Customer’s Point of View
Whenever I order a minicab, I have to sneak in the final question:
“How much is it going to cost?”
Whenever I order food to pick up, I have to say:
“Oops, sorry, how long is that going to take?”
In both these situations, it’s understandable that the minicab company and restaurant don’t want to volunteer the information. If the minicab company has to confirm the cost in advance, that limits the opportunity for the driver to ask for more. If the restaurant has to confirm the time, they have to make sure the food is ready by then.
I’ve learned, as a pretty basic life skill, to catch the conversation before its over and insist on asking the question. Yet I still slightly dread it and it costs me a little bit of emotional energy. I’m sure there are other, perhaps less confident, people who find it much harder, or just don’t ask.
They just book their food from the friendly restaurant who always repeat the order and confirm the cost without having to be asked.
