{ "schema_version": "1.0", "id": "CC-022", "title": "How did stuttering affect what I ordered?", "topic": "Names, orders and fixed wording", "author": { "name": "Craig Coffee", "id": "https://usedtostutter.com/craig-coffee#person" }, "canonical_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/ordering-food-when-you-stutter", "access": "public", "content_kind": "author_published_article", "context_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/about-this-material", "source_sha256": "f0a1c9f0cc2e54fbe4c6a0d84daf2b49c03ebae10b9442619bd2252d9f145389", "source_markdown": "# How did stuttering affect what I ordered?\n\nBy [Craig Coffee](/craig-coffee)\n\nThere were times I ordered what I could say instead of what I wanted. Wendy’s on campus was one of those places.\n\n## The number I thought would be easier\n\nDuring my first week at the University of Florida, I was in the Reitz Union, looking for something to eat. There was a long line at Wendy’s. I wanted the fried chicken sandwich and was going to ask for its combo number. That seemed easier than describing what I wanted.\n\nWhen it was my turn, I froze. The number for the combination I wanted wouldn’t come out. I thought about forcing it, but I remembered the girl standing in line behind me.\n\nSo I said the number for the spicy chicken sandwich. That number was easier for me to say. I used to hate spicy food.\n\nYears of ordering that spicy chicken combo finally led me to like spicy food. That’s how much the words I could say affected what I ate.\n\n## Chocolate when I wanted vanilla\n\nOn the ice-cream date at college, I ordered chocolate because I stuttered more on vanilla. Vanilla was what I really wanted.\n\nThat is part of [the whole ice-cream story](/dating-with-a-stutter). I had got through the invitation and was still struggling with the conversation and the words I wanted to say.\n\n## The words “the same” could hide a different choice\n\nThere were other meals when I let somebody else's order become mine. I wrote about meekly saying “the same” when it was my turn. I wanted to say the words I could get out.\n\nI'd have the same as the other person. It wasn't necessarily what I wanted to eat. I couldn't say what I really wanted. That was another way the words could decide the meal for me.\n\n## An order can change after you start\n\nIn one recording, I asked for a Jack and Coke. The place didn't have liquor; I'd forgotten. So I asked for a Stella instead.\n\nThen I found out they didn't take cash. I asked whether I could tip in cash, and they said I could. There were things to work out after my first request.\n\nThat was an actual exchange. I had to hear the answer and respond. I couldn't pre-script what they were going to tell me.\n\n## A real reason to speak\n\nIn another short recording, I needed pizza dough. I asked where to find it and followed up about sauce and cheese. Then I said thank you. That [grocery-store exchange](/asking-for-help-in-a-store-when-you-stutter) is another example.\n\nAnd for some food or coffee orders, I used [an easier name](/using-an-easier-name-when-you-stutter). When the name was there to call out an order, I chose one I could say. I've also said that when my real name is required, I give my real name.\n\nThose ordinary choices mattered to me. I wanted to be able to go out, order something and take part in the conversation without spending the whole time working over the words in my head.\n\n## Related answers\n\n- [How do I start a conversation when I stutter?](/starting-conversations-when-you-stutter)\n- [How can I prepare without scripting every word?](/preparing-without-scripting)\n- [What did I do when my phone number was hard to say?](/saying-your-phone-number-when-you-stutter)\n\n[Find your question](/questions)\n", "relative_link_base": "https://usedtostutter.com/ordering-food-when-you-stutter", "sections": [ { "id": "reading-content", "heading": null, "heading_level": null, "citation_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/ordering-food-when-you-stutter#reading-content", "role": "source_context", "source_markdown": "There were times I ordered what I could say instead of what I wanted. Wendy’s on campus was one of those places.\n\n", "source_span_sha256": "c88799ab1b599dcd23b52979a2a6ba1a01b40105766fe0c52d6b345fca543100" }, { "id": "the-number-i-thought-would-be-easier", "heading": "The number I thought would be easier", "heading_level": 2, "citation_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/ordering-food-when-you-stutter#the-number-i-thought-would-be-easier", "role": "source_context", "source_markdown": "## The number I thought would be easier\n\nDuring my first week at the University of Florida, I was in the Reitz Union, looking for something to eat. There was a long line at Wendy’s. I wanted the fried chicken sandwich and was going to ask for its combo number. That seemed easier than describing what I wanted.\n\nWhen it was my turn, I froze. The number for the combination I wanted wouldn’t come out. I thought about forcing it, but I remembered the girl standing in line behind me.\n\nSo I said the number for the spicy chicken sandwich. That number was easier for me to say. I used to hate spicy food.\n\nYears of ordering that spicy chicken combo finally led me to like spicy food. That’s how much the words I could say affected what I ate.\n\n", "source_span_sha256": "0f33e4b10eff3ad85d64695db7ff79eea0335ff6a3c37a996f9a75dbf59dfce3" }, { "id": "chocolate-when-i-wanted-vanilla", "heading": "Chocolate when I wanted vanilla", "heading_level": 2, "citation_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/ordering-food-when-you-stutter#chocolate-when-i-wanted-vanilla", "role": "source_context", "source_markdown": "## Chocolate when I wanted vanilla\n\nOn the ice-cream date at college, I ordered chocolate because I stuttered more on vanilla. Vanilla was what I really wanted.\n\nThat is part of [the whole ice-cream story](/dating-with-a-stutter). I had got through the invitation and was still struggling with the conversation and the words I wanted to say.\n\n", "source_span_sha256": "ca377d7dd029eaa8f4594ad356887d1ef1b0a1c5c1c0ba6ba44ab5e490327cd9" }, { "id": "the-words-the-same-could-hide-a-different-choice", "heading": "The words “the same” could hide a different choice", "heading_level": 2, "citation_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/ordering-food-when-you-stutter#the-words-the-same-could-hide-a-different-choice", "role": "source_context", "source_markdown": "## The words “the same” could hide a different choice\n\nThere were other meals when I let somebody else's order become mine. I wrote about meekly saying “the same” when it was my turn. I wanted to say the words I could get out.\n\nI'd have the same as the other person. It wasn't necessarily what I wanted to eat. I couldn't say what I really wanted. That was another way the words could decide the meal for me.\n\n", "source_span_sha256": "2d46091409b93486988bd0fea116a2f9b89bc16e849cb7485191b09457a674e0" }, { "id": "an-order-can-change-after-you-start", "heading": "An order can change after you start", "heading_level": 2, "citation_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/ordering-food-when-you-stutter#an-order-can-change-after-you-start", "role": "source_context", "source_markdown": "## An order can change after you start\n\nIn one recording, I asked for a Jack and Coke. The place didn't have liquor; I'd forgotten. So I asked for a Stella instead.\n\nThen I found out they didn't take cash. I asked whether I could tip in cash, and they said I could. There were things to work out after my first request.\n\nThat was an actual exchange. I had to hear the answer and respond. I couldn't pre-script what they were going to tell me.\n\n", "source_span_sha256": "9af5d1fb04f76d28b8bb6add5f3765d30b8f1905e9279af973c62489bbe180ae" }, { "id": "a-real-reason-to-speak", "heading": "A real reason to speak", "heading_level": 2, "citation_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/ordering-food-when-you-stutter#a-real-reason-to-speak", "role": "source_context", "source_markdown": "## A real reason to speak\n\nIn another short recording, I needed pizza dough. I asked where to find it and followed up about sauce and cheese. Then I said thank you. That [grocery-store exchange](/asking-for-help-in-a-store-when-you-stutter) is another example.\n\nAnd for some food or coffee orders, I used [an easier name](/using-an-easier-name-when-you-stutter). When the name was there to call out an order, I chose one I could say. I've also said that when my real name is required, I give my real name.\n\nThose ordinary choices mattered to me. I wanted to be able to go out, order something and take part in the conversation without spending the whole time working over the words in my head.\n\n", "source_span_sha256": "beef57fb0fc9278d9d739de69f6d1fef5cc257081c99b0cbd8f47453ad8a11a6" }, { "id": "related-answers", "heading": "Related answers", "heading_level": 2, "citation_url": "https://usedtostutter.com/ordering-food-when-you-stutter#related-answers", "role": "navigation", "source_markdown": "## Related answers\n\n- [How do I start a conversation when I stutter?](/starting-conversations-when-you-stutter)\n- [How can I prepare without scripting every word?](/preparing-without-scripting)\n- [What did I do when my phone number was hard to say?](/saying-your-phone-number-when-you-stutter)\n", "source_span_sha256": "139dae38468eaafa55af01459d2b7e120cc78774b6627fa053cfc6dc973715d4" } ], "related_book_sections": [ { "id": "stuttering-hell", "title": "STUTTERING HELL", "url": "https://usedtostutter.com/reader/book/editions/corrected-2026-10-04-9e1d376a993f/chapters/stuttering-hell", "formats": { "json": "https://usedtostutter.com/reader/book/editions/corrected-2026-10-04-9e1d376a993f/chapters/stuttering-hell.json", "xml": "https://usedtostutter.com/reader/book/editions/corrected-2026-10-04-9e1d376a993f/chapters/stuttering-hell.xml", "md": "https://usedtostutter.com/reader/book/editions/corrected-2026-10-04-9e1d376a993f/chapters/stuttering-hell.md", "txt": "https://usedtostutter.com/reader/book/editions/corrected-2026-10-04-9e1d376a993f/chapters/stuttering-hell.txt" } } ] }