Complaint Review: McDonald's - Morgan City Louisiana

Several years ago a friend of mine who was working long, long hours and just wanted a quick meal, stopped by a local McDonald's at around 10:30 pm going through the drive-thru. He had done this many times before because of the convenience, and obviously he was not expecting 4 or 5 star treatment, just a simple, fast meal. After waiting several minutes to have his order taken (there was no one ahead of him), he drove up to the window, just to see the workers (kids) playing around, laughing ignoring him. He was so frustrated that he parked his car and tried to go in, just to find the doors locked!!! It was way before the closing time. So, since no one acknowledged him, he went back into his car and call the cops to tell them that the restaurant was being robbed since they were supposed to be open and no one opened the door. He told the cops that it looked suspicious and that they should send someone to check on that. He then went across the street to a convenience store and in 5 minutes 5 patrol cars came in, and surrounded the restaurant. Imagine the looks on those kids' faces, when they thought that they could close the restaurant early because the manager was gone. Needless to say, the cops had to call the manager and the owner to come over to the restaurant to straighten things up. I know it was not a wise thing to do to call the cops, etc., but it sure gave him the satisfaction to see the kids getting in trouble for being lazy. It taught them a lesson.

Why should anyone listen to Rocky? His post does nothing but belittle people that actually like the convenience of using the drive-thru. As for you, Alex, accusing people of expecting 5 start restaurant quality service from McDonald's is just completely absurd. The only major request has been that one gets the food they ordered how they want it and to get it in a timely manor. I believe that is the expectation of any person ordering food from a restaurant, whether it be a fast food chain or some fancy restaurant serving escargot.

i don't expect four star quality service from a fast food drive thru window... -a|ex

Rocky, do you only half-way read information or you are just the type that likes to criticize people because they don't have the same "values" as yourself? Firstly, I only mentioned that incident where I did not get "bacon" on my burger. These issues have happened quite often before. This was not just one time someone forgot the bacon and I'm all in an up roar. In addition, it's the principle of the matter. They don't exactly give away those little wimpy slices of bacon. Next you seem to think that anyone that goes through the drive-thru is sad. Why? They offer a drive-thru service. Do you think that anyone that takes advantage of a convenience is sad? We are all sad, aren't we? Including yourself. How dare we go to McDonald's and get a burger. We can just make one on our own. In fact, why are we so lazy that we have to go to the supermarket and buy ground meat. Do like the Amish and old time folks. Let's raise our own cattle, slaughter it ourselves. As for your "no-brainer" of checking the food before you drive off. Well, it's nice in theory, but when you are in a lunch line with literally 10+ cars behind you, it transforms from a no-brainer to a holdup. Imagine everyone taking 1 minute to look take the burgers out the bag, examine them to make sure they get what they ordered. 10 people in line, that's 10 minutes that person #11 gets delayed in ordering their food. This delay doesn't count the additional delay from waiting on food to be cooked or prepared if they are really busy and so forth. Rocky, you seem to live in Perfect. You know, that wonderful place they talk about in the Wallgreens commercials. When you arrive back to Earth, give me a ring. The only thing I can truly agree with you on is the person that blocks the line because they are mad that McDonald's didn't get their order right. Btw Rockey, the person that said that is a guy. The name on the post is Steve. As for blocking the drive-thru, if you are dissatisfied enough to go in and talk to a manager, then just pull off and park in the parking lot. If it were me stuck behind him, I'd be doing what I could to get him towed away. Just because McDonald's annoys you doest not give you the right to inconvenience others. He can't tell me that it's McDonald's fault. Granted, McDonald's messed up his order, but they sure didn't make him park his car. Not sure about other states, but in Louisiana that is called "obstruction of traffic" and can get you fined and your car towed. Steve, you may be right on the low wages attracting idiots, but I believe more than anything that low wages don't encourage even semi-intelligent people to do their best. They simply don't care about their job. If they get fired they will just find another low-paying job.

This is serious, folks. This person went to McDonald's and did not get the bacon one time. Call in Gil Grissom quick! Okay, you can't get out of your car and go inside to place your order? Pretty sad if you ask me. Take a couple of minutes and check your order before driving off. This is a no-brainer. The food at McDonald's is not good for you anyhow. Go to Cracker Barrell or someplace that makes healthy food. As for paying "living wages" to employees, McDonald's pays minimum wage because it is an unskilled job. It takes no brains at all to flip burger or dunk frozen fries in hot grease. That is why they have the high school kids working there and Jr. College managers. These people are unskilled in anything else and are paid exactly what they are worth - minimum wage. The lady who wrote that she blocks the drive-thru when her order is wrong is totally a jerk. What about the people sitting in back of her? What would she be doing if some slob parked in front of the drive-thru window while she was waiting? That is unexcusable. If I was in back of her, she would get a big helping of McDonald's ketchup on her front windshield.

I usually go in to get my order. When I do go through the drive through, it's usually an order just for me. Sometimes I might pick up an extra burger for a friend if they are wanting something, but that's it. I did write to the corporate office last night via the McDonald's website. It asks for the location of the establishment so that the issue can be forwarded to the proper person. Hopefully they will respond. My reason for stating that I would never go to a McDonald's again was because I was very offended at how we were treated. As stated in the previous post, it was the equivalent to getting the door slammed in your face. I personally felt as the did not want my business. If that's how they feel, then I won't offer it to them. As for the lighted up dispaly. Yes, the display was still on. The menus were lit up and the electronic display that normally shows your order was lit up. There was nothing saying they were close, that they were closing early, or anything. They seemed to just let people sit there until they got tired of waiting and would just leave. As for the possibility of the time being off, the time I go by is what's on my cell phone, which is automatically set by Cingular. It may be possible, but I doubt that Cingular's time was 15 minutes slow.

Did you see the picture of that sign at a Mcd's the other day? "PARKING FOR MACDONALD'S DRIVE THRU CUSTOMERS ONLY" What does that tell you? I wonder though, I pass a Mcd's in the morning on my way to work and sometimes there are a DOZEN vehicles or more waiting in line at the drive through.

Nicholas,

First of all, I agree that getting a wrong or incomplete order at a drive thru is aggravating, and with your choice to not go to Mcdonalds anymore, if you feel that is the appropriate solution for you.

I, too have had this aggravating experience with McDonalds locations all over the country. Therefore, I do check my entire order before driving off.

Keep in mind that a drive thru is a convenience that you choose to use. With that in mind, you should not be making large orders at a drive thru or making multiple orders per car at a drive thru, as that slows it down for everyone and I consider that to be rude behavior, just like you considered that employee to be rude.

Everyone has a different perception on what is considered to be rude.

And, everyone handles situations differently.

Here is how I handle a bad drive thru order. It works everytime, and usually gets you some free stuff too. I quickly check my order as soon as it is handed to me. If it is wrong, I pull up just far enough to open my door and get out. I roll up my windows and lock the door and go inside and speak to a manager, while blocking the entire drive thru. This costs them money.

If they ask why I parked in the drive thru, I respond by asking why I should have had to come inside at all. If I wanted to come inside, I would not have used the drive thru, right? I then ask them why it is so difficult to perform such a simple task. This makes them pay attention to, and fix the underlying problem.

I find it to be an increasing problem at fast food restaurants that many of the workers are functionally illiterate and rarely communicate effectively in the English language. That is the root of the problem.

These places make HUGE profits, and there is NO REASON for them not to pay a LIVING WAGE to attract QUALITY workers. The fact is that low wages attract idiots that cannot get hired anywhere else. That is the root of the problem. Often, at night, the "manager" is some 20 year old kid who knows absolutely nothing and simply doesn't care.

And, closing before the posted time is a violation of the franchise agreement unless there is a bonafide emergency or situation that requires it. As long as that drive thru menu board is lit up, they need to take your order. I would have blown my horn until someone came to the window instead of driving off. Make them answer to you for your inconvenience.