The McDonalds Experience

[FastEd]

I got up early Sunday, figured I would go over and see my pal Henri Gref and take a look at the new garage he just put up for his dirt bike work shop.

No breakfast so I stopped in to McDonalds for something to eat on the drive. Needless to say I was in a good mood for that early in the morning.

Stopping in front of the menu this robot type voice cheerfully asks whut I want. I routinely order a bacon & egg biscuit and a sausage & egg biscuit, which is about the only thing that I can stomach at McDonalds, and I finish with “That is all.”

Now this is why I don’t like talking to machines. The machine asks “Will that be all?” Before I can answer, a squeaky voice jumps in and chirps “Big Macs are two for one today!” I politely answer no Big Macs and realize I’m starting to get irritated. Then squeaky comes back and says “You want cheese on the sausage biscuit?” Once again I reply no and she says that will be five sixty five and directs me to window number one.

I then find my way to window number one without too much ado and pay the bill which I think is way too much. Now I am directed to window number two. She even points to the left thinking I may have a problem finding window number two. Now I resented that.

OK, now my mood has changed and I have decided to begin fighting back.

This young blond little thing slides the window open at number two and hands me a bag all folded over neatly and gives me a big smile and tells me she hopes I have a nice day. She is completely taken back when I abruptly ask her what is in the bag. She gives me a funny look and replies “Whut?” I know I have her now.

I ask “In the bag, sweetheart, whats in the bag? Are you sure you got the order right?”
I new it was coming. She asks “You don‘t know what you ordered?” And I say “What did you give me?” Now then, totally confused she tells me to wait a minute, closes the window, to save the heat, and turns to the other sweet little thing and they proceed to have a meeting right there. I can see that they are now researching the computer. Finally the window slides open and the young thing confidently explains that I got one bacon & egg biscuit and one sausage & egg biscuit.

I smile and say thank you and I motor off, not entirely sure of what just happened, and she still has that blank look on her face. When I got on the Freeway I take out the first item and it is a sausage biscuit, so I’m satisfied she, at least, got the first part right.

 

[Kevin]

Well Ed. I just read the whole story. I'm glad you didn't get lost somewhere between window one and window two. How 'bout next time backing up and ask for a road map.

AND! As the famous marketing example... for 5 bucks you got breakfast WITH a smile. Try getting something that good at the DMV or worse, the passport office. (Dantes Inferno comes to mind.)

 

[6gun]

I was waiting to hear you pulled out a big Mac as you pulled on the freeway. :lol:

Hey at least you have sweet young blonds that should be enough to make you happy. way better than fat ugly non English speakers we have around here.

 

[Number9]

Well.. it goes with the territory, but you knew that going in!
You won't find a new Cadillac for sell in a junk yard! :mrgreen:

 

[Don Lovel]

pride point in my life.
After years of living in the cab of my pickup working jobs all over the country, I realized one day I was spending more time in the drive through lane to eat crap that was unhealthy for me and be aggravated to the point of wanting to shoot the clown I made a choice about how I eat and live. I said goodbye to these losers. Early morning huge coffee and bag full of biscuits and tater tots or breakfast burritos, mid morning getting a huge cup of bad soda, back at noon for a bag of greasy cheesburgers and fries and more soda, afternoon cold drinks, caught late working, find yourself in taco bell at midnight.
mcd's -starting my 8th year without them, last items I had were a horrible cup of coffee and a cold breakfast burrito
Hardees-7th yr
Boogerking-7th yr
Kentucky fried chicken - 5yrs (hard core fried chicken addiction)
Church's - 5yrs
Popeye's only been a year, some things are hard to give up.


I did eat sonic burgers because I knew where their beef came from in Oklahoma, but now, they too have become questionable

 

[Number9]

Well hell, Don... you got'a have finger food living in Colorado! :mrgreen:

 

[1911fan]

I'm not sure just what this post is about...

As I understand it, you got up early on Sunday morning and, on the way to your destination, got fast food. You went through the drive-up, talked to a machine, pulled up to window number one, paid, were directed to window number two where the restaurant employees GOT THE ORDER RIGHT???

Wow.

Normally, I keep my mouth shut and move along but your supercilious tone just demanded retort.

You were cranky because you had to talk to a machine, got crankier because you were directed to move to another window (did it ever occur to you that some people might assume that they should wait at this first window for their food?), so you decided to take it out on some poor blonde young LADY (you call my daughter "thing" and BOTH of us will take umbrage).

If you don't like the drive-through experience, park your car and walk into the restaurant. You can talk to an actual human being (although you'll probably still be asked the upsell questions--they're required to do that), handle money comfortably, verify your order before you leave, and even get a little exercise into the bargain.

Instead you chose to criticize this young person who got up at a ridiculous hour on Sunday morning to come in to do a thankless job for not very much money rather than stay home sleeping while Mom and/or Dad--or even Uncle Sugar--paid the bills; a young person who displayed responsibility by being at that thankless job at that ridicilous hour, awake, alert, on time and sober; a young person who GOT YOUR ORDER RIGHT.

And speaking of responsibility, let's talk about distracted driving and trying to eat from a bag at freeway speed.

Disappointing, Ed, diasppointing.

ed

 

[wolfsong]

By the way, there is a real, live person at the other end of the "machine" conversing with you whilst placing your order. The "machine" is commonly known as an intercom...

 

[skeeter]

I don't eat fast food burgers more than once or twice a year. Subway maybe once a month

 

[FastEd]

I'm not sure just what this post is about...

And speaking of responsibility, let's talk about distracted driving and trying to eat from a bag at freeway speed.

Disappointing, Ed, diasppointing.

ed

You neglected to cover the fact that she pointed down range to Window number two. That hurt worse than all the rest considering what a sensitive person I am. Also I done a lot worse things driving down I-75 than eating a Big Mac...

 

[wolfsong]

I'm not sure just what this post is about...

And speaking of responsibility, let's talk about distracted driving and trying to eat from a bag at freeway speed.

Disappointing, Ed, diasppointing.

ed

You neglected to cover the fact that she pointed down range to Window number two. That hurt worse than all the rest considering what a sensitive person I am. Also I done a lot worse things driving down I-75 than eating a Big Mac...

Now you've got my curiosity up, but I'm kinda scared to know! :) :)

 

[Kevin]

No, it is a machine. I went through the drive thru at McDonald's perhaps a month ago. "It said " Big Macs on sale wod you like one blah blah blah. I started to order. Then a real human voice took over. It was a canned little recorded message.

In case the employee is busy, the machine greets you. I believe Ed got it right.

 

[1911fan]

Ah, but I DID address the "window number two" fact, twice: I said that you "were DIRECTED to window number two" then you "got crankier because you were DIRECTED to move to another window...".

You, sir, mount a VERY weak defense for inappropriate behaviour.

You were WRONG when you chose to pick on the window number two attendant, you were WRONG in calling her a "thing" and you were WRONG in driving distracted (irresponsible actions in the past in no way excuse irresponsible actions in the present).

Am I some kind of a saint? No. Have I ever exibited inappropriate behavior? Yes. Do I brag about it in the Internet? No.

Think about it. That young person could have been the child or grandchild of any one of us here. A child that you chose, only because she was "there", to bully, then brag about it.

What's a stronger word than "disappointed"?

ed

 

[Pierow]

I'm not sure just what this post is about...

And speaking of responsibility, let's talk about distracted driving and trying to eat from a bag at freeway speed.

Disappointing, Ed, diasppointing.

ed

You neglected to cover the fact that she pointed down range to Window number two. That hurt worse than all the rest considering what a sensitive person I am. Also I done a lot worse things driving down I-75 than eating a Big Mac...

Now you've got my curiosity up, but I'm kinda scared to know! :) :)

Curious? I'm with you Wolf. Scared to know? Not a chance. I never heard of the "fill a popcorn bag with bricks and place it on the street for an unsuspecting passerby to take a kick at it" gag until Ed told the story of doing so as a young boy.

Give it up Ed and no coming back with something as docile as drag racing or throwing beer bottles at road signs (as long as the statute of limitations has expired of course).

Just giving you the business Ed, Pierow

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I don't do it often but I always walk in and get my order to go. That way I can see what is going into the bag and head off any trouble, although ordering extra sauce can cause problems. ...and that medium sized ,sugar free, french vanilla, iced coffee can be tricky but compared to Starbucks price it is well worth it.

 

[GhosT]

LOL,

For some reason ,MESMERIZED by this THREAD.
:lol:

At first, got a little ticked at Fast ED, then Got happy with 1911fan's response....LOL

Then reread the whole thread twice.

FastED....
I will admit ya overpaid for crappy food.

But I do hope yer kidding when you say you took yer irritation out on some minimum wage teenager....cute blonde or not.

It flashed my 54 year old ass back to 1975, my first job at age 15,GAS PUMP JOCKEY.
GUYS my age now yelled at my scrawny ass then when gas went from 38 cents to 42 cents per gallon.
Like I had anything to do with the price.

As all those boards ya order yer food from has built in cameras,better check yer next order for something "extra"
in yer sausage biscuit :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[BearBio]

I agree with most of you.....what does he have to gripe about?

1. They were cheerful.
2. They spoke English.
3. He could actually understand what they were saying
4. They got his order right.
5. They could make change (presumably)
6. He got all his food.

I MAY be going by McDonald's tonight==wife is on a business trip and I don't feel like cooking. I do not go to the drive-up window. I want to check my order before I leave. They are running about 65% on getting it right lately. Down from 75-80%

Driving distracted? I normally stay away from the street where McD's is because of all the soccer mom's passing out food as they leave, guys in pick ups driving with one hand as they eat, etc (I admit to stealing a couple of fries from the bag once in a while)

 

[WAYNO]

Wow. Some of you wouldn't be real fun at a party. :mrgreen:

The only thing that would make such an experience worse, (read funnier), is if the little thing would have called me "honey".

WAYNO. 8)

 

[FastEd]

Wow. Some of you wouldn't be real fun at a party. :mrgreen:

The only thing that would make such an experience worse, (read funnier), is if the little thing would have called me "honey".

WAYNO. 8)

I've been through that too. The worst is when they call you "Sunshine."

 

[FastEd]

Ease up guys, its not about the kids. Its about the Major Corporations we are forced to deal with every day of our lives. They treat us like we are idiots while all the time they are picking out pockets for every dime they can possibly extract, telling us all along how lucky we are to have them looking out for us.

Its the old "American Way" brain washing routine we tend to put up with.

Sometimes we just get fed up with the whole mess but we try to retain a sense of humor to help shore us up.
We keep choking on it every day until it gets to the point where we can't resist it any more. It makes you feel better but it doesn't solve the problem.

The only way you can fight it is to look at it and realize how funny its getting. NYUK! NYUK!

 

[GhosT]

I get yer point ED....and agree to a point.

I think my point should have been, target the managers,not the WORKING TEENAGERS.....

Cause lord knows working teenagers are outnumbered 10 to 1, by smart phoned owning,XBOX playing,,
"PARENTS PAY FOR EVERYTHING I WANT" unemployed hanging out in the basement while taking
SELFIE/ LOOK AT ME / AIN'T I SPECIAL" PIC.S!

Ohhh crap, although I mean everything I just said.......
I think I just hit OLD MAN STATUS!!!! :evil: :wink:

 

[1911fan]

Sorry, Ed, but it IS about the kids.

You may wonder why I keep belaboring this incident. Fair enough, I'll tell you.

When I was a kid, if my step-father had a bad day at work, he'd come home and find some excuse to beat the hell out of me. I was his whipping boy, his SCAPEGOAT.

If you had said to window attendant number one when she DIRECTED you toward window number two, "Young person, do you think that I am so old and feeble that I cannot find my way to window number without directions?" she would have undoubtedly been flustered (like as not, she was a person who "talked with her hands" and the gesture was unconcious) and the apologised profusely. That would have been the end of the incident and you would not have had anything to post.

Instead, you decided that your panties were REALLY in a bunch and you chose to make a SCAPEGOAT of window attendant number two. She had no idea what was going on. All she knew is that a customer was being nasty, sarcastic and condescending to her. That she called a supervisor was right, if simply to verify that the order (one that she probably hadn't even packed herself) was correct. Their blank looks as you drove off was undoubtedly one of "What the hell was THAT all about?".

If you hate the drive-through experience, as I suggested before, simply go inside.

If you think it's too expensive, COOK YOUR OWN BREAKFAST at home, then eat it before you go. I'll even let you leave the dishes for later.

Instead of striking a blow against the big corporation, you merely acted rude and snotty to an innocent minimum-wage kid who, in reality, did her job correctly.

In doing this, you have acted shamefully. A real man would seek out window attendant number two (by going by her work, don't try to stalk her) and apologise. In front of, if possible, the supervisor who came to her assistance.

I care nothing about the restaurant but for my having worked in several and having had to deal with mean, small-minded bullies.

You, sir, have proved yourself such.

ed

 

[6gun]

I still think it would have been funny if once down the road he discovered he got big macs instead of the breakfast sandwiches. :D

 

[nekvermont]

Sorry, Ed, but it IS about the kids.

You may wonder why I keep belaboring this incident. Fair enough, I'll tell you.

When I was a kid, if my step-father had a bad day at work, he'd come home and find some excuse to beat the hell out of me. I was his whipping boy, his SCAPEGOAT.

If you had said to window attendant number one when she DIRECTED you toward window number two, "Young person, do you think that I am so old and feeble that I cannot find my way to window number without directions?" she would have undoubtedly been flustered (like as not, she was a person who "talked with her hands" and the gesture was unconcious) and the apologised profusely. That would have been the end of the incident and you would not have had anything to post.

Instead, you decided that your panties were REALLY in a bunch and you chose to make a SCAPEGOAT of window attendant number two. She had no idea what was going on. All she knew is that a customer was being nasty, sarcastic and condescending to her. That she called a supervisor was right, if simply to verify that the order (one that she probably hadn't even packed herself) was correct. Their blank looks as you drove off was undoubtedly one of "What the hell was THAT all about?".

If you hate the drive-through experience, as I suggested before, simply go inside.

If you think it's too expensive, COOK YOUR OWN BREAKFAST at home, then eat it before you go. I'll even let you leave the dishes for later.

Instead of striking a blow against the big corporation, you merely acted rude and snotty to an innocent minimum-wage kid who, in reality, did her job correctly.

In doing this, you have acted shamefully. A real man would seek out window attendant number two (by going by her work, don't try to stalk her) and apologise. In front of, if possible, the supervisor who came to her assistance.

I care nothing about the restaurant but for my having worked in several and having had to deal with mean, small-minded bullies.

You, sir, have proved yourself such.

ed

I think Your Making a huge mountain out of a mole hill and are starting to sound like an ass.

 

[FastEd]

Sorry, Ed, but it IS about the kids.

You may wonder why I keep belaboring this incident. Fair enough, I'll tell you.

When I was a kid, if my step-father had a bad day at work, he'd come home and find some excuse to beat the hell out of me. I was his whipping boy, his SCAPEGOAT.

Sorry to hear about the step father. There was a time, where I came from, a guy could get tuned up for something
like that.

Apparently I touched a nerve with my post. It was meant to be funny, well a little funny. Your are certainly entitled to your opinion. That's good enough for me. Its all about having good conversations. I like to hear opinions from both sides. Unless they get personal. Please look again for an opportunity to participate in future conversations.
That's what it is all about.

 

[wheelgun1958]

And speaking of responsibility, let's talk about distracted driving and trying to eat from a bag at freeway speed.

Disappointing, Ed, diasppointing.

ed

Not to mention proper puncuation and vocabulary. I am not without fault myself, but I do take the short amount of time to proof-read my posts.

 

[Dan in MI]

Ed, one side that I didn't see mentioned. Window #1 didn't point YOU to window #2. Instead, out of habit, or training, she was pointing the general public that can't walk and chew gun to window #2. For all we know she is used to the late night bar crowd that bounces off the big yellow poles on the way up to the window.

 

[Cholo]

Here's the funniest part of the OP. You know what they say about the mind being the 1st thing to go, and I can relate:

The way it's written, they got Ed's order wrong and he was happy with it!

I routinely order a bacon & egg biscuit and a sausage & egg biscuit, which is about the only thing that I can stomach at McDonalds, and I finish with “That is all.

When I got on the Freeway I take out the first item and it is a sausage biscuit, so I’m satisfied she, at least, got the first part right.

I thought you ordered a sausage & egg biscuit. What happened to the egg? :mrgreen:

Ed, please don't go back! :shock:

My 3 kids worked at fast food joints. You wouldn't believe the jerks they ran into on a regular basis. It was a whole lot worse than Ed's giving a girl a bit of a hard time. With Ed, I'd just have left the egg off his sausage biscuit :)

 

[graygun]

This one's kind of funny.

 

[FastEd]

Ed, one side that I didn't see mentioned. Window #1 didn't point YOU to window #2. Instead, out of habit, or training, she was pointing the general public that can't walk and chew gun to window #2. For all we know she is used to the late night bar crowd that bounces off the big yellow poles on the way up to the window.

OK, this is the God's truth if I ever told it.

One Sunday morning in Sarasota, on the way to the Golf course, I stopped at McDonalds for something to eat on the way. It was a brand new location with all the new bells & whistles. The place was empty. I waited at the speaker but no one answered. Finally I drove through the whole thing till I came to a window with a live body and said "Good Morning!"

The girl looked at me and asked what I was doing. I said since the place was empty I thought I would save some time. She says "You can't do that, you will just screw up every thing!"

I said "OK I want two sausage biscuits." She said "I'll have to ask about that."
So I said thanks anyway and I drove off...

By the time I got to the fifth tee the guys were giving it too me about "You getting hungry, Ed?"
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