McDonald’s

DO NOT DO THE DRIVE THROUGH.
I used to be a regular, but after being charged for wrong orders, given the wrong food and wrong drinks-​I am allergic to diet sodas and today I specifically asked to verify it was regular, after the manager blew me off «yeah yeah’. They are so disorganized and confused. 2 order stations i not always a good idea. Especially if you can’t train staff to do it right.

Yuck! I wouldn’t come here if I was starving! Tell your kids NOT to go on the PlayPlace. I saw kids licking the playplace. I once threw up after eating a so-​called «burger» from here. Overall rating: F.

Always clean and the staff are very pleasant. The playplace is a good way for kids to get excersize on cold winter days.
Brought my kids here one day to give my pregnant wife a break and bought them a hamburger and nuggets. One of the managers (I think his name was George) threw in two Happy Meal toys just to be nice. He probably thought it was no big deal, but I was touched by the gesture.

I cannot believe I’m reviewing a McDonald’s, but I’ve been to this location three times, and all three visits have been less than stellar.
For starters, the «drive thru» system is anything but convenient. Getting in-​and-​out via the drive-​thru requires you to take 2 full laps around the building — the way the entrance is configured, you must enter their parking lot via the side of the property. You then drive counter-​clockwise around the building to the spot where you order. Then you drive to get your «food,» at which point you’re beyond the entrance/​exit spot. So, you have to take another counter-​clockwise spin around the parking lot before you can exit.
It’s a terribly inefficient system, and it’s somewhat dangerous, as drivers leaving the primary drive-​thru lane with their food rarely look for cars circling the building trying to get to the drive-​thru. It’s difficult to explain… but go there once, and you’ll understand what I’m trying to describe.
Ok… entrance/​egress aside, let’s talk about this location. It’s a McDonald’s, so the food is going to be exactly the same as you’d find from any other McDonald’s in the world (thanks corporate farming/​food prep/​chemistry!), which means the service makes or breaks the experience.
Today’s experience was especially interesting/​frustrating. I was in Verona, helping a coworker with some home improvement work. It was around midmorning, and his kids were in the mood for McD’s. Since I was the cleanest of the group, I volunteered to drive and pick-​up the grub. I hopped into the car and made my way over to Mickey Ds, where the drive thru was backed-​up (thanks to lack of dual ordering points).
When I reached the spot to order, I started placing the order. I don’t often go to McDonald’s, so I’m not terribly familiar with the protocol… the first item on my list was identified as a «large #3 with Coke.»
McD’s Microphone Dude: «Sir, Sir, Sir — I’m sorry, sir — we don’t have a large size breakfast item, we only do that at lunch and dinner, sir.»
Me: «Oh? So they can’t get a large Coke?»
MDMD: «Sir, I’m sorry, we only have one size for breakfast — we don’t have large size breakfasts.»
Me: «Ok? I only need a large Coke with that #3. Not trying to Supersize or anything, just adding a large Coke.»
MDMD: «Sir, no — sir, we don’t Supersize any longer. We have large drinks, but we don’t Supersize, and we only have one size for breakfast.»
Me: «Let’s start over. Could I have a #3 — the biscuit thing, with a Large Coke?»
MDMD: (long pause) «Do you want a large Coke?»
Me: «Yes, and the #3.»
MDMD: (long pause) «So, that’s a #3 with large Coke?»
Me: «Yes.»
MDMD: «Ok.»
Me: (long pause) «Can I continue with the order?» (looked at screen thing and saw that he got the #3 with large Coke correct)
MDMD: (long pause) «Yes.»
Me: …ordered rest of meals for friend and his kids…
MDMD: Ok, if everything looks correct, proceed to the first window, where we’ll have your total ready.
Me: …drives around…
Kid at window: «That’ll be $ 18.14.»
Me: «Sorry for the confusion — I thought you could order a large beverage with your breakfast meal.»
Kid at window: «You can.»
Me: «So, why all of the confusion?»
Kid: «I don’t take the orders here, I just take the money. They take the order at the next window.»
Me: «Oh, ok.»
So, I go to the next window and the kid explains that he thought I wanted a large sized hash browns, and went to great length to explain that they don’t have large hash browns, only regular size. Ok, whatever…
I returned to my friend’s house only to discover they forgot to include the #3 part of the food order… so, we got the large Coke, but no biscuit or hash brown. UGH! I gave away my breakfast in the interest of not having to return.
Previous visits included a bout with cold/​hard fries and a botched burger order (asked for onions only; got everything but onions), and a less than enthusiastic balding manager dude who seemed to act as if someone had just stomped on his toes a few seconds before I arrived to his window.
Thanks to this McDonald’s, I’m convinced that I won’t need to visit another McDonald’s ever again. I think I’ll go watch Supersize Me again, just for good measure.

This is the best McDonalds I have ever experienced! Great service, alway polite, and fast drive-​thru.