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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

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MamaJune · 25/09/2018 23:39

I'm obsessed with the mozerella dippers and the salsa sauce and often go through my drive thru and find they aren't doing them at the moment and leave Blush the other cheese offerings just aren't as good.

At the end of these special item promotions what happens to any left over dippers/salsa dips? Do they get sent back to wherever or will the store keep selling them until they're all gone? Mmmmmm salsa..also can you ask for the special sauces (salsa / rich tomato dip) if you aren't buying the cheese dippers they usually come with / can you order extra?

My local McDonald's drive thru also forgets the sauces 90% of the time which is especially annoying when it's sweet chilli which I've paid for.

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 25/09/2018 23:51

At the end of these special item promotions what happens to any left over dippers/salsa dips?

MamaJune The sauces are taken back to the stockroom and the dippers remain in the freezer until the use by dates upon which they are discarded.

However, we generally don’t have a lot left over as we are good at waste control.

They will not be sold until they are gone as the day the promotion ends, it ends. That applies for absolutely everything right down to happy meal toys.

Mmmmmm salsa..also can you ask for the special sauces (salsa / rich tomato dip) if you aren't buying the cheese dippers they usually come with / can you order extra?

Absolutely! Just ask Smile The only sauces that need to be paid for are the select dips if you don’t get selects.

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superoz · 26/09/2018 01:06

Thanks for responding to my questions.
I too like. ChoccyJules has a bad experience at a service station last year, except it was much worse in that they served a cheeseburger to my dairy allergic dd. My dh hit the roof and the manager didn’t have a clue about the severity of the situation. I sent a letter straight to head office and I received a reply stating it was a matter for the franchise to deal with. I felt they were passing the buck and I wondered if that was the case.

overnightangel · 26/09/2018 01:17

@WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue
Hi! Couple of quick ones...

  1. Why is there so much focus on cheese on the breakfast menu? Is it an American thing? 2)I assume you e seen the film Supersize Me, what did you think of it?
Aintnothingbutaheartache · 26/09/2018 01:30

I’ve got a question.
Do you put something addictive in the fillet of fish??
Also, why does the bun stick to my teeth??
Also, is it a sackable offence to put the cheese and the tartar sauce off center? It should be!
Sorry, 3 questions

Hairytangerine · 26/09/2018 05:55

What’s difference between franchise and company?

What pay scale are managers on?

Is the make up, crew then managers? No one I’m between?

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 26/09/2018 10:18

superoz Thank you Smile It is a real shame you had such a bad experience. Was it a case of putting cheese on something you specified no cheese? So a kitchen error? Or a till error in that the crew member did not accurately input the grill so kitchen wouldn’t have known the item was no cheese?

When things like this happen (rarely, thankfully), I find it’s very important to get to the bottom of how and why they happened. It’s not a witch hunt, and there’s no point going nuclear on whoever made the error, but it does need to found out who so we can calmly explain how important it is to do X and how serious the consequences could be if you don’t. They are more likely to take it seriously and ensure they take more care in future then.

I think service station McDonalds are on a slightly different line/chain/not sure how to describe it than other ones which may explain the trouble with them here.

1) Why is there so much focus on cheese on the breakfast menu? Is it an American thing?

overnightangel I’m actually sure how to answer that! All I can say is that if you’re not a cheese fan you can ask for anything you want with no cheese and we will happily accommodate Smile

2)I assume you e seen the film Supersize Me, what did you think of it?

I’ve seen it, but it was a long time ago. I generally think everything in moderation; go overboard on absolutely anything and you will come across issues.

This was also 14 years ago, and McDonalds has changed a lot since then. Their products are of an exceptionally high quality, the beef is all 100% UK and Irish beef only from the forequarter and flank while the chicken is 100% chicken breast, the fish is sustainable and coffee beans are 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified.

They take the quality of their products very seriously, and they are constantly changing and updating and improving.

I think they’re such a brilliant company not only to work for but in terms of all the measures that are put in place to ensure food is high quality and safe in nature. They don’t wing it; they take it very seriously.

Do you put something addictive in the fillet of fish??

Aintnothingbutaheartache No.

Also, why does the bun stick to my teeth??

The Filet bun is the only bun that is steamed, not toasted. If you aren’t a fan of the steamed bun you can request it toasted instead Smile

Also, is it a sackable offence to put the cheese and the tartar sauce off center? It should be!

No, but dressings should be centralised across all sandwiches. If they’re not, they’re not meeting our Gold Standard.

What’s difference between franchise and company?

Hairytangerine There’s no difference the customer will see. The majority of UK McDonalds are franchises but you would never be able to tell the difference as they want to be consistent across the board.

The differences tend to be procedural and behind the scenes. I have found franchise McDonalds to have a more ‘family feel we’re in this together’ kind of sentiment as the groups tend to hold nights/days out for all their stores.

What pay scale are managers on?

I would rather not discuss how much I get paid; sorry! I wouldn’t be surprised if it was on google somewhere though.

Is the make up, crew then managers? No one I’m between?

No. It goes:

Crew > Crew Trainer > Area Leader > Shift Manager > 2nd Assistant > 1st Assistant > Business Manager

Crew trainers are experienced crew who train new starters. They wear a modified crew top with crew trainer written on it and they have all four of their stars.

Area leaders run a particular area (kitchen, counter, lobby) so the shift manager does not have to worry a particular area will fall apart if they leave to do something else. They keep crew in positions allocated by the shift manager and ensure jobs are being done. They wear a pinstripe shirt, and this along with the leading experience allows an easier transition into management.

Shift Managers run the entire shift, or if it is not specifically their shift they will support the other manager(s). We also each have specific things in the store we are personally responsible for (ie. health and safety, welcome meetings, training etc.) so when it is not specifically our shift we are able to put aside time to do them. We wear white shirts.

2nd and 1st assistants are basically just the BM’s assistant managers, while the Business Manager runs the entire store.

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superoz · 26/09/2018 12:00

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue, Thanks. Yes we had specified a plain hamburger, but got a cheeseburger instead, in the wrong packaging! So in this case it was human error. Whenever anything like this happens I always follow up afterwards to check what training they’ve had to safeguard against things like this, dd is thankfully not anaphylactic, but she was pretty ill and for someone who is it could be fatal.
In this instance I had to chase the franchise (Roadchef) for a response because the original letter got lost. Fortunately I did get to speak to a real person in the end but it does seem service stations operate differently.

Hairytangerine · 26/09/2018 12:13

Oh yeah sorry if being covered.

What do the stars mean?

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 26/09/2018 14:24

Yes we had specified a plain hamburger, but got a cheeseburger instead, in the wrong packaging!

superoz Ahh right, so yeah it sounds like they added cheese without thinking, in which case they need either training if they’re new or corrective coaching if they’re not.

I am am sorry you had that experience.

What do the stars mean?

Hairytangerine The stars represent how much training crew have had and in which areas; so if they have four stars they are fully trained everywhere.

There are four stars - quality, service, cleanliness and vital ingredients. The quality star relates to kitchen, service is counter, cleanliness is lobby and general, and the vital ingredients star means you’ve completed a workbook pertaining to the behaviours we expect crew to portray.

You have to have all four stars before you can progress to crew trainer and above.

Each star has several sections within it. To earn their stars, crew have to be watched on the floor and have an observation checklist completed on them, so we know they can work that station. Eg. One of the stations for quality is fries, so they are watched on fries and marked off to check they’re doing everything right.

They also have to complete the associated elearning for each sector too. So if a crew member has stars, it means they’re putting in a lot of effort behind the scenes to progress themselves.

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ChoccyJules · 26/09/2018 17:14

Can you ask for fries (gasp) without salt?

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 26/09/2018 18:28

Can you ask for fries (gasp) without salt?

ChoccyJules Of course Smile It’s a bit of a pain in the arse though so while we’re happy to do it for those who genuinely want no salt, if you’re just doing it to try and get fresh fries we’d appreciate it if you just said ‘please can I have fresh fries’.

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NoLogicInThis · 27/09/2018 06:56

Do the happy meal small fries have salt on them?

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 27/09/2018 09:03

Do the happy meal small fries have salt on them?

NoLogicInThis Yeah, all fries have salt on them unless requested otherwise. If you do want no salt, please specify before you pay at the till/kiosk so it goes through on the system Smile

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Hairytangerine · 27/09/2018 17:41

This is my favourite thread ever

ChoccyJules · 27/09/2018 22:13

I actually don’t want the salt. I didn’t know I could ask for none. I am thrilled and may have to return to McD’s just to check this works locally!

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 29/09/2018 13:45

Toffee and Strawberry Sundaes are now officially gone from the menu, as is the BBQ BLC.

I think it was CherryChatsworth who wasn’t sure whether to believe me over the sundaes being discontinued when I mentioned it over a month ago, but like I said, menu changes and a vast array of other information is available to managers, it’s just not every manager is interested in reading it.

However, the Smarties McFlurry is back, though only for a limited time Smile

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AgeBeforeBeauty · 29/09/2018 14:25

Oh no! I only recently tried the toffee sundae, it was yummy :(

Why did they get rid of them?

Still prefer Crunchie to Smarties, but I am really glad they do the mini versions of the McFlurry, makes me feel less guilty when eating one, and let's me get my fix!

Thanks for the update ...

AgeBeforeBeauty · 29/09/2018 14:26

Do you know if they're getting rid of other menu classics?

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 29/09/2018 14:40

Why did they get rid of them?

AgeBeforeBeauty They just weren’t that popular (plus they required several specific items just for them) and they want to make room for any possible future new menu items.

I like the mini Flurries too as I can never finish a whole one Grin

Do you know if they're getting rid of other menu classics?

They aren’t at this time, no Smile

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Winewinewinewine · 30/09/2018 08:59

Great thread OP

My question is how does the franchise thing work if McDonald's want to refurbish/upgrade a store or even close it down.
Are these Mcdonald's head office decisions or the franchisee? And if the franchisee doesn't like a decision do they have to suck it up and do as they're told or do they get a say?

JellyBears · 30/09/2018 10:14

Everytime I see this AMA I want McDonald’s hahaha

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 30/09/2018 10:32

Great thread OP

Winewinewinewine Thanks!

My question is how does the franchise thing work if McDonald's want to refurbish/upgrade a store or even close it down.

McDonalds have a lot of control, and franchisees are completely aware of that when they sign on; it’s well known they like all their restaurants to be consistent across the board.

So take the new EOTF system; all McDonalds have to be refurbed onto that system. It’s non-negotiable. Most of them have been now, I think there’s less than 100 Grill Direct (old system) stores left in the country. How much the franchisee wants to spend refurbing is up to them, but there is a bare minimum they must meet that McDonalds would be happy with.

McDonalds would not just arbitrarily want to close a store down; there would have to be reasons and it would be a long, complicated process where they and the franchisee would work together to come to an agreement.

The franchisee can’t just do what they want. Most changes have to be run by McDonalds.

McDonalds isn’t a dictator though; they have close relationships with their franchisees and will work together with them, but franchisees are aware of the limitations when they sign on.

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JellyBears · 01/10/2018 15:31

I had a cheeky breakfast burrito 🌯 today it was yummy!

I notice they now do table service.

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 01/10/2018 15:49

I notice they now do table service.

JellyBears Yeah, they’ve been rolling it out in all EOTF stores since last year Smile

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