Well, That's It - McDonalds is Done

[lupinus]

On the other hand one of the best steaks I ever had was in India, but it involved a lot of whispering when they offered it to me at the 5 star restaurant in a hotel catering to westerners.

Of course it was damned good, you were eating a higher life form.

[lupinus]

On the ordering, my grandfather firmly believed the value meal system to be a total sham. Saying you wanted a number three got you the lecture and you had to repeat that you wanted a quarter pounder with cheese, a medium fry, and a medium coke. This, this he was happy to order for you.

[zxcvbob]

I remember 19¢ leaded gasoline.    I have no idea what McDonald's cost back then; I'm not sure we even had a Dairy Queen yet.

[Mannlicher]

Mickey D lost me years ago.  I'll stop at Hardees every time.

[K Frame]

They hadn't filled their daily quota of "offended" and/or "faux outrage" yet?

Nah, they can get that here...

HOW DARE MICKEY D'S CATER TO A SMALL SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION AT THE EXPENSE OF ME?

[K Frame]

IMO, joints like McDonalds, BK, etc. shouldn't even do the special order burgers. The whole point of going to them, vs a better place, is getting in and getting out. Don't want something on your burger? Take it off yourself. A guy I knew used to always do a special order with the rationale that it would get him a "fresh" burger vs one that was sitting under the heat lamp.

Part of the problem with McD level places is, I think, training, incentivizing, and the actual assembly line. At McDs, you have one person both taking orders and taking money. I can sometimes see why I get a regular coke instead of diet when I'm paying and the cashier is both counting my money and taking an order at the same time (especially a custom order).

Places like In N Out, Five Guys, etc. can do efficient and fast "custom orders" because of how they make their burgers, as well as the infrastructure of the assembly line. At In N Out, you have one person taking carside orders and another at the cashier booth. Both of them verbally confirm your order (as does the person at the pickup window, before they hand you your food).

They also seem to be able to incentivize their employees. It always impresses me that when at the cashier booth at In N Out, if the line is such that the cashier doesn't have cashier duties, I see them jump up and do other work until the line moves forward. These are almost always High School kids, and I find their motivation impressive. At McDonalds, the cashier just sits and waits until the next person pulls up.

So, you're saying that the business model that has worked well for Wendy's and Burger King, allowing people to actually CHOOSE what they're paying for, doesn't actually work?

Yeah.

And I'm not sure where you go to McD's, but at the ones that I frequent the drive-through cashier pulls drinks, and helps with the fryer.

The only dedicated people at McD's are the people who are making the sammiches. Everyone else works multiple positions depending on what order they've taken and how busy it is.

[Hawkmoon]

Mickey D lost me years ago.  I'll stop at Hardees every time.

Hardees no longer exist in this corner of Paradise. Arby's are also mostly (if not all) gone. I guess Roy Rogers all disappeared some years back. Gino's, of course, disappeared many years ago. We have McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's from the old-line chains. I think there might now be one or two Sonics in the state, and 5 Guys now has a few locations. I stopped at one several months ago and the line was long enough that there was no way I was waiting that long to pay their prices for a hamburger.

[K Frame]

I would imagine those things get pretty septic, especially half-way through a lunch rush. Besides, it would be at least twice as bad as jockeying for your preferred nozzle at the self-serve soda fountain.

We had a couple of quick-service burger places around here that have tried them. One place gave up on the concept, and I'm not sure about the other one.

Since McDonalds, et al, already have ketchup and mustard packets, they could perhaps just let people add those themselves.

Many McDonald's have gone to self-service drinks stations.

[K Frame]

Hardees no longer exist in this corner of Paradise. Arby's are also mostly (if not all) gone. I guess Roy Rogers all disappeared some years back. Gino's, of course, disappeared many years ago. We have McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's from the old-line chains. I think there might now be one or two Sonics in the state, and 5 Guys now has a few locations. I stopped at one several months ago and the line was long enough that there was no way I was waiting that long to pay their prices for a hamburger.

Hardee's are largely gone from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. There are a very few independent Roy Rogers left. Arby's is still around here, but I never cared for their food much at all.

There was a Sonic in central Pennsylvania where I could get to it, but it crashed and burned years ago and I simply wasn't impressed with it. There are a few in Central PA, but they're not worth the effort to get to.

I have NEVER been impressed with 5 Guys. I simply don't see the appeal. The burgers are largely tasteless and the fries are meh.

[Ben]

So, you're saying that the business model that has worked well for Wendy's and Burger King, allowing people to actually CHOOSE what they're paying for, doesn't actually work?

Yeah.

No, I said that a lot of people choose McD's specifically because they want to get in and out fast. Not because of the quality of the food or being able to customize orders.

[K Frame]

On point to, often it's just that that they are morons. I got a chicken sammich at McDonalds. I didn't ask for anything special. When I got home and pulled it out....there was no chicken on the chicken sammich. When you can't be bothered to put the chicken on the chicken sammich you aren't confused, you're a worthless moron.

I ordered a chicken sandwich a few weeks ago. They kept trying to give me a Quarter Pounder. The manager told me "it's a chicken sandwhich, but in the wrong box."

I opened the box, and it was a 1/8th pounder/chicken sandwich.

Yep, 1 burger patty and a chicken breast.

The manager gave me a coupon for a comp sandwich, which I still need to use.

[K Frame]

"IMO, joints like McDonalds, BK, etc. shouldn't even do the special order burgers."

That's what you said. That's pretty plain on its face that you think every burger joint should be the cattle call, you take what you're given. No choice, just get in, order off the menu, and GTFO.

That's how McDonald's operated for decades. If you asked for a burger without onions, you were told to scrape them off yourself. And that's what led, in part, to the rise of Burger King and Wendy's as serious competitors to MD's.

Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, special orders, don't upset us... Remember that jingle? BKs way of saying FU MickeyD's!

[Ben]

I think every fast food burger joint should be a cattle call.

Places like In N Out, Five Guys, etc. can do efficient and fast "custom orders" because of how they make their burgers, as well as the infrastructure of the assembly line.

[K Frame]

I think every fast food burger joint should be a cattle call.

So start your own fast food joint.

As people walk in you can toss them a random sack of something, charge them something, and they're out in 20 seconds.

Call it FU Burger.

The Woot of the fast food industry.

God forbid people actually have an expectation for something a little more... appealing.

[Boomhauer]

Any place that doesn't allow custom orders will never see business from me. Because *expletive deleted*ck that *expletive deleted*it, I ain't scrapping pickles and onions off my burger.

The problem with McDonalds is not special orders (unless Brad's sister is in the house) it's the quality of staff (or lack thereof)

[French G.]

Any place that doesn't allow custom orders will never see business from me. Because *expletive deleted*ck that *expletive deleted*it, I ain't scrapping pickles and onions off my burger.

The problem with McDonalds is not special orders (unless Brad's sister is in the house) it's the quality of staff (or lack thereof)

It is the management or more precisely the management system that McDs trains to. The only stores that i have seen that run correctly are ones where the manager is a total jerk to the employees. Which gets the floors cleaned and the orders out but does not inspire confidence in longer term issues. If i guessed I'd say it is an over-reliance on metrics. The managers are so hen-pecked by off-site managers and store numbers that the only ones who stay in the job are the incompetent. Too much effort went into making a system like it didn't need people.

Then there is the issue of getting what we expect/deserve. I walked into a Wendy's in Rhodes, Greece and was shocked. The food was good, the restaurant spotless and locally styled with a nice open air part. An employee polished the floor after we walked in. Not mopped, got down with a new rag and hand-wiped the foot prints. I felt bad about walking in there almost. I'm sure part of that was the reverence of Americana, but you sure don't get that service in Richmond, VA.

[Doggy Daddy]

So start your own fast food joint.

As people walk in you can toss them a random sack of something, charge them something, and they're out in 20 seconds.

Call it FU Burger.

The Woot of the fast food industry.

God forbid people actually have an expectation for something a little more... appealing.

Orrr....  Dick's Last Resort is a small bar and restaurant chain in the United States, known for its intentional employment of an obnoxious staff. ... The restaurant uses picnic-style tables and no tablecloths. Patrons of Dick's are expected to be insulted, or placed in uncomfortable situations. Adult bibs and large, hand-made, paper hats are given to diners to wear during their stay.[7] There are no napkins on the tables: they are generally thrown at the customers by the serving staff. (Wikipedia)

 

[Ben]

So start your own fast food joint.

As people walk in you can toss them a random sack of something, charge them something, and they're out in 20 seconds.

Call it FU Burger.

The Woot of the fast food industry.

God forbid people actually have an expectation for something a little more... appealing.

Great news Mike! There is a 99.5% probability that my OPINION on the Internet will never intersect with your OPINION on the Internet in the same line at the same fast food joint. So while I continue to tell people like you to hurry the hell up with their orders, you can continue to tell people like me to take a breath and wait our turn.

Further good news! Me and the dog just had a delicious breakfast of bacon and freshly laid eggs out on the porch, and in a few hours I'll be sitting in my rocking chair, listening to opera, and drinking a glass of whiskey, because that's what's important to me and makes me happy. Much more happy than than opinions on the Internet. :)

[Ben]

Orrr....  Dick's Last Resort is a small bar and restaurant chain in the United States, known for its intentional employment of an obnoxious staff. ...

Heh, I was at the one in San Antonio many years ago. Don't know if it's still there, but it was a hoot. 

[Doggy Daddy]

Heh, I was at the one in San Antonio many years ago. Don't know if it's still there, but it was a hoot. 

I've never gone.  I fear I would overwhelm them with my targetness.   

[230RN]

Dammit.

Now I'm hungry.

Dammit.

[lupinus]

I ordered a chicken sandwich a few weeks ago. They kept trying to give me a Quarter Pounder. The manager told me "it's a chicken sandwhich, but in the wrong box."

I opened the box, and it was a 1/8th pounder/chicken sandwich.

Yep, 1 burger patty and a chicken breast.

The manager gave me a coupon for a comp sandwich, which I still need to use.

So that's where my chicken went.

[mtnbkr]

Hardee's are largely gone from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Northern Virginia.

Fixed that for you.  They're all over the place in South, Central, and SW VA. 

Chris

[Perd Hapley]

Many McDonald's have gone to self-service drinks stations.

I know. I was talking about a self-serve toppings bar for burgers and such. I could see that being a real bottleneck, and a germ-ridden one at that, at a fast-food place.

[charby]

I know. I was talking about a self-serve toppings bar for burgers and such. I could see that being a real bottleneck, and a germ-ridden one at that, at a fast-food place.

The world is a germ-ridden place. Probably more germs on the door to your place of employment then you will get in a sandwich topping bar.