Tag Archives: McDonald’s

McDonald’s Error

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I noticed on the news is McDonald’s is making changes. I would guess they are having problems, which is no surprise to me. I mean when it takes 15 minutes, literally, to serve a barely warm Big Mac, they are headed for real problems. Marketing is important but it will only go so far.

The company broke into fast food by serving good tasting food fast. Now there are many “nice sit down” places that serve food faster. As a matter of fact, I just visited a good Mexican place that served me a good meal in less than the 15 minutes. It does make me ask, why should anyone go to McDonald’s when we can get a much better meal at not much more cost?

Personally, I have found when I am in a hurry, it’s hard to beat Subway. Unless they have an unusually long line, I’m usually eating within 5 or 6 minutes after entering the door. Chick-fil-A is fast too, but I usually have a long walk across the parking lot. I suppose it is a reasonable price for popularity.

At any rate, it’s sort of difficult for the McDonald’s employees to provide reasonably good service when they are so busy talking amongst themselves. Many-a-time, I have had to wait for the conversation to be completed before I could expect any attention.

Mostly, if people have to wait 15 minutes for less than hot food, McDonald’s will likely just fade away, regardless of any marketing methods.

As an aside, the same thing can be said of other fast food places too. I mean it is basic. People go to fast food places to get food fast.

It’s a Shame I Don’t Have a Spare Dollar or 2

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Back in the 60s or 70s McDonald’s without doubt had the fastest service. It was simple why. They cooked it all in advance. While the customer put his money on the counter, the employee put the order in a bag or on a tray.

No matter how long the line got, it moved right along. Waiting time was minimal.

Okay, sometimes the food wasn’t piping hot, but it was good and, let’s face it. it’s where we went when we were in a hurry and we didn’t want to pay so much.

I have no idea the reason or who’s idea it was but McDonald’s decided to change. Now those that go there wait, and wait. More, the food is not so hot. Literally, it is luke warm, at best.

I guess that many followed McDonald’s, but I wonder just how many would like the old way.

So. If I had a spare dollar or 2 to spare, maybe I could start a restaurant based on the methods of the old McDonald’s. I am sure many of the folks would stay with the new McDonald’s but maybe I could make a living off the old methods.

That way, when someone wants to wait, they could go to McDonald’s. When a person wants their food in a hurry, they could come to my restaurant.

Incidentally, I would not have those ridiculous ketchup machines that never, ever work. Also, forget going through the drive through. There would be none. I would insist you come in and say hello. As you might expect, I would provide faster service than the drive through anyway.

It does make me wonder just a little. Just how many would leave the new McDonald’s model to go to the old model.

By the way. I don’t have any name for my old idea. Maybe I could solicit a few.

In it for the Money?

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All these years, I thought McDonald’s was in business to make money. However, over the years I’ve started wondering. The was the time the woman at the counter took my order and immediately went to back. I wondered what the reason. Then I found out. I heard her call out, “We need nickles!” This of course she did while I was in a hurry to get to work.

Then there was the day I went in to get some breakfast. After one of the employees stood there and talked on her phone for four minutes. I gave up and went somewhere else. It gives a new meaning to “Fast Food.” I actually wrote a letter to their headquarters over that one. I got a free sandwich over it. No real apology, just a sandwich. By the way, I did remind them that there were three other places nearby where I could get breakfast. They didn’t seem to care. It seemed to be a “So what,” attitude.

I guess they have gotten too many customers. they have this method of thinning them out a little.

Then the other night I ordered Diet Coke with my meal. Guess what, no Diet Coke. They wanted me to buy tea instead. If there is one thing I have learned about dining out — don’t buy what you don’t want just because they don’t have what you do want.

In this day where many of us are diabetic, I cannot understand any restaurant of any kind running out of their only diet drink. It is a triple whammy. It is almost as bad as a place that specializes in hamburgers running out of hamburgers. It’s kind of dumb.

In this case, it left me without a drink for my meal, which irritated me. This discourages me from returning. Moreover, it greatly decreased the profit of their sell. Soft drinks are very high profit items in fast food restaurants. It might seem odd, but they don’t make nearly as much off hamburgers (about 40 – 45% gross profit). Where their real money is made in the soft drinks (about 95 – 96% gross profit).

I don’t think the employees care. They draw the same pay regardless. Most employees, especially new one likely think they make more money off the hamburgers.

The third whammy is a little more long range. When I got my food, I went to a convenience store and bought the drinks, Diet Pepsi, which I prefer. Now I know I don’t have to rely on McDonald’s for Diet Coke. I can buy bigger better sodas for about the same price at a convenience store just down the road. Not only that, if I want, I can buy my sweets at the store instead of from McDonald’s.

Now, if word gets around, McDonald’s just might wish they had an adequate supply of Diet Coke for me.

Then again. I might be wrong. McDonald’s makes a lot more money than me. Moreover, they will likely never hear my complaint. If they do, they will likely assume their “so what,” attitude.

However, if they keep trying to thin out their customer base, they just might find out it works.