My Last Three Visits to McDonalds

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » June 1, 2004, 7:00 pm

My last three McDonalds visits have inspired me to write a Pilsburry-like accounting of them.

Visit 1

Ordered: #2 (Qtr Pounder w/cheese meal)

Recieved: 2 Fish Filets and fries. It took them so long to get to my order that I just grabbed the fish filets and left.

Visit 2

Ordered: #2 (Qtr Pounder w/cheese meal) asked for $20.00 back and for a chocolate milkshake instead of a coke.

Recieved: #2 (Qtr Pounder w/cheese meal) 20.00 and a chocolate shake. I was charged $20.50 which I assume was my 20.00 and .50 for the transaction. No charge on my receipt for the meal. I assume the chocolate shake request threw them for a loop.

Visit 3

Ordered: #2 (Qtr Pounder w/cheese meal) asked for a chocolate milkshake instead of a coke.

Received: #2 (Qtr Pounder w/cheese meal) along with an extra fries and a chocolate milkshake. I think I actually paid full price for the shake on top of the meal but figured I was ahead from last visits free meal and the bonus fries.

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From the three visits above, it appears that combining cash back along with swapping out a milk shake for coke is beyond the capacity of a McDonalds register operator and is your best bet for bonus food or mystery food items.

noel · Post by **noel** » June 1, 2004, 7:03 pm

People still eat at McDonalds?

I thought that only happened in their commercials.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » June 1, 2004, 7:33 pm

They are part of my fast food rotation. Arbys, Del Taco, Sub Factory and Costco Pizza/Berry Smoothie round out my week.

Clean bill of health here.

Ennia · Post by **Ennia** » June 1, 2004, 8:01 pm

only in Arizona

*~*stragi*~* · Post by ***~*stragi*~*** » June 1, 2004, 8:32 pm

port of subs > sub factory

Tyek · Post by **Tyek** » June 1, 2004, 10:24 pm

Winnow must look like a weebil wooble with that rotation every week.
Throw in a salad.

Trias · Post by **Trias** » June 2, 2004, 12:05 am

i can't wait to go back to SD this summer for some La Salsa!

Fesuni Chopsui · Post by **Fesuni Chopsui** » June 2, 2004, 12:16 am

Costco Pizza...mmmmm...

The crust is so thick and soft!

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » June 2, 2004, 12:34 am

You know, even mice learn not to touch the cheese...

Tenuvil · Post by **Tenuvil** » June 2, 2004, 12:58 am

Costco Chicken Bakes are the Win.

Kguku · Post by **Kguku** » June 2, 2004, 1:48 am

Costco here at their fast food stand sells Lobster in a bun. The IT department my work refuses to try it, though I keep trying to coax them in to it. It sounds downright scary to me.

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » June 2, 2004, 9:34 am

It's fun giving odd change amounts just to watch smoke come out of their ears. Nothing horrible mind you, but things like giving $.79 if the change of the bill is only $.64 or something. Or the puzzled looks you get giving $21 even if the bill is only $6 or $11.

It's the simple things

Bubba Grizz · Post by **Bubba Grizz** » June 2, 2004, 12:07 pm

Salads are pretty good.

Melrin_Specclaster · Post by **Melrin_Specclaster** » June 2, 2004, 1:15 pm

I consider myself lucky these days if the person at the drive through can speak ENGLISH.

Shashonna · Post by **Shashonna** » June 2, 2004, 1:19 pm

Any fast food place I go to has a problem with leaving off onions or tomato....McDonalds has the hadest concept with PLAIN fish its always covered in tarter sauce bleh.

Aslanna · Post by **Aslanna** » June 2, 2004, 1:25 pm

Melrin_Specclaster wrote:I consider myself lucky these days if the person at the drive through can speak ENGLISH.

That's been outsourced to people in India. The people who take your order are thousands of miles away!

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » June 2, 2004, 1:30 pm

Shashonna wrote:Any fast food place I go to has a problem with leaving off onions or tomato....McDonalds has the hadest concept with PLAIN fish its always covered in tarter sauce bleh.

You guys need Harvey's down there. They garnish your burger as you stand there telling them what to put on it. And what selection! Also it's a slightly higher grade of meat... say grade g instead of h. Plus their fries kick McDonald's ass!

Animalor · Post by **Animalor** » June 2, 2004, 1:55 pm

Melrin_Specclaster wrote:I consider myself lucky these days if the person at the drive through can speak ENGLISH.

There's a Tim Hortons(Doughnut/Coffee chain in Canada) location in a mall not too far from where I work that has only Indian(from india, not natives) enpolyees serving people. They've even started playing indian music behind the cash as well. No problems with english though =)

Pilsburry · Post by **Pilsburry** » June 2, 2004, 2:36 pm

I live in Kentucky and I don't have these problems. And everyone always makes fun of the education system down here.

Then again I'm out in the suburbs....downtown restaurants are usually the culprit.

I'll do the odd change thing hoping for a $5 or $10 back instead of a 3 $1's or some pennies. Never an issue.

I'll do really large orders...never an issue.

Now granted I don't do substitutions, special orders, or banking. It's a fast food place...
ATM's are for banking
Special orders and substitutions are generally best in a dine-in restaurant...where the food isn't already pre-made under some heat lamps.

The only thing that happens to me is they forget to ask me what sauce I want so I don't tell them and walk away with none....but that's still like...one in 20 visits at best.

P.S. I've seen Winnows pictures, he doesn't look like weeble. I might not like him, but he isn't a lard ass.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » June 2, 2004, 2:40 pm

Pilsburry wrote:I live in Kentucky and I don't have these problems. And everyone always makes fun of the education system down here.

Well in Kentucky, working at a fast food joint is probably the pinnacle of success. Only the best and brightest make it out of the coal mines to master the art of fast food order taking.

Melrin_Specclaster · Post by **Melrin_Specclaster** » June 2, 2004, 2:46 pm

Winnow wrote:
Pilsburry wrote:I live in Kentucky and I don't have these problems. And everyone always makes fun of the education system down here.

Well in Kentucky, working at a fast food joint is probably the pinnacle of success. Only the best and brightest make out of the coal mines to master the art of fast food order taking.

No no...you are incorrect sir. The best and brightest are supervisors or the people that do fries, not just work the register.

Cartalas · Post by **Cartalas** » June 2, 2004, 4:02 pm

"Special orders and substitutions are generally best in a dine-in restaurant...where the food isn't already pre-made under some heat lamps. "

You havent been to a Mc donalds in a while they dont pre make your order.

Dups. · Post by **Dups.** » June 2, 2004, 5:57 pm

Melrin_Specclaster wrote:I consider myself lucky these days if the person at the drive through can speak ENGLISH.

Amen!

Mawafu · Post by **Mawafu** » June 2, 2004, 6:19 pm

Cartalas wrote:"Special orders and substitutions are generally best in a dine-in restaurant...where the food isn't already pre-made under some heat lamps. "

You havent been to a Mc donalds in a while they dont pre make your order.

They precook the meat and toast the buns, then stick them in a warmer for up to 3 hours only removing them to slap your order together and microwaving it to make you think it's hot and fresh. At least that's the system they were using when I worked there as a teenager 10+ years ago. I haven't eaten at McDonald's since then so no clue how it is now.

Pilsburry · Post by **Pilsburry** » June 2, 2004, 7:47 pm

Cartalas wrote:"Special orders and substitutions are generally best in a dine-in restaurant...where the food isn't already pre-made under some heat lamps. "

You havent been to a Mc donalds in a while they dont pre make your order.

I've been to McDonald's recently, but not often...and not dine-in. The best part about fast food is the drive-thru...that's where it becomes "fast"... I can eat it in the car, while pumping gas at the gas station across the street, or at my house.

Last time I went I remember seeing burgers in a line already in paper, not many burgers, but they were there...they had rows for Big Mac's Quarter Pounders, regular cheese burger, etc...and wrappings that matched.

What they didn't have was a good method of putting burgers in that area that were say....w/o onions....there was no row specifically for Quarter Pounders hold the onions. So anyone working the register grabs a quarter pounder after they put it in the system (which I think just had pictures of burgers, not sure how you would input "hold the onions").

So if you can even enter that straight in the system....you still might get someone elses quarter pounder...and they will get yours.

If they even care to be that complex for $6/hr. They don't get tips, and they know you probably won't come back to complain because of that.

Now a real restaurant, the waitress wants a tip, they are used to custom orders like I don't know "Medium well" and those burgers are placed in a window...with a food ticket on them for the waitress that says "This is YOUR burger" It's got your name on it...it's tracked as special. They don't try and fit it in a system of rows...

What I'm saying is McDonalds was not intended to have large amounts of customer service, it's intended to be cheap and fast....custom orders don't fit in thier system well.

As for coal mines....never seen one.

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » June 5, 2004, 10:09 pm

Aslanna wrote:
Melrin_Specclaster wrote:I consider myself lucky these days if the person at the drive through can speak ENGLISH.
That's been outsourced to people in India. The people who take your order are thousands of miles away!

Revs · Post by **Revs** » June 6, 2004, 1:54 am

I refuse to eat McDonald's burgers again. I had them three times in two months and each time I sandblasted my toilet bowl two hours later

And if Mickey D's fucks up my stomach then Taco Bell has been kind to me for a while because I don't get the same reaction...

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » June 6, 2004, 9:41 am

Revs wrote:I refuse to eat McDonald's burgers again. I had them three times in two months and each time I sandblasted my toilet bowl two hours later

You should harness that and use it to clean city statues.

Melrin_Specclaster · Post by **Melrin_Specclaster** » June 7, 2004, 2:15 pm

Revs wrote:I refuse to eat McDonald's burgers again. I had them three times in two months and each time I sandblasted my toilet bowl two hours later
And if Mickey D's fucks up my stomach then Taco Bell has been kind to me for a while because I don't get the same reaction...

I quit eating Mc'D's over 10 years ago because of that and I rarely at there as it was before that.

Marauder Froogle · Post by **Marauder Froogle** » June 8, 2004, 10:21 am

wendy's is where its at

Kindo · Post by **Kindo** » June 8, 2004, 2:24 pm

http://www.supermarketguru.com/page.cfm/36

However, the free downloads only come with a Big Mac meal. And, although McDonald’s recently introduced healthier choices on their menu such as the adult Happy Meal which comes with a salad, water, and pedometer, it does seem to be a bit contradictory to offer a “prize” to the person who orders one of the most unhealthy items on the menu. Rising obesity rates in young people are frightening these days, and this type of marketing is targeted for youth. Let’s not also forget about vegetarians. McDonald’s started offering veggie burgers not too long ago, but still no free music for them.

Interesting. The healthy menus offered by fast food restaurants are definitely more expensive and since the profit margin isn't that large anyway I'm sure they're looking for some way to push the higher profit products.

Aslanna · Post by **Aslanna** » June 8, 2004, 2:30 pm

Marauder Froogle wrote:wendy's is where its at

Fries and a Frosty!

Post by **Sylvus** » June 8, 2004, 2:44 pm

Kindo wrote:http://www.supermarketguru.com/page.cfm/36
However, the free downloads only come with a Big Mac meal. And, although McDonald’s recently introduced healthier choices on their menu such as the adult Happy Meal which comes with a salad, water, and pedometer, it does seem to be a bit contradictory to offer a “prize” to the person who orders one of the most unhealthy items on the menu. Rising obesity rates in young people are frightening these days, and this type of marketing is targeted for youth. Let’s not also forget about vegetarians. McDonald’s started offering veggie burgers not too long ago, but still no free music for them.
Interesting. The healthy menus offered by fast food restaurants are definitely more expensive and since the profit margin isn't that large anyway I'm sure they're looking for some way to push the higher profit products.

Man, that really bugs me. (Not what you're saying, what the article is) McDonald's is a company in the business of making money. They go ahead and offer some choices that aren't as bad for you as those products that made them one of the most successful franchises in the world, and people still want to bitch about it. McDonald's has no obligation to even provide healthier menu items let alone extend their promotions to include those items.

Bubba Grizz · Post by **Bubba Grizz** » June 8, 2004, 3:07 pm

I hate to say it but the best burger I have had from a fast food place has got to be from Hardees.

Jarori Bloodletter · Post by **Jarori Bloodletter** » June 8, 2004, 3:22 pm

Chuckecheese pizza > all

Thx

Kindo · Post by **Kindo** » June 8, 2004, 3:54 pm

Sylvus wrote:Man, that really bugs me. (Not what you're saying, what the article is) McDonald's is a company in the business of making money. They go ahead and offer some choices that aren't as bad for you as those products that made them one of the most successful franchises in the world, and people still want to bitch about it. McDonald's has no obligation to even provide healthier menu items let alone extend their promotions to include those items.

I understand what you're saying and I do agree that McDonald's is under no obligation to provide healthier menu items. If they want to maintain a competitive edge though, they do need to understand their target market and what that market wants. From a business standpoint it is more cost effective and easier to have one focus than several. Do they want to be youth-oriented or do they want to appeal to the older, more health conscious adults? McDonalds has a checkered past when it comes to knowing and growing with their target consumer in mind. The company wants to be everything to every consumer and that's just not realistic. (McPizza anyone?)

There is nothing wrong with this current promotion, it's actually pretty clever I think, but with the recent addition of their improved salads, adult happy meal and other health-conscious menu items they're sending a message that the company is confused and isn't sure which direction to grow in.

Melrin_Specclaster · Post by **Melrin_Specclaster** » June 8, 2004, 4:33 pm

I like Wendys, but Good Times has the best fast food fries and they even have dipping sauce that is awesome.