Is this where it all started ?

I can remember this commercial quite well… At the time, our daughter was just entering her teen years.. you know.. where anything a parent does/says… embarrasses the hell out of them !

I use to sing along with the commercial… hold the pickle .. hold the lettuce … NAKED BURGERS DON’T UPSET US …

I can remember back then with Mc Donalds… you could have things your way.. if you wanted to wait 10-15 minutes for a “special order”.. originally Mc Donald’s products were very standardized. As I remember… they had hamburgers, cheese burgers, and fish… they were all fixed ahead.. wrapped/stacked up in a keep warm area.. So.. there is where the term “fast food” really came from.. very limited selection… wrapped and sitting in a warming area.. I can also remember Mc Donalds advertising two hamburgers, fries and a soda and CHANGE FROM YOUR DOLLAR.. of course the change was < than a nickel…

Also back then, Pharmacy has dealing with <10% of PBM paying for Rxs.. so.. if you had a very demanding customer… you could add a “pt accommodation fee” to the price of their Rxs.. Since nearly everyone paid “cash”.. such things were permissible .. likewise.. if you knew that someone was having trouble making ends meet.. you could give them a “undocumented discount” to help them to afford their medication(s).

Of course, back then… the majority of the pharmacies were independents.. so you were more likely to have a one on one relationship with “your pharmacist”.. often referred to as “doc”.. the system was seemingly much more “flexible” in dealing with the general public..

Today, especially in the larger cities.. there are fewer independents… the market place is dominated with chains and PBM’s..  and everyone.. pt – chain – PBM.. wanting to have it their way.. Although it seems like the pt.. can have it their way.. as long as you wait in line.. to accommodate the PBM and chain having it their way.. as they struggle as to which one is going to get the lion’s share of the Rx dollar profits.

And guess who is at the center of this “tug of war”.. on having it their way… the Rx dept staff ?

 

2 Responses

  1. I’ve been a pharmacy tech for over 20 years and I remember those adjustment fees quite well. I worked with one pharmacist who would just keep tapping that fee button with one hand while standing,smiling at the customer whose script it was rant at him because we were out of some OTC product.

  2. All people from other countries need to try the American Whoppers.
    You might like it our way, If not, have it your way.
    American Whoppers for everyone.

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