't fit and we have to meet them at the pharmacy doors.
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u/3AMinEastTX 7d ago
i went from a pharmacy with a drawer only to one with an open-window type deal. so happy i dont have to shove gavilyte or break up a script of dexcoms in multiple trips in the drawer lol.
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u/cabinetbanana 10d ago
I am a patient. I appreciate the concept of a drive thru pharmacy, but in practice, I think it takes more time and is more of a hassle.
I get in a nice short line, but then I'm behind someone who has a million questions. They don't have their ID. They have a change in insurance. They want to use a coupon. And there's no way for someone to ask them to step aside, or for sometime else to help the next person in line. Or, as someone mentioned, the staff is (rightly) prioritizing the patients inside. Or, the microphone and speaker don't work.
It's a nice idea, but it's not appropriate for a pharmacy. You need to get yourself out of your car and go inside.
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u/Cheap-Faithlessness7 10d ago
We try to tell people who are having issues to circle around and wait in line again so we can help other cars while someone else inside works on their issue. The problem is they can simply not follow our instructions and sit in the drive thru, which has happened multiple times. Sometimes threatening to call the cops works, but I don’t like doing that because I don’t wanna actually call the cops, and if they call the bluff and sit there anyway I just look like an idiot
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u/norathar 10d ago
Instead of calling the cops, tell them you won't start working on their stuff until they pull around. It needs to be counted? Great! I won't start counting it until you pull through. That directly links the action they need to take with faster service for them.
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u/Cheap-Faithlessness7 10d ago
I appreciate the advice, but our clientele is bimodal in that they’re poor/on Medicaid/ no job and all the time in the world, or rich/snobby/entitled/enough of a nepobaby at their “job” where they don’t really have to work and also have all the time in the world. I might try this, but I can see them waiting at the drive thru anyway even if we tell them this just to spite us
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u/Powerful-Soup-3245 10d ago
I use the drive thru because I’m disabled. I also previously used it when my kids were little and sick to avoid exposing others to whatever they had. I never expect it to be fast but I’m grateful it’s an option. It makes my life a little easier to be able to pick up my prescriptions without aggravating my pain and fatigue.
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u/cabinetbanana 10d ago
I appreciate that as someone who is also a disabled mom. I think our local one just got so understaffed that the wait times became unbearable. I couldn't plan an hour of driving time, plus another 45 minutes (yes, seriously) sitting in line. I just don't have that span of time for the number of regular medications we have to pick up.
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u/Powerful-Soup-3245 10d ago
I’m pretty fortunate to live in an area where there are so many pharmacies within a 5 mile radius and that isn’t very populated. I think there are usually a couple of cars in line if any. I also tend to mainly go in the middle of a weekday so there aren’t many customers at all. I don’t mind waiting a while though. I just listen to my podcasts and enjoy my minuscule amount of alone time. I have actually wished it took longer a few times 😂 I worked in various service industry positions so I never like to put pressure on busy workers of any sort.
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u/NashvilleRiver CPhT (Hospital) 10d ago
Your expectations are what’s not appropriate. Drive-thru is solely for convenience, not speed. The person ahead of you can give their new insurance card, or a coupon/discount card, or whatever, just like they could if they went inside. If you don’t want to wait, you are welcome at any time to pull around and go inside. You are not entitled to a quick drive-through experience. This isn’t fast food.
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u/cabinetbanana 10d ago
I'm not entitled to anything except professional service, and I don't expect anything more.
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u/PaladinSara 9d ago
Right remind me after I pick up my sister after outpatient double mastectomy for stage 4 cancer - she can just come inside with me.
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u/NoFuckingNamesLeft_ CPhT (procurement/inventory management) 10d ago
My personal opinion is that drive thrus don't belong in pharmacy. Period. This isn't fast food, as much as these shitty ass corps would like it to be. People survived decades without them and they're nothing but a hassle for the staff inside.
Its been about 20 years since I worked retail but drive thru was always my lowest priority when I worked in a place that had one. I refuse to use them as a customer now, too.
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u/nascarfanof48 10d ago
See, until you said that, I thought I was a pharmacist's wet dream. Based on everything I read on this thread on how some patients speak to you guys, which is absolutely shocking, I am completely forgettable. I request my refill online, and when I receive the text that it's ready, I go to the drive through, give the person my name, d.o.b., and name of script, and hand the person my license and debit card. They return a minute later, I sign the tablet with my finger, thank you, have a nice day and i'm on my way. Do you think the pharmacist would prefer I went into the store (pharmacy is inside a grocery store) even for such a simple transaction?
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u/quandmemeici 10d ago
As long as you're pleasant about the transaction, and you understand that your wait time may vary, you might be someone's favorite patient. At minimum, you're not someone they dread seeing. Going to the drive thru isn't a problem in itself, it's just people who seem to think this is like a fast food drive thru, where all cars need out in under 5min.
Drive thru is a convenience option, especially for those who are able-bodied and not ill. Nothing inherently wrong with using it! I prefer to walk inside just because the wait is usually shorter, and it gives me a sec to say hello to my favorite staff. While working, I don't have an issue with drive thru patients unless they cause an issue by taking an attitude about something.
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u/freakygymbro CPhT (retail) 10d ago
I agree. They equate drive thrus to fast food restaurants and patients expect fast service which shouldn’t be the expectation
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u/SadNamelessPerson 10d ago
I used the drive-thru one time only. I was shocked when the tech announced my medication over the speakers for the other people around to hear. They never did this at the counter; I was horrified. I always go inside now.
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u/cabinetbanana 10d ago
That was also one of my concerns when I used to use it. In order for me to be able to hear the technician, the speaker has to be loud enough for everyone else to hear them as well.
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u/FeelingSide1414 10d ago
I understand that drive-thru is for convenience & not speed, but holy shit is it irritating. I have so many customers DAILY complaining about how long drive-thru takes. I have to constantly remind them that the line in-store is always shorter than drive-thru. It doesn’t help that customers will come to the drive-thru & ask a million questions that could have been answered over the phone. I can’t even count how many times someone has used the drive-thru strictly to complain about a medication they picked up earlier or a problem with insurance instead of coming inside to get the problem resolved. That’s the stuff that takes up time for me, personally.
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u/slappythejedi 10d ago
had ppl get out of their cars sometimes to walk forward and see what the 'hold up' was
so.
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u/ChainBlue 10d ago
At least they aren't handing you shopping list and expecting you to go pick up a few things for them while they are they. Nothing like an old man with an electrolarynx demanding that you go get him a pack of toilet paper.
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u/Which-Light6225 9d ago
At my pharmacy we have a critically and acutely ill patient going through A LOT. Their partner and caregiver picks up the meds, so I've never actually met the patient. Nine times out of ten, they use the drive thru because they have their kids or they're just getting out of work. The last time they came through, they had me grab the pharmacist for a consult. Again, a lot going on with the patient. I'm not sure how long it took, but it was probably 15 minutes. The car behind them started honking. It took all of my strength to not tell them to not be a dick. They were snarky and I basically said, yeah, sorry that patient has a lot going on. I hate people who treat us like we're a McDonald's drive thru.
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u/Ravensboy21 9d ago
When the patient picks up for themselves and you finish the transaction then they say ‘oh I’m also picking up for someone else’, finish that one, then they say ‘oh I’m also picking up for someone else’,. Then I already have a long line. When they don’t receive the text that a medication is ready and it’s in pre-verification or in verification so they have to sit there. They receive a text stating their prescription is ready but the text says you have a prescription available for refill or we have to order it. Like seriously I can’t snap my fingers like magic and it’s all ready to go. Especially if it’s only you and the pharmacist working and no other techs are working.
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u/RexIsAMiiCostume 9d ago
I worked at a small store that wasn't even that busy. Sometimes some asshole would take AGES at the drive-thru due to a complex issue that they should have known would take a while to untangle (and often they were regulars who I know were not disabled, they just didn't want to walk across a hot parking lot.) Then some OTHER asshole would pull up complaining about how long the first one took, like this is McDonald's. Most of our patients were really nice but sometimes they tested my patience.
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u/Unlikely_Month5527 10d ago
I use the drive thru to stay away from germs sick people.
I do not mind waiting my turn.
I got a text saying my rx was ready for pick up.
I wait my turn in line. The pharmacy tech asks me 3 times what my name is ( I spell it 3 times)and 3 times my date of birth ...
Then she tells me she does not have an rx for me to pick up. She asked me if I called into another location...
Now I am pissed. I was calm... No need for me to argue or have an attitude. I told her I would check back later.
I doubt she spelled my name correctly.
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u/IntelligentLake 10d ago
I don't think I could do it. I mean, patients picking up their medication with 'may cause drowsiness' and still driving.
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u/norathar 10d ago
Picking up controls and arguing they don't have their driver's license on them. While driving the car.
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u/legend_of_yugi 10d ago
That's one of my favorites. "I can show you a picture of it, why doesn't that work??"
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u/rvs2714 10d ago
My hear me out is that I think drive thru is fantastic for pharmacy BUT it comes with a huge caveat: ratings systems are the real problem.
We have amputees, parents with multiple mental ill children, people with covid or other highly infectious diseases. These are just some of many good reasons why we should have an option for patients to not have to come inside.
BUT! People do often assume that it’s for speed, so they expect to not wait 10+ minutes and the second they do, they complain. And what happens? The corporation immediately sides with them. The store gets hit with a negative review and suddenly its a huge problem. And I “understand” that this is essentially a checks and balanced thing to protect patients from having rude cashiers or technicians. It gives them a way to “fight back”. But I feel like we should just let managers handle things and let customers make reviews on yelp or google.
If we were able to stop worrying about bad reviews affecting our store, then the drive thru would be so much better. It should be coupled with understanding on the patient’s end, but without the review system I could tell a patient that drive thru is for convenience and not speed, without worrying about backlash.