So, you'd rather waste my time?

[Imogene]

So, yesterday, McD's... after the lunch rush (which was late, for some reason), two guys come up to my register.

M: Me *looks around* I am the only one here, right?
G: The only one who talked directly to me.
A: Sandwich preparer

M: Welcome to McD's, what can I get for you today?
G: I want four Big and Tasty's, and two with cheese.
M: *type in 4 B'n'T (short for Big & Tasty on our computers) and then 2 B'N'Tc (with cheese), for a total of 6 sandwiches* Will that be all?
G: To go.
M: Your total is $10.50 (or something like that).
G: How?
M: You ordered six sandwiches, and cheese costs extra.
G: No, no, I wanted a total of four sandwiches, two with cheese, and two plain.
M: Oh, see, you confused me when you told me you wanted four sandwiches first. *fix my error* Your total is $6.50.
G: *counts the money in his hands* I don't have that much. How much is cheese?
M: I'm not sure...
A: *from behind me* Juwl?
G: Just make it four plain Big & Tastys.
M: K. *change that, turn to look at A* Yeah?
A: So, he only wants regular Big & Tastys now?
M: Yes, and he only wants four, not six.
A: Okay.
M: *turn back to customer, give new total, which was apparently in his price range, as he paid me, but not without getting some money from his friend*

Another customer, earlier in the day, had ordered a Filet of Fish, and started off the order by asking if we could make it without the tartar sauce.
"Certainly."
Oh, wait, are they premade?
"No, they're made as I type it in. So, hopefully, by the time your order is taken, your sandwich will be reay for you."
Would it be easier if I just left the tartar sauce on?
"At this point, it doesn't make a difference one way or the other. *I was already on the screen to request no tartar*"
Okay, then, no tartar sauce, please.

Another woman who came in, during the rush if I remember correctly, asked me for a Filet with no salt.
M: "Um? I don't think they put salt on it."
Oh, but they do. I have gotten them without salt before.
M: *look through the grill menu, find a way to do 'no salt'*
Manager comes up to clarify: Is that the filet without salt? Or the fries?
Woman: Both, actually.
Manager: Okay, it'll be a while, because we'll have to drop new filets just for you...
And then, the waiting game began. Ten minutes later, manager comes out to update woman, that it'll be a bit longer, because the grill team salted the filets as they came out.

[Ryu]

they salt the fish filets? great...
that was the only thing i ever got from fast food if i had to eat there
never again

[Becks]

G: I want four Big and Tasty's, and two with cheese.
M: *type in 4 B'n'T (short for Big & Tasty on our computers) and then 2 B'N'Tc (with cheese), for a total of 6 sandwiches* Will that be all?
G: To go.
M: Your total is $10.50 (or something like that).
G: How?
M: You ordered six sandwiches, and cheese costs extra.
G: No, no, I wanted a total of four sandwiches, two with cheese, and two plain.
M: Oh, see, you confused me when you told me you wanted four sandwiches first. *fix my error* Your total is $6.50.

When I would order hamburgers for the family, I'd always order them like this... "6 hamburgers, two of them with no pickles or onions, and 3 large fries." There was seldom a problem. It's all in how it's worded, I suppose.

[Erin]

When did they start salting the filets? I worked for McD's for 8yrs and I dont ever remember them salting the filets...

They did season the hamburger meat when they cooked it on the clamshell grills. (I quit about a year after they started using the Queing ovens)

[ExHDCashier]

when i worked for McD's, i never salted the filets... no one did... hmmm..weird that your McD does...

plus i always hated when someone wanted their fries with no salt... we had to drop another batch of fries just for them and wipe out the entire fry holder and the utensils we used to pick the fires up with... and 9 times out of 10 as soon as the fries were done someone dumped then and poured salt only them out of habit...

[Imogene]

When I would order hamburgers for the family, I'd always order them like this... "6 hamburgers, two of them with no pickles or onions, and 3 large fries." There was seldom a problem. It's all in how it's worded, I suppose.

That guy said it entirely wrong for me:
4 Big and Tastys, two Big and Tastys with cheese.
And that's probably where I got confused, as the way he ordered, to me, sounded like he wanted 6 total.

[JustaCashier]

G: I want four Big and Tasty's, and two with cheese.

When I first read that, I wondered how you got the order wrong. Then I went back and re-read, and realized I missed the word "and" the first time.



I have lived, now, almost 6 1/2 years right across from a McD's. I had never been overly impressed with McD's burgers. Actually, when they started the breakfast menu many years ago, I like them better for that.

About the same time I moved here, they finally, in my opinion, got a burger right, The Big n Tasty. (It originally had a different name, The Big Extra). The great thing about it, for the first few years it was only $.99. Cheese was around $.30 or $.40 extra, but I don't care for cheese on my burgers, so I felt real smug about that!

Sadly, though, they did bring it up in line pricewise where it should be, sometime back.

On another note, many years ago, I had phoned in a to go order to a local Chinese Restaurant. I said "I'd like to place an order for a number five." When I went to pick it up, the lady said it was $21.00 or something like that (way back then). I was shocked at the cost, then noticed more bags than usual, and said "I ordered a number five" she says "No, you ordered four number fives."

Me:

After playing the phone conversation back in my head, I realized the point of confusion, likely helped along by a slight language barrier, she thought I had said "....Four number fives". Once I realized the error I explained it to her, and we apologized to each other and had a good laugh.

After that, I made dang sure I said something like "I'd like to order a number five".

[karma_gypsy]

That guy said it entirely wrong for me:
4 Big and Tastys, two Big and Tastys with cheese.
And that's probably where I got confused, as the way he ordered, to me, sounded like he wanted 6 total.

I've made mistakes like that too when taking orders . . . People make it sound like they want more than what they're actually ordering . . luckily I got into the habit of reading back orders

[altered_reality]

I've made mistakes like that too when taking orders . . . People make it sound like they want more than what they're actually ordering . . luckily I got into the habit of reading back orders

Yeh its the wording they use that makes all the difference. Had a lady come in once and order a large mac and i'm thinkin meal right, macs only come in one size but no, it was just the burger she wanted. Thankfully she was kind when i read it back to her and found out the mistake.

I've got a question, if somebody asks you for 'a couple' of burgers. How many do you put through? I do two but how do i know that's what their definition of 'a couple' is.

[sarahj]

I've got a question, if somebody asks you for 'a couple' of burgers. How many do you put through? I do two but how do i know that's what their definition of 'a couple' is.

If I get an order of "a couple of cheeseburgers," I reply, "was that two cheeseburgers?" And yeah, I've also had customers who order a "large" burger but don't actually want the meal. I'm especially amused when a "large cheeseburger meal" is ordered, and of course there's only one size of burger, but customers are often confused. "Is that a large cheeseburger?"

Oh, I have a question too - do Maccas employees usally give out the nuggets sauces for free? Of course, they're always free with nuggets. Otherwise, they're supposed to be 50 cents, but I only charge people who waste my time changing their order and discussing it with their friends. Is this one of those things that's "fair" but not really "right?" Seriously though, if you stand there you're holding up my line and bringing down my $/time ratio, which I believe managers actually do keep track of.

[Linda]

You were always supposed to have salted filet, but as far as I know in the UK, that stopped a few years ago. We definitely were salting them when I started at McD's.

[altered_reality]

Oh, I have a question too - do Maccas employees usally give out the nuggets sauces for free? Of course, they're always free with nuggets. Otherwise, they're supposed to be 50 cents, but I only charge people who waste my time changing their order and discussing it with their friends. Is this one of those things that's "fair" but not really "right?" Seriously though, if you stand there you're holding up my line and bringing down my $/time ratio, which I believe managers actually do keep track of.

Yeh i usually give the sauces out for free but lately i've been charging, some people pay, the others will just leave, haven't had someone complain yet, but it won't be long. The ones who ask while they're ordering probably don't realize that i've just added it to their order and they're going to get charged for it. If they ask for a sauce after they've paid and received their order "Sure, that'll be 50 cents"

[Mark Healey]

If I get an order of "a couple of cheeseburgers," I reply, "was that two cheeseburgers?" And yeah, I've also had customers who order a "large" burger but don't actually want the meal. I'm especially amused when a "large cheeseburger meal" is ordered, and of course there's only one size of burger, but customers are often confused. "Is that a large cheeseburger?"

They could be regular Jack in the Box customers. With their meals you can order the large version where you get an insane amount of fries what seems like an oil drums amount of soda.

Odd thought: Does shopping in a chain that has it's corporate headquarters in your town count as "buying local"?