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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

McDonalds drivethru- whole premise is gone

87 replies

savethecat · 18/01/2020 15:27

After a long few hours at a walk-in centre, I took my teen for a drive-thru. I haven't' been to McDonald's for such a long time and was so surprised to find that the drive-through now involves you ordering and the parking up for a good ten minutes waiting for a staff member to come and find your car to deliver the order. There were at least 15 cars waiting.
Now I am not bothered about waiting but wasn't the whole idea of a drive-through for speed and convenience? Seems the whole concept is down the pan now.
AIBU?

OP posts:
DontTouchTheMoustache · 18/01/2020 15:29

It was a Saturday lunchtime...they were clearly just busy. What other option could there be? If they had to sit in the car at the payment area they would cause a massive tailback

Original poster
savethecat · 18/01/2020 15:31

The girle at the counter said this is the way they do it now and they always do it like that. I get that it must have been busy, for sure!

OP posts:
FlibbertyGiblets · 18/01/2020 15:32

I think McD is positioned as convenience food not fast food nowadays.

Certainly I can remember 15 years ago drive thru was exactly that, bellow through the dodgy intercom, pay, recieve parcel of loveliness at next window.

DontTouchTheMoustache · 18/01/2020 15:32

I've literally never experienced this unless.its peak time and busy. If the food was ready they would just give it to you, they wouldnt waste time and effort bringing it out for no reason

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 18/01/2020 15:33

It's still normal around here; you only park up if they're crazily busy or you've ordered something special that takes a while to prepare.

It's all made fresh but it's still quick, takes maybe a minute or so longer than it used to between ordering and collecting.

Original poster
savethecat · 18/01/2020 15:33

@FlibbertyGiblets that'show I remember it. I guess times have changed and I need to get out more :)

OP posts:
victoriashleigh · 18/01/2020 15:34

Sounds like they were a bit backed up during a busy period. I don’t think the whole concept of drive-thru has changed... Hmm

CalamityJune · 18/01/2020 15:34

I've only experienced this at exceptionally busy times. I generally find it very quick and easy.

MAFIL · 18/01/2020 15:36

On the last couple of occasions we have been to McDonald's the queue for the drive through has been massive, so we've parked and gone in. We've been back at the car with our food and driving away well before we would have got to the order point if we'd waited in the drive through lane.

Cyberlibre · 18/01/2020 15:39

That has always been a thing for so long as I can remember. If they are very busy and don't have your order ready then they ask you to park up.

Angryfan123 · 18/01/2020 15:42

I think it’s because they make all the food fresh now whereas up until 2/3 years ago it was all already sitting there. We’ve always waited anyway because I have my burgers with just cheese which they’ve always made fresh.

This is when service started to slow down in store as well and people were complaining.

Floralnomad · 18/01/2020 15:45

McDonald’s cook to order now so it takes a little longer , gone are the days of burgers that have been sat ready for someone to order them , it’s a much better system now and I’ve never waited more than a few minutes .

lilgreen · 18/01/2020 15:50

It’s still drive thru near me.

LettertoHermoine · 18/01/2020 15:53

My experience EVERY time I go through the drive thru because I want a fillet o fish and a veggie burger.

Highonpotandused · 18/01/2020 15:54

It's not like that all the time. Drive thru is really quick for us.

Picklypickles · 18/01/2020 15:55

The only McDonalds near us gets really busy, there are often queues backing right out onto the road out of the industrial estate its in so I hardly ever bother with it! They only have a small car park with 3 of those spaces for people who have ordered food and are waiting!

Appledeapp · 18/01/2020 16:01

It only happens to me occasionally. I think it is if they don't have what I want ready or if they are too busy. Usually I do drive through without the parking.

needanewnamechange · 18/01/2020 16:01

My dd works at McDonald's they only do that if busy and backed up so may have 2 cars waiting at a time .

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 18/01/2020 16:06

Vegetarian burgers seem to take longer on Drive-Through.

I've had to park and they come out to the car .

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 18/01/2020 16:08

The reason it takes longer is because they now cook the food the Order rather than having 30 burgers stacked up waiting for customers.

SillyUnMurphy · 18/01/2020 16:10

I worked at McDonalds when I was doing my A Levels (nearly 25 years ago) and ordered food had to be ready by maximum 3 minutes. Now when I go to McDonalds it can take 10 to 15 minutes. Maybe it’s because the menu is much more varied and they do table service in the restaurants. It definitely isn’t ‘fast food’ anymore though.

adaline · 18/01/2020 16:15

It just happens like that when it's busy.

SachaStark · 18/01/2020 16:15

I agree, it happens all the tine at my local McDonalds now, not just at very busy times.

I now either bring a book to read whilst I wait for 15 minutes in the parked order bay Hmm , or I deliberately only order stuff I know is going to be sitting their waiting to go, e.g. burger and fries, nothing fancy.

SachaStark · 18/01/2020 16:17

*there

happymrsc · 18/01/2020 16:19

I can't remember the last time I parked up to wait for my order, and even when I do it's because they've been really busy and it's not been straightforward. I'm sure it happens everywhere sometimes but even so better than getting out of the car it's pouring down or something!