Braum's

[Roger S]

A malt is just a shake with this powder added to it.

Unless you just added it to milk like I did as a kid... Then it's really thin.

[tomokc]

Had such a bad experience in the drive-through at a Braum's last weekend that I have vowed never to return. I'm not an always/never kind of guy (although I swore off McDonald's for a year a long time ago), but this one tore the sheets for me. Never again.

We were in the drive-through waiting for our order at the second window, two ahead of us in the penalty box, a huge line behind us, nobody moving except for an employee smoking a cigarette. Five minutes later there was no activity and no employee at the window, so I decided to walk inside and check. There was a large crowd standing around the counter waiting for their dine-in orders, and one employee by herself bagging food, which she took to the first car in the penalty box. That was it for us.

Never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever again.

[Jim Kyle]

We were in the drive-through waiting for our order at the second window, two ahead of us in the penalty box, a huge line behind us, nobody moving except for an employee smoking a cigarette.

Just out of curiosity, where is that Braum's? I've never been to one that had more than one window for the drive-thru, and haven't seen a penalty box at any of them either -- although both features are common at many McDonald's sites (I think the two-window design is now standard for them)...

[trousers]

39th Penn has the two window setup.

[macfoucin]

I had a similar experience as tomokc at the Braums in Ardmore. I guarantee you we waited in the drive thru line for 45 minutes, we get to the window and I said something about the wait and the kid started crying. I called corporate and complained and stayed away from Braums for a few months. I've been to other drive thrus with no problems. ..just think they were shorthanded.

[hoya]

Braum's is notoriously slow, but I haven't had an experience that bad. I don't think they run their stores very efficiently, there's always some kid back there who appears to be doing nothing. But the Steak and Shake in MWC makes Braum's look like it's run by Speedy Gonzalez.

[SoonerDave]

Just out of curiosity, where is that Braum's? I've never been to one that had more than one window for the drive-thru, and haven't seen a penalty box at any of them either -- although both features are common at many McDonald's sites (I think the two-window design is now standard for them)...

Oh yeah. Two-window plus penalty box has been SOP for McD's for a looong time now.

[Roger S]

Just out of curiosity, where is that Braum's? I've never been to one that had more than one window for the drive-thru, and haven't seen a penalty box at any of them either -- although both features are common at many McDonald's sites (I think the two-window design is now standard for them)...

Both of the Braum's in Moore have two windows, The one near I-240 and Shields has two also..... The only ones I still go to that only have one window are the two in Ardmore.

[traxx]

I just don't understand why Braum's can't get it together. Other drive throughs restaurants can do it with out making you wait for 20 minutes. Why can't Braum's? When I've had long waits at Sonic, they've comped my meal. Braum's never offers that because making you wait forever is SOP. If they comped every meal of a person who waited an exorbitant amount of time, they'd go out of business.

[SoonerDave]

I just don't understand why Braum's can't get it together. Other drive throughs restaurants can do it with out making you wait for 20 minutes. Why can't Braum's? When I've had long waits at Sonic, they've comped my meal. Braum's never offers that because making you wait forever is SOP. If they comped every meal of a person who waited an exorbitant amount of time, they'd go out of business.

Sonic wouldn't even offer me a free drink a while back while my family waited 30 MEASURED MINUTES for an order to come out. THIRTY. Called their corporate office and they couldn't care less. That particular sonic has been on my only-if-absolutely-necessary list since that time.

The new McD's on SW 104th and May is setting Guinness Records for McSlowness. We don't even like to go there anymore - just head up to 89th and Penn. Yeah, it's that slow.

[tomokc]

Just out of curiosity, where is that Braum's? I've never been to one that had more than one window for the drive-thru, and haven't seen a penalty box at any of them either -- although both features are common at many McDonald's sites (I think the two-window design is now standard for them)...

Jim, it was in Muskogee at 701 S. 32nd (Hwy 64/69).

Never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever again!

[OKCDrummer77]

I'm not the most frequent drive-thru user, so this may be a silly question, but what is a "penalty box" in this context?

[Martin]

I'm not the most frequent drive-thru user, so this may be a silly question, but what is a "penalty box" in this context?

if a drive-thru customer's order will take a long time to complete, some restaurants will direct them to a designated waiting area instead of holding up all of the other customers. -M

[kevinpate]

if a drive-thru customer's order will take a long time to complete, some restaurants will direct them to a designated waiting area instead of holding up all of the other customers. -M

Also known as the color coded trouble makers hidey hole.

[PennyQuilts]

I prefer malts too.... How many of you drank malted milk as a kid?

Husband likes malts but they taste nasty, to me.

[PennyQuilts]

I had a similar experience as tomokc at the Braums in Ardmore. I guarantee you we waited in the drive thru line for 45 minutes, we get to the window and I said something about the wait and the kid started crying. I called corporate and complained and stayed away from Braums for a few months. I've been to other drive thrus with no problems. ..just think they were shorthanded.

My folks lived out by the NE 63/Bryant Braums and we'd swing by with the kids to get a shake for their Grandma when we'd visit. Their drive through Lane was a trap you couldn't escape from and they were super, super slow. Mom loved those shakes but what a pain.

[OKVision4U]

My folks lived out by the NE 63/Bryant Braums and we'd swing by with the kids to get a shake for their Grandma when we'd visit. Their drive through Lane was a trap you couldn't escape from and they were super, super slow. Mom loved those shakes but what a pain.

Your statement was "spot-on". Their products are good, but not worth the pain to go through it.

Someone stated previously that the "parking lots are full and they always have a FULL line at the drive thru". You are correct, they get you in there and you can't get out!

[venture]

Those of us here in S Norman are just lucky I guess. Lindsey St location is rarely backed up even though business is very steady. Most likely there needs to be some evaluation of the management at the locations that are under performing. I'm still not going to slam an entire chain based on isolated locations. The BK on 12th and Alameda here in Norman had is waiting 40 minutes for food at one point. Everything got comped. Taco Bell on Lindsey and 12th always seems to screw orders up. With both of those examples I can still find another location that I've had quality service from. Fix the problems but the constant moaning of people that aren't actually reaching out to the company to get the issues addressed doesn't really solve anything.

[Easy180]

Lines are slower because everyone and their dog gets shakes with their meals. If you have been through the inside ice cream line you see there is a little bit to making the shake. Guess they could switch to pre-made shakes to hurry up the line but I'm pretty sure that would put them out of business.

[Garin]

Easy beat me to it....it's the shakes that slows everything down, it hand dipped not soft serve.

[OKVision4U]

Lines are slower because everyone and their dog gets shakes with their meals. If you have been through the inside ice cream line you see there is a little bit to making the shake. Guess they could switch to pre-made shakes to hurry up the line but I'm pretty sure that would put them out of business.

Hey Easy, but this has happened to me when I go inside the store, ..walk up to the counter, ...try to make eye contact w/ the 12 year old behind the counter, and order a Dbl dip of Chocolate Almond? Please tell me why he gets that "frozen look" when he looks back at the register? ....and then tells me "sir, we are out of that flavor"? I ask, How long have you been out of Chocolate Almond? He tells me, "over a week." I then I ask him, "did the truck not stop here this morning?" "yes it did." Did it stop here yesterday? "yes it did." I tell him, "it stops here every day doesn't it?" He said, "yes sir". What is on the truck when it makes deliveries? ...he said "ice cream & milk". (I give up).

[Easy180]

Hey Easy, but this has happened to me when I go inside the store, ..walk up to the counter, ...try to make eye contact w/ the 12 year old behind the counter, and order a Dbl dip of Chocolate Almond? Please tell me why he gets that "frozen look" when he looks back at the register? ....and then tells me "sir, we are out of that flavor"? I ask, How long have you been out of Chocolate Almond? He tells me, "over a week." I then I ask him, "did the truck not stop here this morning?" "yes it did." Did it stop here yesterday? "yes it did." I tell him, "it stops here every day doesn't it?" He said, "yes sir". What is on the truck when it makes deliveries? ...he said "ice cream & milk". (I give up).

Doesn't sound like you were talking to the employee in charge of placing inventory orders. Could be mismanagement, could be the flavor wasn't available at the plant or it could be they were in the process of discontinuing that flavor.

Either way it doesn't do any good to grill a front line employee on their inventory.

[OKVision4U]

Doesn't sound like you were talking to the employee in charge of placing inventory orders. Could be mismanagement, could be the flavor wasn't available at the plant or it could be they were in the process of discontinuing that flavor.

Either way it doesn't do any good to grill a front line employee on their inventory.

Well, it doesn't sound like anyone was ordering anything. Mismanagement, that is a "constant" not the exception. The flavor is a staple of theirs, it's not one they have to "re-structure" the production line for a special run of Chocolate Almond (and it is in the 1 gal. in the freezer section, btw).

Grilling the front-line employee? ...I had great hopes for that flavor. That wasn't "grilling", I was a customer asking about a product(s) availability.

FWIW, I know there is a large fleet of trucks that leave the plant each day with Ice Cream & Milk on them, ...they can't blame it on someone not "shipping" them the right one. Only themselves to blame. Their plant, their trucks traveling less than 30 miles, their ordering process.

It is the norm....like you said Easy, Mismanagement. I agree w/ you and so many others do so as well.

[Easy180]

Well, it doesn't sound like anyone was ordering anything. Mismanagement, that is a "constant" not the exception. The flavor is a staple of theirs, it's not one they have to "re-structure" the production line for a special run of Chocolate Almond (and it is in the 1 gal. in the freezer section, btw).

Grilling the front-line employee? ...I had great hopes for that flavor. That wasn't "grilling", I was a customer asking about a product(s) availability.

FWIW, I know there is a large fleet of trucks that leave the plant each day with Ice Cream & Milk on them, ...they can't blame it on someone not "shipping" them the right one. Only themselves to blame. Their plant, their trucks traveling less than 30 miles, their ordering process.

It is the norm....like you said Easy, Mismanagement. I agree w/ you and so many others do so as well.

Works for me. Get back with us if you encounter a situation where they run out of milk or burgers. Being out of one ice cream flavor isn't very damning

[OKVision4U]

Works for me. Get back with us if you encounter a situation where they run out of milk or burgers. Being out of one ice cream flavor isn't very damning

Easy you may not be that aware of Braum's and what they offer. They sell Ice Cream ( is made from MILK). I was just giving you an example.

Braum's as an organization, has issues. They are losing market-share to the others now.... Steak & Shake / Freddy's / Sonic / and now DQ. I don't have to get that upset anymore, I have options now.