Woman complained to manager about DD

[Bearaque]

So my DD works at McDonalds whilst she’s at sixth form and today she’s come home upset. She was working at the window, handing out the food.

This woman made a complaint to the manager that DD didn’t say a single word to her or look at her when she passing her the drink and food and that she was too busy talking to her friend. Complained to manager who had words with them both.

DD said this was true but at the end of the day it’s McDonald’s, it’s full of teenagers, as long as you get your food quickly does it even matter what the service is like?!

Every teacher should have engraved on their forehead 'Discipline is what other people's children need!'.

How rude of her! It’s irrelevant that it’s McDonald’s. Whenever you deal with customers, you treat them in a courteous and pleasant manner, whether you’re selling them a burger, a packet of crisps or a bottle of champagne.

It’s incredibly rude to ignore a customer and carry on chatting to her friend. It pisses me right off in supermarkets - no eye contact, no acknowledgement, no communication. It’s not just to do with good customer service. It sends the message that the customer is beneath your daughter and her friend, not even worth enough to be acknowledged.

Hopefully your daughter will get some extra training and learn from this.

Exactly. I'll be surprised if she doesn't get sacked if she carries on like this. Service DOES matter, wherever you are.

OP: AIBU?
MN: Yes, YABU
OP: No, I'm not

@Bearaque - I don’t expect the same level of service at McDonalds as I would at a Michelin starred establishment, but I do expect the basics. A polite greeting is a basic, as is speaking to the customer and not ignoring them in favour of your gossip with your mate.

This is a good lesson for your dd - if she chooses to learn it.

I would have complained too! It's not a "friends meet up", it's a job and one she should do responsibly. In the few times I've used one, I've never been to a drive through and seen this sort of behaviour and wouldn't expect to either. She'll be the sort that cycles through jobs one after the other with this attitude towards employment. God help the employers that waste their time with her, when someone who actually wants the job can do it properly!

I have a DC the same age as yours @Bearaque and honestly I think this is a good lesson from someone other than a parent about respect, politeness, customer services and doing a good job, yes even working at McDonalds.

I would not in any way give her an 'out' on this, condemn the customer or make it out to be not a big deal. This is important learning, even in a 'teen job' and your DD should take what the customer and manager said to heart and next time do better. She's not a bad kid and can do better.

I think it's a good thing to happen to your DD. Hopefully she'll learn from it and improve her customer service. Being 'just' Mac Donald's has nothing to do with it.

I still remember being given a written warning when I was 17 and used to re-stock at Woolworths in the evenings. Apparently I was too slow. 17 year old me didn't think I was slow at all - maybe I was, who knows! I don't think I told my mum, just got on with it and carried on eating the pic n mix when in the lift!

Your responses are rude and childish, so it's no surprise you think your daughter's disrespectful attitude isn't a problem.

It isn't "just McDonald's", it's someone's livelihood and she is being paid to provide a service. She is an employee like any other and her age doesn't mean she can half-arse her job and get away with it.

This:

It’s a good lesson for her to learn that manners are important and not determined by social status.

To comment about if that’s your biggest problem is so cliche.

Complaining about poor customer service doesn’t make it someone’s “biggest problem in life”.

The woman did right to complain and highlight this issue. My local McDonalds is notorious for fucking up peoples orders. I went once and the staff at the drive through windows were messing about and chatting, hence not concentrating properly and giving people the incorrect orders. Including mine.

Doesn’t matter if you’re working in McDonalds or a Michelin Star. You shouldn’t ignore customers and chat to your colleagues whilst you are literally serving them.

It’s also most likely the customer complained via the McDonald’s feedback survey which is on every receipt.

A teenager handed me my McDonald's breakfast this morning. She only said about 5 words. But was very polite and friendly. It's not difficult!

Yes that’s EXACTLY what I said. People who eat at McDonald’s don’t deserve manners. Word for word that what I said.

Your daughter can't even do a job at Maccy D's without someone complaining she's rubbish. Great career ahead of her!

I recently had the misfortune of calling University of Edinburgh and speaking to a young woman who said “sorry, I don’t know how to transfer calls. Bye” in a very dreary, dull, monotone voice

She hung up on me 😂 and has gone down in history at work for 1) being the most useless person we’ve ever spoken to and 2) Ensuring that anyone we employ can talk clearly, has BASIC manners and can use a desk phone!

No, you didn't use those precise words. However, in your OP you said, "DD said this was true but at the end of the day it’s McDonald’s, it’s full of teenagers, as long as you get your food quickly does it even matter what the service is like?!" Are these your views or your DD's? I assumed that everything after "DD said this was true" represented your own opinion. And if so, it clearly indicates you think that service doesn't matter because it's McDonalds. Which would imply that rudeness is fine there, though presumably it would be unacceptable elsewhere.

You think that it was unreasonable of a customer to complain about your daughter’s severe lack of manners. It is exactly what you said.

It matters if the service is not up to standard. McDonald's are big on training, cleanliness etc. it's right she was told she must smile, and say the script to each customer. It's part of her job.
It's not the end of the world but a job is a job and needs to be done correctly. It's not hard to speak and look pleasantly at customers/clients.

I’m glad someone complained as your dd is there to work, not socialise. Tell her to do her bloody job.

That's uncalled for

She needs to grow up and treat customers with respect. It makes no difference where the job is. She was rude, which you obviously encourage as you’ve now complained about it too.

I think that's probably fairly accurate.

So she gets her rudenes from you. You do realise that Ambulance staff and people eat at McDonalds as it’s the only quick food they can sometimes get on shift.

YOU are the problem and I sincerely hope the next time you are eating at a restaurant you get the same treatment.

Would it be ok if the staff treat you like that in Waitrose? Because it’s just a shop at the end of the day..

“ but at the end of the day it’s McDonald’s, it’s full of teenagers, as long as you get your food quickly does it even matter what the service is like?!”

Except it pretty much is what you said 🤷‍♀️ There’s no need for manners because it’s “just” McDonalds.