It's not a moment I'm proud of, but I totally lost it in my neighborhood McDonald's today. If you've ever been around me, or know me, you know I have an extreme consideration for people in the service industry. I have thousands of ways to excuse mistakes, etc.

 

Today, I go through the drive-thru, I order an Egg McMuffin meal, a breakfast burrito and a large hot chocolate. The lady repeats my order, and I drive forward. I pay at the window, and the lady is super nice. I drive up to the 2nd window to pickup my food, and the lady hands me my bag with food (which is correct) and a small hot chocolate. I told her I had ordered a large hot chocolate and needed my drink with my meal. She tells me "No". I said, "No?" Then, I repeated my original order. She then tells me I ordered exactly what she gave me. There's a long line, so I said I'd go around.

 

I go inside, wait in line and explain my situation to the counter girl, who tells me she has to get a manager. Then, I repeat my situation to the manager who tells me I got what I ordered. I explained that I understand how mistakes happen, and that I'm willing to just pay for another hot chocolate, but that I want a large one. And I want the drink that goes with my meal. She then tells me she doesn't understand, that I got what I ordered! I ask then, "Do I get a drink with my meal?" And she tells me no, because it's not on the ticket. I explain that I ordered a meal, which I understood comes with a drink. She then says I got a small hot chocolate. I tell her that was separate, and pointed out that it was at the end of my receipt, and that I'd paid an additional $1.99 for it. Now, I want my drink with my meal, and I want to buy a large hot chocolate. She says she doesn't understand, to which I raise my voice, and said "Forget it! I'll just take this! I don't understand what's so hard to understand!" And start walking out. From the time I turned away from the counter, till the door closed behind me, I could hear her loudly saying I needed an attitude adjustment, and that she's not the one with the problem. I was FURIOUS at this point, but I just left.

 

I'm extremely embarrassed that I let myself lose my temper like that. But for the love of Pete?! Was I wrong? Does a drink not come with a meal any longer?

 

No, you weren't wrong. Actually, I'd make a follow-up phone call to the GM of the particular store in question and then a few more calls/e-mails to the immediate ownership.

 

Seems like many of us have had similar issues in recent years. My way to combat the problem is simply take a proactive approach from the time I place an order and spell it out slowly and exactly, never to take even one step (like assuming I'll get a drink with a meal) for granted. It's a pain, but I almost always get what I ordered the way I ordered it. As Denzel Washington put it, I explain it to them like they were a third grader.

:lol: I've watched my boss do things where I just shake my head. One thing I've learned from him and her, is that a good decision will stand the test of time. I've been with the company for 21 years.

 

Make sure you bring the proper ducumentation.

 

I spilt a large hot chocolate on it that I got a Louisville McDonald's where I received the nicest customer service. Said some lady had paid for it and wouldn't take it, so they gave it to me for free.:D:D

Rockmom, if you didn't specifically ask for a drink (aside from the Hot Chocolate) then they probably substituted your meal drink with the hot chocolate.

 

I worked @ McDonalds a few years ago and if someone ordered a meal and then asked for a hot chocolate, without asking for a drink, I would just assume that the hot chocolate was what you wanted for your drink.

Rockmom, if you didn't specifically ask for a drink (aside from the Hot Chocolate) then they probably substituted your meal drink with the hot chocolate.

 

I worked @ McDonalds a few years ago and if someone ordered a meal and then asked for a hot chocolate, without asking for a drink, I would just assume that the hot chocolate was what you wanted for your drink.

 

 

As a General Manager in the hospitality field for more years than I like to admit, you just made the single biggest mistake that I hated my employees to make!

You assumed something!

 

I constantly had to remind my employees to not assume anything!

If you don't understand or don't know exactly what the customer wants or needs, then ask them, don't assume!

As a General Manager in the hospitality field for more years than I like to admit, you just made the single biggest mistake that I hated my employees to make!

You assumed something!

 

I constantly had to remind my employees to not assume anything!

If you don't understand or don't know exactly what the customer wants or needs, then ask them, don't assume!

 

I got paid $6.10 an hour to deal with a bunch of rude customers and do dishes (when I took orders in the back line, I had to do dishes as well). I wasn't doing any more work than I had to :lol:.

 

If someone wanted a drink bad enough, they would have told me about it.

Rockmom, what you should do is send this thread to the Corporate McDonald's office in Louisville or Chicago.

 

My guess is that MGR would be told that she cost her company thousands in bad advertising, over a .25 cent cup of hot cocoa!

Rockmom, what you should do is send this thread to the Corporate McDonald's office in Louisville or Chicago.

 

My guess is that MGR would be told that she cost her company thousands in bad advertising, over a .25 cent cup of hot cocoa!

Good idea! I vote for that too Rockmom.

I got paid $6.10 an hour to deal with a bunch of rude customers and do dishes (when I took orders in the back line, I had to do dishes as well). I wasn't doing any more work than I had to :lol:.

 

If someone wanted a drink bad enough, they would have told me about it.

 

This is a pet peeve of mine. I, too, worked in various jobs in high school and college where customer service was important - cashier, baker, deli, gas station attendant. I was paid very little. However, it was important for me to do my job and do it well. I was friendly to my customers and tried to make their shopping experience with my store as pleasant as possible.

 

Why does the "I don't get paid enough to care" mentality exist today among those in a similar situation?

 

Another pet peeve of mine: for heaven's sake people, RETURN YOUR CART where it is supposed to be! Don't leave it against my car or in the parking spot beside you. Why have we gotten so lazy?

Edited October 18, 200916 yr by Birdsfan

I got paid $6.10 an hour to deal with a bunch of rude customers and do dishes (when I took orders in the back line, I had to do dishes as well). I wasn't doing any more work than I had to :lol:.

 

If someone wanted a drink bad enough, they would have told me about it.

 

Your above comment tells a lot more about you, then I think you realize!

This is a pet peeve of mine. I, too, worked in various jobs in high school and college where customer service was important - cashier, baker, deli, gas station attendant. I was paid very little. However, it was important for me to do my job and do it well. I was friendly to my customers and tried to make their shopping experience with my store as pleasant as possible.

 

Why does the "I don't get paid enough to care" mentality exist today among those in a similar situation?

 

Another pet peeve of mine: for heaven's sake people, RETURN YOUR CART where it is supposed to be! Don't leave it against my car or in the parking spot beside you. Why have we gotten so lazy?

 

Hand outs, work ethic, and lack of caring about others.

 

Where I work, customer service is a major thing. Yes people, I have been cussed out, accused of stealing money from someone's account (over drafts fees are always fun to explain), and staying longer because someone came in the branch before the doors were locked.

Do I complain about this? No, because that is my job, simple as that. I am required to provide excellent service to customers regardless of how they act towards me. Do I get frustrated sometimes? Yes I do, but I do not let that get under my skin, because they are not mad at me, they are mad at the bank.

I got paid $6.10 an hour to deal with a bunch of rude customers and do dishes (when I took orders in the back line, I had to do dishes as well). I wasn't doing any more work than I had to :lol:.

 

If someone wanted a drink bad enough, they would have told me about it.

That was the wrong kind of attitude to have no matter how much or little they paid you .

Your above comment tells a lot more about you, then I think you realize!

 

It tells me as well.

This is a pet peeve of mine. I, too, worked in various jobs in high school and college where customer service was important - cashier, baker, deli, gas station attendant. I was paid very little. However, it was important for me to do my job and do it well. I was friendly to my customers and tried to make their shopping experience with my store as pleasant as possible.

 

Why does the "I don't get paid enough to care" mentality exist today among those in a similar situation?

 

Another pet peeve of mine: for heaven's sake people, RETURN YOUR CART where it is supposed to be! Don't leave it against my car or in the parking spot beside you. Why have we gotten so lazy?

 

Are you going to assume I always had the "I don't get paid enough to care" attitude while at work based on one or two posts on BGP?

 

I didn't get paid enough to ask every single customer who forgot to order something whether or not that was all they wanted multiple times. I always asked them at the end if they wanted something else, and they were given other opportunities to change their order when they came around to pay.

 

I did my job and I did it well, any of my bosses would tell you that. I was always friendly to my customers (unless they were rude to me, but that is another story) and I was even complimented numerous times by customers for smiling and being friendly. I had customers go and get my bosses and tell them that I should get a raise/promotion before, simply because I was helpful, and nice to them.

That was the wrong kind of attitude to have no matter how much or little they paid you .

I always asked the customer at the end of the order, "Can I get anything else for you?"

 

What more should have I done? Asked them twice if their order is correct? Where I worked the order went up on a screen in front of them, if something was missing they would have noticed it.

 

I guess my posts were taken the wrong way, because I was mainly just joking. But I have worked hard at every single job I have had.

Your above comment tells a lot more about you, then I think you realize!

 

And your comment tells me that you can't sense when someone is joking.

 

Because I was.