But I was to be denied. There were no Starbucks or Seattle's Best that was open. So I hunkered down and settled myself in McDonald's El Pueblo to write. The counter person was Marvin (his name tag showed it was so), and he was as friendly as a croc that hasn't eaten for days. I asked for a double-cheeseburger meal--yeah I figured once a year is a good time to eat beef--and he shooed me off like a fly by saying, "Come back 10:30. We only serve breakfast."
I ordered a Big Breakfast meal and Marvin wasn't paying enough focus as he counted my change bill-by-bill, coin-by-coin onto my palm so that my money slipped from my hand onto the food tray. I said, "Never mind. I'll count it myself." Then he just stood there waiting for me to leave. "Is everything ready?" I asked. He pushed the tray in front of me. It carried a small cup of iced tea, and an unappetizing styro package. I asked if he could put a lid on my drink and he made a face.
I decided the food wasn't celebratory enough so I decided I wanted a bag of large fries. He got my P100 bill but didn't give my change back. Instead he gave me one of those numbers and said it'll take two minutes and my fries will just be served at my table. I asked if he can put a lid on my drink, please, and he did. I asked if he gave me my change already. He gave a confused look on his face and said, determinedly, yes.
Whilst I took my tray, my spilled money, my number, and the unappetizing food away to find a desk, I found none empty to my dismay. I approached the counter again and asked the manager if they'd open the upstairs because there wasn't anywhere one can eat. She said, "No, but I'll have someone find a place for you." It ended up that she herself found a spot for me: the desk where they have they entertain reservations for birthday parties. Naturally it carried all sorts advertising paraphernalia for the birthday reservations. She merely nudged them to the edge of the desk and asked me to sit down there and eat.
I said, "I hope you can put them away because I've some stuff of my own to put on the desk aside from the food." I meant my notebook. I wasn't there to eat. I was there to write. What she did was entirely genius it made me think she was the reincarnation of Albert Einstein. She shoved all of the advertising paraphernalia off the desk and onto one of the plastic seats. How perfect!
I started to write and thought I couldn't, because I felt I have just been served the worst service of my life. To top it off, the food was terrible. I asked Luis, one of the crew, to follow-up on my fries. It's been over the delivery time Marvin promised. As Luis went behind the counter to fetch my delayed order, I counted my money. I was sure of it. Marvin did not give me my change for the fries.
When the fries arrived, they were old. I told Luis, "Why was I made to wait for fries that are old anyway? I wouldn't mind waiting for freshly-cooked fries." He went away with my tray. After three minutes the manager came back with hot fries. I said, "What did you do?"
She said, "I made you new ones." No apologies offered. Nothing. Just plain curt and efficient. I made you new ones. Be thankful. Eat them.
The "new fries" went cold in two minutes. Which led me into thinking they were the same old fries only dunked into the frier to heat them up. Terrible service. I didn't even finish my Big Breakfast Meal. It didn't look edible at all.
To add insult, Luis and the manager began setting up desks and tables all over the restaurant to accommodate more guests... Neither bothered to ask if I'd be more comfortable in one of those desks than in the one I was in, with McDonald's Birthday Party advertising paraphernalia right beside my seat.
So my new year's resolution? Never to eat at McDonald's ever again.
*
That resolution was broken the same day. Before going home I bought my wife and daughter a McDonald's meal from the nearest one in our area. So much for resolutions!
Anyhow, I realized that being in the customer service business myself, I should be conscientious of how my customer feels. So that's the lesson why I received bad service from McDonald's. So I would know to treat all customers without prejudice with decent human courtesy.
All that happened December 31st, 2011. It's January 1st. I will never eat at a McDonald's ever again.
Veck and Dana just brought me home some pizza! Yum!
