“Talk to me, talk to me” are familiar words heard echoing from Original Burger through the second floor of The HUB (Student Union Building II). The voice beckons customers in line to choose the toppings they want piled on their burgers and has become a hallmark element of the Original Burger experience. But what is the story behind this voice? And what makes Original Burger so efficient in delivering hot, quality burgers to customers?
“It’s all about teamwork here. Everyone works together,” Original Burger shift supervisor Abdul Kowsar said. “We try to deliver 100-percent customer satisfaction.”
At Original Burger, customers can customize their burgers any way they want and can choose from several different meats, toppings and sauces. Additionally, customers can choose from a variety of milkshakes and salads.
by Justin Lalputan
But customized burgers are not the only part of the Original Burger experience. Team member Rob McCrary, the man behind the voice greeting customers in line with “Talk to me,” has been working at Original Burger since the new dining venue was opened in spring 2011. McCrary leaves his home in Lorton, Va., around 8 a.m. each day, taking three different buses to reach work around 10:45 a.m. Despite the long commute, McCrary enjoys his job and regularly converses with customers.
“If students didn’t enjoy the service, they wouldn’t come. I keep an upbeat spirit to keep the students happy,” McCrary said.
When Original Burger grows busy — particularly at lunchtime — Kowsar, McCrary and the team move customers through the line quickly and with ease, listening carefully and attentively to each customer’s order. Asked about his talent for filling orders quickly and accurately, McCrary said, “It’s a gift from God. I’ve been cooking for years, and I know that some customers may not know what they want. So I try to help them along by saying, ‘talk to me.’”
Problems may occur during business hours, but the team has a plan for those, too. “Usually, if we have problems with a smaller machine, we have a back-up machine that we can plug in,” Kowsar said.
According to McCrary, the “Meal Deal” is among the most popular choices on the menu at Original Burger. The “Meal Deal,” which customers purchase using a Mason Money Card, includes one quarter-pound cheeseburger, toppings, french fries and a fountain drink. Occasionally, an order will be placed for a burger that goes above and beyond the normal order. Appropriately named the “Triple-decker,” it features three quarter-pound or three third-pound patties and includes a choice of cheese and all available toppings.
Original Burger is popular with customers, particularly when it comes to quality.
William Callahan, a junior global affairs major, said, “The food keeps us coming back. It [gives us] a good kind of ‘full [feeling].’”
For Kowsar, Original Burger is more than just a job — it’s a community where co-workers support one another to deliver the best service possible. “Everyone’s nice here, and we all work together. If team members see another team member struggling, they pitch in to help,” Kowsar said.
Keeping customers happy is at the core of working at Original Burger, according to McCrary. “I enjoy the students. I don’t have a lot of money, but my riches are in seeing them happy.”
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