Bloody McDonald's

[lilyrabbit2]

I absolutely realise that this a first world problem and I'm sure some witty MNer will be along shortly to tell me I'm unreasonable for even eating McDonald's but regardless...

We don't have it often but do enjoy the breakfasts so took the dc today after we'd been swimming. Dd was desperate for a nap at this point so went through the drive thru thinking we'd be quick. But no we got 'can you park in a bay please' and waited 20 minutes before I had to go in and remind them we were waiting. The order was sat in a bag going cold waiting for someone to bring it out.

This happens all the time. 90% of the times we go we end up having to park up and either wait ages or go in to find we've been forgotten. The staff are busy and it seems they prioritise just eat/uber eats orders rather than the customers who are actually there.

No point complaining because a massive corporation like McDonald's won't give a shit but would it be unreasonable next time to just say sorry I can't park in a bay, we're in a rush I'll just wait here in the drive thru? It would probably hurry it up and anyway why should they take more orders before fulfilling the ones already waiting?

Again, I know it's a first world problem but it irritates the life out of me!!

GasPanic · Yesterday 11:09
Sounds poorly organised at that restaurant.

I don't go there often but when I do its always pretty fast”

This. Our youngest has worked there all through uni. Bloody hard work. Any delays are usually due to technical failures (drinks machine is always breaking down) or staff shortage. Please, everyone, don’t take your frustrations out on the staff. Lots of people do in our son’s branch if ever there are problems. Usually with little girls, 16 and 17. Funny how they shut up, say thanks mate and sidle off when his 6ft 5 frame hands over their order.

I’ve done this several times before, but only when it’s a fairly simple order and I always give them the choice of giving me a refund instead if they don’t want me blocking their drive through. I do get some incredulous looks from the staff that I’m not doing what I’m told (gen z sadly used to being overly compliant clearly) but they’ve never chosen the refund option and strangely enough the food always comes really quickly after that.

If you refuse to move they might just give you a refund instead. Not sure how easy this is to do with contactless payments but easy if you pay with cash.

If you don't want to get out your car either beep your horn, ring the store or drive round again.

Also if you want to check the quality or if the food is correct, ask the person that brings it out to you to wait there while you check it.

But no, I wouldn't just refuse to move.

I avoid one particular local branch because they did this to me twice in a row. One of them I’d gone to pick some food up for my DH and teenage sons. after going to a charity ball. I didn’t go in because of course I was in a big floofy dress. I’d ordered an apple pie for my son and they said there would be a 7 minute wait. I wasn’t in a rush so parked up. After 20 minutes I had to call the restaurant phone to ask why my order wasn’t with me yet. They apologised and said they had to turn on and heat up a specific machine to cook the apple pie. I was a bit miffed but said ok, they said it had 4-5 mins left. After another 10 mins still nothing so I called again…………..they’d given my order to someone else! To say I was raging, was an understatement! I’ve had a few times where I’ve gotten parked up, later in the evening, hardly any customers and been left waiting 20 minutes. Literally the next window on to the main window, so it’s not like I’m around a corner. I’ve complained and been offered meal vouchers etc but I’d just rather they staffed better so those that are working aren’t run off their feet. I avoid McDonald’s now tbh because of these incidents. YANBU

I’d have said no, I’ve waited so long my food is cold and I want it remade. I wouldn’t accept cold food in a restaurant so why should maccies be ok to serve it?

I just park the car and walk in to order, always a lot quicker

Absolutely this!
Happens 90% of the time now in our local Maccies too and on almost every evening of the week (not just fri/sat)
Deliveries take priority for sure!
I wouldn't go there out of choice to be fair, because of this but our Autistic daughter loves the burgers and ice creams, so it's a little treat once a week or so.
I also refuse the mcflurries they try to give us at the drive through (so they melt well before the hot food arrives!) I ask for them with the food but 9/10 they are still melted.. 🙄
I sit there every time, thinking to myself NEVER AGAIN.. 😂

It isn't.

Complain to corporate. They absolutely will care.

Might depend on which one you go to. I'm in a small town, I can park a minutes walk away and it's usually very quiet inside but a queue of cars in the drive through. Every time I've done the drive through I've been sent to a parking bay and had to wait. When inside I'm served within a few minutes.

Not unreasonable

The last time they pulled that stunt on me and I found our food was stone cold I made them redo the whole order because I paid for hot food not stone cold because they forgot us.

It has got worse since Uber and deliveroo, they need to have a dedicated team for that that is separate to customers who are using drive thru or eating in.

When I said I wanted our food redone the girl who handed me it was so rude and said no, luckily someone else heard, took the bag, dumped it out and remade the order, and gave us some free cookies to say sorry. Some of them are absolute drips but some are lovely, I don't know if they still do the stars thing for good customer service and good work but perhaps they should.

Went yesterday to the drive thru, and honestly they did nothing to disprove the comments on this thread. We ordered, one happy meal (sauce missing again), I get mistakes can happen, but I asked, and they assured me it was in the box 🤔.
Then, they put 2 milkshakes, and my cappuccino all next to each other in the cardboard holder, left it on counter for ages in the open air drive through window, while they prepped the frappuccino. The man said sorry for your wait. Coffee stone cold, icy drinks thankfully were salvageable. Went back with the coffee, and this was replaced. The man remembered the wait, and did apologise. It wasn't the wait that fully did it, why would you put ice cold drinks sandwiched next to a coffee, and leave it sitting there, when there was already a delay. Cold drinks first, pass them over in the holder together, then make hot drink (fast to prep) and pass that over alone. Or the other way around. It is basic science, why?!

YANBU It's a drive-through, you order and pay from your window, get your order handed to you and drive on. I have been in the US a few times and done this for coffee and sandwiches, works fine. They have a seperate person to "man" the drive-through window. Never was sent to a bay and wait. It's not a sit-in-the-waitingroom service.

My experience has also been that I’ve been asked to park and wait and then been forgotten about. Usually luke-warm to cold food. Often something missing. If an item is listed as coming with sauce, they will never ever put the sauce in. Milkshake/icecream machine never seems to be working. I try to avoid McDonalds now.

I've given up with McDonald's. I've ordered a delivery on 3 occasions, and everytime the food has been cold - I've had to heat it up in the microwave! Also the 🍔 looked like someone had sat on it 🙄

Bloody McDonald's indeed. Where I live, not only does it take ages for the food to be ready, but it's 50/50 whether you get the food you've ordered. Often I've had multiple items missing from my order, other times I've been given the wrong item. I never seem to get extra though.

Never understand why people go through the drive through, knowing they'll have to wait. Id rather go in and order and get the food quicker! Oh and you can complain and they give you freebies.

You don't get the food quicker in the stores near us. If anything it takes even longer, as they have a million deliveroo etc orders. All of these drivers are so grumpy, and rude to the staff, and sit together in a large part of the seating area.
IMO, they need to stop deliveries; it has ruined them. This is not the sort of food that survives it, nor is it remotely nice reheated 🤢

Completely agree. They should knock off the online delivery orders if they can't honour the ones on the shop floor

I begrudgingly parked up one time when I was asked. I got my food brought to the car and I just happened to checked it before I drove off, they had forgot one item, so I had to walk back into the McDonalds. So, last time they asked me to park I said 'No'. Funnily enough I wasn't waiting long, so I don't know why they bother telling people to park as its more hassle for them having to get someone to bring it out.

I think it's a metrics thing. They get measured on the speed cars get through the drive-through. They don't get measured on how long someone's waiting in the car park.

www.instagram.com/reel/C-7X01YNRbd/?igsh=MXhxaG5tN2M3YXQ2eQ==

Says it all! Bring back the old days when you ordered your food and got it straightaway. McDonald's is so stressful these days and they always get it wrong if you customise.

In my experience, it's OFTEN quicker to park up and go inside to order. Especially at a peak time of day.

I have a bad habit of getting Starbucks on the way to work and it's the same there. The drive-thru is never less than five cars deep but I park 2 metres from the door, walk in and order right away. No other drivers seem to have cottoned on.

I went to a busy Wetherspoons yesterday and ordered 2 adults meals and 2 kids meals via the app sat at the table. Drinks appeared within 2 min and food on the table in 5 min. Faster than McDonalds and much nicer!