To think McDonald's/Costa etc should have "dark" stores, that only serve UBer/Deliveroo?

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All these "fast service" places now are super slow and clogged up with the Delivery orders... so annoying having to wait for so long because the delivery orders are given priority and/or adding to volume of orders, to then be sitting in a coffee shop or where ever and delivery drivers are toing and froing all the time

Can't they have some dark stores? That run from warehouses or wherever, where the general public can't access, and all deliveries get put through them. Would be a whole lot easier for all concerned!

The last few times I've gone in and had to wait 20 mins +. They absolutely seem to prioritise the drive through, for obvious reasons as that can't back up. The few people waiting for orders inside are all waiting ages while the drive through and uber eats orders are constantly being processed. We'd have been quicker going to a restaurant and sitting down. Even just extending the shops and having a separate area for these orders.

The delivery motos are a real mess around places that do delivery. Also in central London bike racks are full of delivery bicycles locked up in the morning so commuters can't find places to lock their bicycles when they get to work.

100x yes. They pick up their massive orders, waiting time is impossible in McDonalds now. Also, constantly block parking spaces (including disabled and click&serve, or whatever they're called) or don't bother parking properly, because "they're on the go".

I agree it's bonkers. I got proper telling off on MN for thinking so, because disabled people might want to order McDonalds home. Yeah, because 100% of deliveries is for disabled people or those who don't drive 🙄

The reality is that many McDs and Costas are held by franchisees, and I can't see them wanting to invest in a 'dark store', because there would be nothing to incentivise them to do so.

Not just mcD etc, also a problem in supermarkets. My dd now spends her evening shifts solely doing deliveroo and not on the till or doing something else to benefit customers in store. She says people do whole shops sometimes, and she has to run around finding numerous items, it’s not just milk and bread but everything. the deliveroo drivers are rude, get into fights with each other, steal the orders, drop them smashing expensive bottles and generally it’s mayhem. There’s an annoying sound that goes off when an order comes in. She heard it in a coffee shop recently ( as a Customer) and it nearly gave her ptsd!

Yes! I've been saying the same to my DH.

Drive through near us is no longer really a drive through. It's drive-through, and then park up and wait for 30 minutes.

It was an occasional treat if we were driving past on the way back from somewhere. But now we don't bother cos it's quicker to drive home and cook ourselves.

A ghost store between the current one and the town we're in (that is out of the Deliveroo distance) would make a killing!

I agree. My local costa was slow anyway, often long queues, but since they've added the delivery service, it's so much slower. And the delivery drivers come in to the store and wait in a certain corner right next to a table where someone may be sitting trying to have some quiet time. Often two servers will be working on one order, one getting the food and one the drinks, so you're stood there like a lemon, having ordered 10 minutes ago and still waiting for them to start your drink.

Went to a McDs recently and had to leave without stopping as not only was there no parking and all all the delivery bays were full - there were cars parked on verges. This was a Sunday in a midlands suburb. Seemed the only traffic was delivery drivers.

I wouldn't mind so much if when you did order a delivery it turned up (a) within a decent time (b) within the time they originally gave (whose seen that ETA jump by minutes ?) and (c) didn't make my place the last stop of 5 so whatever I get is cold and needs reheating.

All of which being said, having excuses not to keep using takeouts isn't a bad thing.

I agree, it would be much better for customers and probably employees too if they ran the delivery services from different locations.

Service used to be so much faster. All the common orders used to be there, ready prepared and you could get your order in seconds. It doesn't warrant the title of fast food these days.

Same with Itsu, if you want hot food now they only do it to order so there are 10-20 people waiting for it at lunch time ad they call out numbers. It's lunchtime, get it ready in advance, FFS!

One of the very many things that are slightly more shit than a few years ago. We're all boiling frogs.

They wouldn't. A lit if those people couldn't be bothered/ don't have time/ are working etc. The only reason they are having it is because they can have it delivered.

Our local Macdonalds on Deliveroo / Ubereats is a dark restaurant. So they do do it

This.

My local Mcdonald's is not a nice place to eat in now. Full to the brim of delivery drivers, standing about near the tables. Off-putting.

We can't order at the counter, all orders taken by the ordering kiosks.

Yes, noticed this for a while, and I've now joined the people causing the problem because I order on their app while I'm walking there and doing a click'n'collect.

It only works for takeaways and not if I'm eating in, but then I got out of that habit during lockdown so I'm not missing those 20 minutes of peace phone browsing so much