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?

Thanks for answering, still craving that Big Mac

Do you ever eat in other fast food restaurants, and how do you think they compare to McDonalds?

HopelesslydevotedtoGu Rarely. I find my standards have been set so high by McDonalds that few places pass them!

I weep with laughter.

Do you remember when McDonald's sold pizzas?

Breakfast is until 10.30am and will not be extended as we need enough time to changeover to lunch We have everything available all day here is Oz! It's amazing. I took dd for breakie and she ate nuggets while I had B&E muffins!! :)

I weep with laughter.

Shoeshelpplease Glad I made you laugh, even if it was unintentional! Laughter is good for the soul

Do you remember when McDonald's sold pizzas?

differentnameforthis I remember it as a customer, but I didn’t work there at the time.

We have everything available all day here is Oz! It's amazing. I took dd for breakie and she ate nuggets while I had B&E muffins!!

Yeah, I know other countries do it, but the UK won’t; our restaurants aren’t built for it. Look at the landscape differences between Australia and the UK - there’s a lot more space and land in Australia, leading to bigger restaurants allowing you to have the equipment to do all day breakfast. In the UK land is at a premium and many of the buildings McDonalds are housed in are hundreds of years old, so it just isn’t possible.

Therefore without the ability to run both at the same time we have to have changeover.

differentnameforthis I remember it as a customer, but I didn’t work there at the time OMG thank you!!!! No one remembers them, I am always told I must have had them somewhere else.

They were bloody delicious.

OMG thank you!!!! No one remembers them, I am always told I must have had them somewhere else.

differentnameforthis It was the 80s and 90s so people have probably long forgotten!

Yes of course, you will be aware of 'promotions', but supply chain information? Really?

I'm not trying goad you at all, I think it's great PR. You've gone a bit over the top though, should have kept it more real . It was almost believable at first.

Different- I remember! Best drunk food ever.

Yes of course, you will be aware of 'promotions', but supply chain information? Really?

Shoeshelpplease Yep. Each store has annual meetings with an external company who manage all our food safety, so they keep us updated on our suppliers and any other food integrity and safety information.

Do you still do the Mushroom Double Swiss? XH used to always order this (late 90s-early 00s) as they had to make it to order as it was 'off-menu'. Are there any other 'secret' items like that?

Do you still do the Mushroom Double Swiss? XH used to always order this (late 90s-early 00s) as they had to make it to order as it was 'off-menu'. Are there any other 'secret' items like that?

n0ne The Mushroom Double Swiss was from Burger King.

McDonalds doesn’t have a secret menu and never has. You can customise items on our menu to a point, for example no pickles or remove cheese, but you can’t just put together a giant burger or whatever the Internet rumour is.

Thanks for answering, I loved the Grande Big Mac promotion, hopefully it’ll come about again. Great thread btw 👍🏻

Oops!

I’m interested in this tension between the cold hard numbers showing that service is quicker under the new regime and customers not feeling like that is their experience. What do you think is behind it? New system bedding down with staff (but that wouldn’t explain the numbers)? Clearly lots of people think the service is worse (also my experience) so even if it isn’t, customer satisfaction is dipping. Will HQ care, or do customers just have to get with the programme?

Does really annoy you when people just pop in to use the loo? A McWee?

I have been known to do this on my way to work but I'll usually buy a coffee to assuage my guilt!

Burning - I think that they need to make the area where you wait for your order more orderly. I realize that you can't have rows of seats like at Argos but it's very messy and disorganized currently. This adds to my stress as I worry about not hearing my number come up. (I have no issues with table service as I'm sat down)

Thank you OP. My first job was in McD. I met my now H there. It was good experience, you learn a lot about people and its true. There are a lot of people who think folk who work in McDonald's are thick - and the reality is simply not true. (I have a PhD, which was possible by winning a prestigious scholarship). I have fond memories of my time there and the managers (most of them!) were pretty cool.

They took us all to Alton Towers once. That was wonderful.

But yes supporting myself and @cheesy - Big Breakfasts must return!!!!

Thanks for answering, I loved the Grande Big Mac promotion, hopefully it’ll come about again. Great thread btw

RitaMills Thanks! And you’re very welcome I definitely think they’ll bring the Grand Mac promotion back as it was exceedingly popular.

I’m interested in this tension between the cold hard numbers showing that service is quicker under the new regime and customers not feeling like that is their experience. What do you think is behind it?

BurningGubbins There isn’t a tension there. Customer satisfaction is at an all time high and customer complaints are far lower than they ever were on our old system.

Some people may feel that way, but the majority don’t.

Does really annoy you when people just pop in to use the loo? A McWee?

BeverlyGoldberg No, we don’t mind at all

I think that they need to make the area where you wait for your order more orderly.

rainingcatsanddog With the introduction of table service our collection areas are far less crowded now.

The way the system is supposed to work, you shouldn’t be listening for your number. You should be watching the screen in the collection point and when your number turns green, step forward. We aren’t supposed to say anything at all, but if we have to the order should be read first and then the number as a last resort. However, customers don’t watch the screen so that ends up with numbers having to be called.

Thank you OP. My first job was in McD. I met my now H there. It was good experience, you learn a lot about people

luckycat007 It’s lovely to hear you met your DH there and have such fond memories too

its true. There are a lot of people who think folk who work in McDonald's are thick - and the reality is simply not true.

The stigma attached to McDonalds employees is very sad, as the majority of those I work with are very clever. There is nothing wrong in honest, hard work, and partaking in it doesn’t mean you’re “thick”.

I used to mystery shop McDonald’s, I miss those as at the end of the month they would be throwing money at you to get them done!

And yes, I know you could always spot the mystery shopper. 😂😂😂

Great AMA. Why can't staff members wear watches or is that particular to my local one?

Why did they stop doing root beer?

In New Zealand, you could get frozen coke and it's amazing. Why won't they do that here in the UK.

I'm gagging for a quarter pounder now.
(I wish I could get hash browns all day though, I love them)

Zzzz my two are like that, luckily ds3 likes the chips and ds4 likes the burgers so they swap

And yes, I know you could always spot the mystery shopper.

Happypuppy Ha ha yeah, that’s why I’m really glad Gapbusters have gone! They weren’t representative of McDonalds experience at all. Most of the time you knew them by name!

Can I swap nuggets for extra chips in a happy meal?

zzzzz8 Absolutely! We can’t put it through the till as an option, but if you ask for that, the crew member will pass it on to the runners and they’ll tell kitchen not to make the nuggets. It happens every so often; it’s not common but it’s not really unusual either.

Great AMA. Why can't staff members wear watches or is that particular to my local one?

MyHairNeedsASnip Thanks! Nobody - not even managers, business managers etc. - can wear a watch, or any form of jewellery, not even earrings, except for a plain wedding band. This is due to hygiene and safety - bacteria could get trapped in the watch and contaminate the food, or earrings could fall into the food, or a diamond could fall off your engagement ring etc. etc.

If you go to a restaurant and they are allowing their kitchen staff to wear watches or jewellery, they have very poor hygiene standards and I would recommend eating elsewhere.

Why did they stop doing root beer?

Riotgrrrrrl It just wasn’t popular in the UK I’m afraid.

In New Zealand, you could get frozen coke and it's amazing. Why won't they do that here in the UK.

There are no current plans to introduce frozen coke into the UK. You’ve got to think about the difference between the UK and New Zealand markets; New Zealand has a lot of hot weather, so frozen drinks will be refreshing, whereas the UK mostly has neutral or cold weather; this summer has been unusual.

Yeah, we have the blended ice, but that’s a machine in and of itself and frozen coke would need a whole new set up, requiring a lot more space, and it would be quite a costly venture for something that probably wouldn’t sell that well.