I’m A Manager At McDonalds... AMA!

[WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue]

I’m a Manager at McDonalds

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?

[RobinEggs]

Why do McDonalds have the ‘we aim to recycle all our waste’ or some such in all the bins but refused to consider using recyclable straws and give unrecyclable toys in Happy Meals?

[WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue]

Why is it that at the little station where you can get your own sauces does the bbq always come out much slower than the ketchup? Is the bbq more expensive and so they try and put you off getting it by making it sooooo painfully slow to get out.

PinotAndPlaydough I have absolutely no idea as as far as I am aware, that is not an issue in our store. It’s nothing to do with cost, rather they probably need a new dispensing system.

Also what’s with the iPads at the table? It makes me feel old saying it but I really don’t like it and it’s been shown that using a screen/watching tv etc can cause mindless eating. What was McDonald’s thought process behind installing them?

They are extremely popular with families, as it gives the parent(s) a bit of a break and a few minutes to themselves. We do find though that the soft play itself is more highly used than the iPads, but all our feedback is that our customers absolutely love them.

The thought process was that it’s the 21st century, technology is a huge part of our lives, children who otherwise wouldn’t have contact with such tech have the opportunity and it’s something families have welcomed and appreciated.

Have you a reputable source for your claim?

I think that this answer is a bit of a cop out - although I understand that this is probably what HQ tells you. McDonalds branches in countries with tiny populations such as Denmark and Sweden manage to offer glutenfree burger buns so I have no idea why the UK cannot.

Lunde You are free to think as you wish, but our regular customer surveys have shown us there isn’t a great demand for it in the UK. With little to no demand, we just can’t justify putting it on the menu.

Sweden and Denmark are entirely different countries with different cultures and different needs to the UK, so the product mix is obviously going to reflect that. It’s not as simple as ‘X does it so Y should too’.

Are there any plans to change the vegeburgers? They’re horrible! I liked the quorn ones you did a few years ago though. I know there’s probably not much call for veggie stuff, but they are just so so boring tbh.

SlowlyShrinking Not at the moment I’m afraid!

What is the mayo in a chicken sandwich? Can I buy it anywhere (will consider catering sized vats happily)?

PeonyTruffle It’s sandwich sauce; as far as I am aware it is not available to buy elsewhere, sorry! Glad you like it though

I am McDonald's mad but I've got to say, the one thing that makes me irrationally angry is the distribution of sauce in the breakfasts wraps. It's only down the very edge of one side! One side is lovely and saucy and the other is dry and has none.

blondebee That’s a training issue, as dressings on all products should be centralised. It shouldn’t be like that!

[WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue]

Kudos for following the party line.

Ican get anything on the menu 24/7 but not an egg mcmuffin at 10.31

noego It’s nothing to do with “the party line” and everything to do with breakfast changeover being the most stressful time of the day.

You lose crew to wash all the breakfast equipment, complete meat safety checks on main menu meat to ensure our grills are working correctly, restock, haul the entire kitchen around - UHCs need to be cleaned and changed, grills and vats needs to be cleaned and changed, and you don’t want to end up with too much breakfast waste.

So if you arrive late and after breakfast is finished at 10.31am, you can politely ask if we have any breakfast left and if we do we will happily sell you it. If we don’t, you might want to make sure you actually come during breakfast if you want to eat breakfast.

Until you have known the stress of a breakfast changeover, for crew and managers, you have absolutely no idea.

Could I get Big Mac sauce put on a cheeseburgerr?

RachelAnneJ Absolutely! Just ask for it, but let them know whether that’s as well as the ketchup and mustard or instead of

Is there any possibility of them putting the mini Big Mac that was out earlier this year back on the menu?

The Mac promotion was highly successful and surpassed all records; our suppliers ran out in the first two weeks, despite projecting they would last the whole promotion! We had cases of managers nipping to other stores and trying to take their buns and meat as all stores were running out So I would expect it to make a comeback as a promotion at some point.

That promotion also proved exactly how important having dual suppliers is!

I worked at a McDonalds in 1993. The chips were cooked in “shortening formula 47”. What number are you up to now?

Longtalljosie That means absolutely nothing to me, so I am assuming something has changed in the last 25 years

and yes it was my favourite job too. I was also at my thinnest when I worked there, despite pretty much only eating their food

BeyondRadicalisationPortal Agreed, I have lost weight since working there despite having their food most shifts because there’s so much running around! It’s constant motion.

[crocsaretoocoolforschool]

Is correctively coached secret code for 'bollocked' ?

[WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue]

I just want to salute you for your lovely coffee and the fact you can get a latte in an extra value meal. That’s one of my biggest treats with the kids

Haworthia Thank you, I’m really happy to hear that

The wait times in my local newly refurbished McDonald’s are just awful. A couple of times my number has disappeared off the screen before I have been given my food, I assume to make it look like it’s running efficiently when audited.

Rainbowtrees Incorrect. The reason your number disappears off the screen (ORB) is because it has been printed out and a crew member is working on it, and another crew member has given and order out and simply knocked off (accidentally or otherwise) all the numbers on our own personal screen.

We have a problem with crew not scanning their pick tickets, leading to orders staying on the ORB and confusing everyone, so it is easier to knock them all off.

It no longer is the fast service place it used to be, do you get many complaints with the new system?

Actually, we get fewer complaints, by quite a way. On the old system complaints in all stores were very high, as the wait times were high and the product was poor, but on the new system wait times are lower and the product is fresh. We are also more customer focused on the new system, as that’s the direction we are going in, and our low complaints reflect this.

Why is my order always wrong?

DannyDogg Because we have humans working for us, not robots, so human error is a factor like in any industry.

No, it shouldn’t happen, and we are aware of the problem with our ongoing training on order accuracy and corrective coaching, but it is never malicious.

If your order is wrong, ring the store straight away and let them know. They will place your name in a password protected document and give you the meal when you next visit for free when you state your name.

Whyyyyyy are toffee sundaes being discontinued?

BabySharkDooDooDooDoo They aren’t that popular; we hardly sell any of them! Hence the discontinuation.

Why would a staff member with really dirty finger nails be allowed to work serving food?

TrickyKid They shouldn’t be. I discreetly check crew hygiene and appearance when they walk on shift and if there is a problem they will not be allowed to work until it is fixed.

Where did the smarties McFlurrys go?

bubbleschimp There was an issue with the way the smarties were turning up in stores, they were whole when they should have been broken up. Too many product issues caused us to cease doing them.

[WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue]

Why the hard sell on Hash Browns? I don't like them. When I say No Thank You. I would just like what I have ordered. I am advised that it costs the same so 'a meal then'. I order Sausage McMuffin and Orange Juice and I get a Hash Brown which I have not ordered.

user1496382820 There isn’t a hard sell on hash browns. Crew are letting you know that you are paying more; they are trying to help you as a lot of people don’t realise the meals are cheaper.

If you want to pay more rather than chuck a hash brown away that is up to you, but crew are only trying to be helpful.

I also hate the iPads - do you get a say in having them or not ?

musicinspring1 That is a conversation between the franchise owner and the business manager, but they would be foolish to say no to them given how popular they are.

Also - our local Mac Donald’s is stingy in handing out balloons - is there an official time to hand them out???

No, there is no official time and they’re not being stingy. The problem with balloons is that we lose a crew member to blow them up and this takes a lot of time, so to lose a crew member for that long can be problematic.

We do like to give them out as much as we can, but we have to have the time and crew to blow them up first!

McDs is great, it gets a bad rep but my BIL who has ASD and other social SN has flourished since working for them, he's been promoted to crew leader (or whatever it's called) and his whole life seems to have been invigorated.

TitsalinaBumSquash I’m so happy to hear that! McDonalds is very crew focused and loves to put the time in. Are they a crew trainer (one above crew) or an area leader (two above crew, just below manager)?

[WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue]

It's interesting what you say about everything being cooked to order.

I've generally found food to be fresh, but without fail my quarter pounder with cheese is always cold. I've often wondered if it's prepared differently?

melin If your burger is cold, the problem isn’t with the meat, it’s a tempering issue. Ingredients (lettuce, cheese etc.) have to be left to temper before use as they are stored in chiller, so if crew haven’t got enough out in time, ingredients are being used that aren’t tempered and are cold, which makes the burger cold.

All ingredients have different tempering times; cheese for example needs five hours to temper! So it is imperative tempering is kept on top of.

It isn't cooked to order.

noego All products are assembled as they are ordered; we don’t hold prepared sandwiches anymore.

You can't get an egg mcmuffin at 10.31

You need to buy a watch so you can actually be on time for breakfast and stop taking your ineffectual punctuality out on people who are working incredibly hard in what can be a very stressful job.

Over the Summer is there an excess of staff with students returning home for the holidays? That's all we can think of for why he's not getting any work. His last performance review was positive. It's really frustrating as he's 18 and really wants to work and earn some money.

MadisonAvenue That isn’t a common occurrence, no. We don’t have any in our store. I mean, we’re not a huge store, but we’re not tiny either.

It’s a shame and I’m sorry to hear that.

Also, both sons have tried to pick up extra shifts when they're being offered online when someone needs to swap but neither have ever been given them (and bear in mind that the older one has been there for almost 4 years), is it luck of the draw if several offer to take up a vacant shift?

The online pick up shifts feature isn’t really used in my experience. Crew wanting extra shifts should speak directly to the scheduling manager, and then they can accommodate them.

Also can you send me a McDonald’s as this thread has made me hungry.

JellyBears I wish I could!

[ChimesOnSundayMorn]

My ds has severe anaphylactic allergies to milk and nuts. Eating out in restaurants is incredibly difficult. McDonald's always seems to have lots of information about allergens.

Please can you tell me more about how you prevent cross contamination?

[WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue]

Also I think think these threads are brilliant because your clearly loving your job and getting fulfilment out of it. And it’s nice to read this and see that the company is a good company.

Thank you I really do love my job and I want to try and get rid of the negative stigma attached to McDonalds because it really is unfounded.

Why do I never get given the dip to go with my cheese bites? It happens every time I order them at the drive thru.

crazycatgal Our store isn’t a drive-thru, but that is a training issue that needs to be addressed. If you leave food for thoughts mentioning the lack of dips they will see them and make that a particular issue to correctively coach and train on to try and combat it.

[FletcherRye]

Be honest, are you one of their PR people hired to do this AMA and paint it in glory?

I’m sorry but no one is this positive about their job, or anything in life for that matter.

[WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue]

I do apologise for the many long and detailed replies there, but I wanted to make sure I answered everyone properly!

[DeegeeDee]

Making me nostalgic for McDonald's of my youth - thanks Whattodoabout.

Loved working there, had amazing times and made a lot of friends, some have worked their way up to senior positions in the UK and Chicago. Used to go clubbing after a close. And before an open. To be young again.

So glad not to be there during this heatwave though!

[Caspiana]

I understand what you say about the new ordering system - my husband and I always stop there for coffee (because as said above, it’s lovely!) and once we order it it seems to be made very quickly but it takes forever for someone to pick it up and hand it over to us. Is that a common issue?

Also, why no decaf coffee option? No demand? Meant I had to go elsewhere when pregnant

Congratulations on being the best hangover food ever by the way...

[WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue]

Why do McDonalds have the ‘we aim to recycle all our waste’ or some such in all the bins but refused to consider using recyclable straws and give unrecyclable toys in Happy Meals?

RobinEggs I don’t know about happy meal toys, but I know we are working on implementing recyclable straws.

Is correctively coached secret code for 'bollocked' ?

crocsaretoocoolforschool Absolutely not; I’m horrified you would think it was. We treat everyone with respect and continually train crew to help them gain knowledge and confidence of the correct behaviours and procedures.

When you correctively coach you are using both appreciative and constructive feedback, so it’s like “You did a great job on getting those drinks made as quickly as possible, but if just make sure you’re capping all your drinks”

You will not get the best out of your crew if you just shout at them when they do things wrong. That would create a very negative work environment and unhappy crew, which in turn would have a negative effect on the experience our customers receive, so no, we would never shout at anyone for getting something wrong.

Please can you tell me more about how you prevent cross contamination?

ChimesOnSundayMorn Absolutely! We use separate coloured tongs for separate products, so white for fish, beige for chicken, green for veggie etc. We also have different coloured UHC trays, so yellow/orange for nuggets, white for fish, green for veggie etc. Fish products have their own vat, as do pies, melts and veggie goes in with the fry vats.

It is very important to use that our customers have all available allergy information, so every time there is a new promotion we receive an up to date allergen book.

Be honest, are you one of their PR people hired to do this AMA and paint it in glory?

I’m sorry but no one is this positive about their job, or anything in life for that matter.

FletcherRye No, I’m not. I’m just a very positive person who really enjoys my job.

I never used to be so positive. I was very ill and really negative for quite a while, but I had some amazing therapy that showed me just what I could get out of life if I was willing to put into it.

[PandaPieForTea]

Did you have to get permission to write this thread?

I know you have only given positive answers, so it’s not like you are letting down McDonalds with it, but as a very carefully controlled brand, I am slightly surprised to see a thread about it at all.

[WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue]

Loved working there, had amazing times and made a lot of friends, some have worked their way up to senior positions in the UK and Chicago. Used to go clubbing after a close. And before an open. To be young again.

So glad not to be there during this heatwave though!

DeegeeDee Thankfully we have excellent air conditioning

It’s so lovely to hear everyone’s great experiences of working for McDonalds; I really hope it helps relive some fond memories

[WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue]

once we order it it seems to be made very quickly but it takes forever for someone to pick it up and hand it over to us. Is that a common issue?

Caspiana No, it shouldn’t be. Crew are trained to try and get out small orders like a coffee or an ice cream, so that is a training issue.

Also, why no decaf coffee option? No demand?

Yeah, no demand - sorry!

Did you have to get permission to write this thread?

I know you have only given positive answers, so it’s not like you are letting down McDonalds with it, but as a very carefully controlled brand, I am slightly surprised to see a thread about it at all.

PandaPieForTea No, I didn’t get permission. We have a very specific social media and online policy, but as long as you’re not speaking on behalf of McDonalds (and I am not, I am speaking from experience) or revealing confidential information, you’re fine.

[MeAndTheMajor]

I'm not normally a fan of the AMA threads but am loving this one (and really craving a Maccys!)

[SheStoodInTheStorm]

This thread is making me feel less guilty about when I have McDonald's!

[glintandglide]

I love this ama too and would love to know more about your therapy op because I would love your attitude

[cameltoeflappyflapflap]

@WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue did you find out about the pickles?

[crazycatgal]

Have you had any really bad customers?

[Growingboys]

Do you work in the PR department? Every reply is suspiciously glowing.

[FletcherRye]

Fair play, OP. I could do with being a bit more like you so would appreciate some of your therapy tips!

[forgivenminds]

What's the negative of role and how do you deal with lazy staff or turning up hungover.