CVS Drive-Thru is Not for Everyone

The drive-thru should be for prescription drop-off or
pick-up...PERIOD. Pharmacies are graded on how FAST they attend to and
dispense orders at the drive-thru. This takes away from that whole
notion.

What would happen if they made that exception for you then the next
person behind you asks for paper towels to clean a wound, a bag of
cookies to quell his hunger, a bottle of water to take down his
medication, meanwhile people in the drive-thru are going "What the
heck is taking so long." Then after e leaves with all his additional
goodies, the next person is coming up saying "You guys are too dang
slow! I was waiting there for almost 15 minutes! This is ridiculous.
I'm taking my prescriptions somewhere else next time." The techs are
damned if they do or damned if they don't. Don't blame them for not
picking up your front store item.

I remember once a guy at the drive-thru was asking for a case of
Miller-Lite from the freezer section. And the tech went out and got it
for him! Wow. Is this now the Beverage Castle. Good gosh!

Hello people! The drive-thru is meant to be an added convenience. Do
not abuse it. What would you do if we diddn't have pharmacy
drive-thrus. I suppose we would die behind the steering wheel because
we couldn't get that special item from in the store ourselves. CVS is
not Mc'Donald's! (Nor is Walgreens or anyother pharmacy chain.)

I understand what you are saying in part - but couldn't you find
someone to go pick up your perscriptions for you? I think it would be
too difficult for CVS to get those special requests right all the
time, that's why they don't do it. Example - there are many different
types of Tylenol (count sizes, PM, extra strength, etc.) It would be
too much work for the pharmacy people to get all those things together
for people driving thru. They would have to ask a million questions
in order to get it right.

That sign is either store specific with the store manager being an
idiot for even having it or it may be at the dictate of the District
Manager who is an even bigger idiot. My hunch is that it's the
latter. DMs and their bosses above them don't seem to work in the real
world. They seem to lose touch with reality once they become DMs.

Anyone who works in a pharmacy nowdays for big chains knows that
requiring a pharmacy employee to hunt down front end merchandise for
drive-thru customers as a matter of policy is totally irrational.
Pharmacies have a hard enough time just dealing with the pharmacy
itself with major complaints including scripts not being done in a
timely manner.

Even if you ask a front end employee to hunt down the items you are
still asking for a world of hurt -- especially at CVS stores which are
very much understaffed at the front end.

Hmmm, it seems like most people are missing the fact that they have a
sign posted that says they will get you anything with your order.

If they don't want to they should take the sign down.

My personal opinion is that the drive thru should be for prescription
drop off only. I don't want to be counseled about my medication via a
speaker.

Me: "I'm confused about these instructions"
PH: " You rub the cream on the boil on your butt twice a day"
Me: "Should I bandage it?"
PH: "Did you doctor tell you too?"
Me: "He may have, I forgot"
PH: "I would suggest you bandage the area but you should call your
doctor"

I don't want that shouted over the loudspeaker and also in hearing of
everyone waiting.

That being said, it's for prescription pick up only, not so the
pharmacy tech can be your personal shopper be it and OTC med or a
gallon of milk.

It isn't McDonald's, or any other place that you can order anything
they sell. Have you seen the inside where the window is handled? It
is in the pharmacy where all the PRESCRIPTION medicine is kept.

Therefore it stands to reason that the drive through is for
prescription medicine only.

I can see you may not have known this ahead of time, and I can see how
it would have been nice if they made an exception. But they didn't.
Once told I can't see why it is hard to understand. I don't think
they need a sign.

I kind of understand the reasoning behind their refusing to get you
the OTC - like others have said, the drive through is for
prescriptions only for a reason. I do think they might have made an
exception though - as you pointed out, it wasn't like you were asking
for a candy bar, but something you obviously needed to relieve the
same symptoms as the script. Most of the CVS stores I've been in have
the OTC meds very near the pharmacy anyway. And the technician
lecturing you was completely out of line. I doubt very much there are
rules in place about WHO can use the drive through,as well as WHAT
it's used for.

Good letter, and I hope you hear back from CVS. Also hope you're
feeling better.

I quit using CVS last year when they repeatadly messed up my Rx's and
then laughed me over it. I took my business to Walgreens and have not
looked back since. I had to use the drive thru this year as I had
bronchitis and did not want to get out of my car. Not one issue have
I had with their drive thru. They had my Rx ready when I went up
there, drove up, and drove off. Less then 3 minuts at the window.

as most who have worked in retail will be able to tell you -- give
customers an inch and they'll take a mile.

So the drive-through is only for certain people? I've not heard of
that before. I would think the drive-through was for everyone. What
about a parent with two, three, four small kids? I'd rather that
person go through the drive through than try to negotiate a parking
lot with lots of small kids to tend to.

I wonder what the store manager or pharmacy manager have to say about
what the pharmacist told you.

Over here anyone can use the drive through but it's always faster to
go inside. The drive through not abused from what I see here. Lines
are pretty short.

If they have this rule they should post a sign, but apparently the
sign that is posted says the opposite of what they are telling you.

Let us know if they respond.

My only question is why if you have had "numerous issues in the past"
with the CVS pharmacy do you continue to go there.

It's not like its a restaurant that forgot your drink, or a grocery
store that forgot your tomato, its prescription drugs!

I know if I had "numerous issues" with a pharmacy, no matter what the
issue, I would begin to question the competence of the staff working
there.


Good Day