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AMA

I’m A Manager At McDonalds... AMA!

637 replies

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 05/08/2018 20:44

I’m a Manager at McDonalds Smile

I’ve worked for McDonalds for several years in different stores and have received personal awards for my customer service. I never initially wanted to become a manager, however with the support and encouragement of my business manager I went through the crew development programme to become one.

So... AMA? Grin

OP posts:
CurlyWurlyTwirly · 15/08/2018 21:35

Why have they stopped doing strawberry sundaes.?

SlowlyShrinking · 15/08/2018 21:36

Sorry just seen your comment about Burger King. So who is your main competitor and do they do a veggie burger??

inlimboland · 15/08/2018 21:37

Very interesting thread, thanks OP. I'm curious - if Burger King isn't a main competitor, who is? Why are they different markets (aside from locations)?

CurlyWurlyTwirly · 15/08/2018 21:37

So who are the competition to McDonald’s?

fruitpastille · 15/08/2018 21:38

I appreciate what you are saying about market research/veggie options. But in theory would it be practical to store/cook/serve quorn nuggets (similar style as chicken nuggets)? Then you could have 4 in a happy meal, 6 standard etc... It seems like a really obvious idea to me. Then people can personalize their order with dips. My daughter went veggie a few months ago and now we struggle a bit in Macdonald's as she dislikes the burger and ends up with just chips. It puts me off going as a family, meaning you are likely to lose several customers as a result. There must be other similar families who simply don't bother to go in. If you already have a separate storage and cooker for veggie burgers surely it could be done?

Thanks for answering my previous question. You are very positive... Go on, live a little and tell us something negative about your job Grin

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 15/08/2018 21:48

Why have they stopped doing strawberry sundaes.?

CurlyWurlyTwirly The sundaes are very unpopular, hardly anyone buys them, yet they require an entirely new cup, lid and separate sauces.

So who is your main competitor?

SlowlyShrinking, inlimboland and CurlyWurlyTwirly Our biggest competitor is Greggs, and behind them Costa.

Why are they different markets (aside from locations)?

Burger King mainly caters to a lot of tourists due to their location, so it’s a different customer mix. KFC is very specifically product focused.

OP posts:
EggysMom · 15/08/2018 21:56

I'm another person whose own experience is that the EOTF system has resulted in my food order taking longer to arrive than under the old system. In the case of my local McD's, my order number jumps into the "ready to collect" section before they have scooped the fries and lidded the drinks, which can take another two minutes.

A cynic would say that this is done deliberately in order to feed fake, faster timings into the diagnostics. But you'll probably deny that.

Crunchymum · 15/08/2018 22:01

That's fascinating re: your main competitors.

Any insight on how this info was collated?

How busy is your restaurant compared to say Oxford Street? (If you have any idea)

This is indeed a very interesting ama, thanks.

9amTrain · 15/08/2018 22:02

Yep. Mine also says ready to collect before they've done it. Maybe that's why they think the new system is faster when it shouldn't count until the food is handed to me?

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 15/08/2018 22:04

But in theory would it be practical to store/cook/serve quorn nuggets (similar style as chicken nuggets)? Then you could have 4 in a happy meal, 6 standard etc... It seems like a really obvious idea to me

fruitpastille Theory is lovely, practicality (space) and wastage are separate issues that prevent this.

If you already have a separate storage and cooker for veggie burgers surely it could be done?

Low demand, space issues and wastage issues again prevent this.

Thanks for answering my previous question. You are very positive... Go on, live a little and tell us something negative about your job

You’re welcome Smile I’m a very positive person in general and I absolutely love my job. I think the only thing I struggle with is the shifts, but even the variety in them is a good thing!

OP posts:
Crunchymum · 15/08/2018 22:08

Sorry, I know that the info re: competitors would have been outsourced to a company but I am curious as to how the data was analysed? I assume MD is going to be more ubiquitous in some areas of the UK, so I'm guessing stats were just averaged? I can walk to 3 MD but no Greggs and I find think I've ever eaten in a Costa so I'm curious as to how the info about your main competitors came to be.

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 15/08/2018 22:19

EggysMom It shouldn’t take two minutes to get fries and drinks; it should take less than twenty seconds because they should be ready.

Orders should be assembled on a tray or in a bag and then the pick ticket is printed; this then shows up on the collect board so you can step forward while fries and rinks are being collected.

A cynic would say that this is done deliberately in order to feed fake, faster timings into the diagnostics. But you'll probably deny that.

Diagnostics aren’t done by computer algorithms, they’re done manually by managers, and it isn’t when it’s printed off the screen the counts. Timings include wait time in the queue for the till or the kiosk, food preparation time, time spent in the collection area etc.

While EOTF is faster, McDonalds aim isn’t just fast service; we want to deliver a great customer service. It isn’t just about getting you in and out as fast as possible.

Any insight on how this info was collated?

Crunchymum That would be confidential, I’m afraid.

How busy is your restaurant compared to say Oxford Street? (If you have any idea)

Like the majority of restaurants, we are nowhere near as busy as one in Oxford Street! I have worked in busy stores (not that busy!) and quieter ones; my current one is average.

This is indeed a very interesting ama, thanks.

Glad you like it! Smile

Maybe that's why they think the new system is faster when it shouldn't count until the food is handed to me?

9amTrain Check out my reply further up in this post about the diagnostics being manually done and not via computer algorithms.

OP posts:
Skybluepinkwithyellowspots · 15/08/2018 23:04

I've really enjoyed this thread, one of the best AMA! But please don't stop the sundaes, the toffee sundae is waaaaaaay better than any McFlurry!

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 15/08/2018 23:11

I've really enjoyed this thread, one of the best AMA! But please don't stop the sundaes, the toffee sundae is waaaaaaay better than any McFlurry!

Skybluepinkwithyellowspots So happy to hear you’ve enjoyed it! But unfortunately I cannot stop the discontinuation of sundaes Sad

OP posts:
Rainshowers · 15/08/2018 23:28

Another one who’s experience of the kiosk ordering is definitely slower than the previous way (and in several stores too). But I don’t think you’ll ever admit that’s possible Wink

I do love McDonald’s though. Especially the hash browns, and the apple pies. Although my DH always gets embarrassed when I order an apple pie as you never see anyone else with one, so it’s a very occasional treat!
Why don’t you do the double cheeseburger as a meal? It’s a pain to have to add everything onto the order seperately! Didn’t there used to be a two cheeseburger meal too? I’m sure I used to have that when I was hungover at uni!

NoLogicInThis · 15/08/2018 23:31

Why doesn't McDonald’s do a loyalty scheme?

justwantafreshstart · 15/08/2018 23:37

Thanks for this interesting thread! I worked at a McDonald's for a summer nearly 20 years ago and the manager used to make us clock off whenever it was quiet, was this a regular occurrence at the time or was he just a particularly bad manager? He also used to clamp people's cars in the car park if they weren't customers and then would hide when they came in ranting... So maybe it was just him!

Blueemeraldagain · 15/08/2018 23:41

As much as I don’t entirely buy the complete rainbow, roses and whiskers on kittens version of working at Macdonalds described here (no offence OP, I don’t think working at Macdonalds is hellish either or that all their employees are illiterate). I would recommend the film “Founder”. It fictionalises the beginnings of Macdonalds and, as well as being a good film, does show how tightly and precisely their kitchens and systems are planned.

is a great clip.
WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 16/08/2018 00:00

Another one who’s experience of the kiosk ordering is definitely slower than the previous way (and in several stores too). But I don’t think you’ll ever admit that’s possible

Rainshowers It’s certainly possible if the systems are not set up and utilised correctly. If the shift manager isn’t running their shift exactly how they should, problems can arise. My point is that it shouldn’t be, because EOTF is designed to faster and better than the old way.

But like I said above, it isn’t about serving you as quickly as possible anymore. We don’t just want to get you in, served, and have you out again; we want to give every customer a great experience, and while fast service is part of that, it is not all of that.

Why don’t you do the double cheeseburger as a meal?

It’s a saver item, so it cannot be put into a meal. A double on its own is £1.49, whereas a Quarter, like all extra value meal mains, on its own is £3.09.

Didn’t there used to be a two cheeseburger meal too?

Cheeseburgers are saver items; they won’t ever have been meals.

Why doesn't McDonald’s do a loyalty scheme?

NoLogicInThis We do a loyalty coffee scheme. Every time you buy a hot drink, take the little sticker off and place it on your card (on the side of every hot drink cup). Once you get 6 you get a free loyalty hot drink Smile

the manager used to make us clock off whenever it was quiet, was this a regular occurrence at the time or was he just a particularly bad manager?

justwantafreshstart McDonalds 20 years ago is a million miles away from McDonalds now, though nobody should ever have been made to clock out. It has always been that if you are scheduled a shift, you can be asked if you want to go home, say to help labour, but you cannot be forced to. You have a right to finish the shift if you want to.

Blueemeraldagain I’m not trying to paint some sort of “fake rainbows and kittens” experience, I am giving you my actual first hand experience.

Of course everyone’s experiences will be different, but you’ll notice throughout the thread the numerous people who have said they fondly remember working at McDonalds and loved it.

On the whole it is a great place to work. McDonalds is a fantastic company that cares about its crew and customers. Of course you will get a bad manager or whatever here or there, but you get that in every industry.

As for The Founder, I absolutely love that film!

OP posts:
NoLogicInThis · 16/08/2018 00:19

Asking for a friend, can you go through the drive through on a bike?

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 16/08/2018 00:34

Asking for a friend, can you go through the drive through on a bike?

NoLogicInThis No, absolutely not. We have strict health and safety policies in place and if you go through the drive through in or on anything that is not a motor vehicle you will not be served and will be asked to leave.

OP posts:
BeyondRadicalisationPortal · 16/08/2018 10:56

My favourite thing ever was seeing a "ride through" in Texas Grin

Zoflorabore · 16/08/2018 11:17

I have really enjoyed this AMA too but I have worked for McDonalds and whilst I agree with most of what op says, there is no way that the store I worked at was anything near perfect and is quite representative of McDonald's from what I've gathered from other staff who have worked in stores all over the very large city where we live.

Loads of staff taking drugs, completely "normal" to many, several incidences of theft ( one when I was there and it was a manager ) loads of cock ups with food and drive through issues ( drive through always was top priority ) and I myself was sexually assaulted by a member of staff whilst working.

I appreciate that this is MY experience but I find it hard to believe that everything is so perfect and lovely and fluffy at op's store.
McDonald's staff are human so make mistakes, its crazy to think otherwise.

I met many staff like op who literally live and breathe for the place, some to the detriment of their health/sanity/family and relationships. It's sort of expected to be that way and those who aren't like that don't tend to do so well.

There were loads of affairs going on in my store too and one of the managers was sleeping with his wife's sister. All 3 worked in the same store!

It would be good if we could hear op say something negative just so we know she's human and not a computer generated robot, nobody is that bloody cheerful about their jobGrin

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 16/08/2018 11:33

nobody is that bloody cheerful about their job

Zoflorabore I am! I said further up, we’re not perfect; nowhere is. Crew make mistakes (ie. overfilling flurries, not salting fries, missing items), but we don’t have issues with drugs or theft and never have. There has been one affair that I know of, but there are lots of McRelationships Grin

Being so passionate about my job has not affected my life outside of work; I’m happily married. It’s just a case of finding that balance.

OP posts:
SadieHH · 16/08/2018 12:16

I don't know whether the new system is faster or slower and don't really care. All I know is that it's a million times less stressful for me. I can order and then sit down or loiter at the back till it's ready, rather than be elbowed out of the way by the next person ordering and hovering awkwardly at the side of the till where there isn't really any space. And I can order in peace and think about what I'm having rather than having to reel it off super quickly.

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