What on earth happened to McDonalds?

[RedAngie]

DH and I went to a McD’s for the first time since before covid two weeks ago. For breakfast. Dine-in was open. We ordered from the kiosk but there was an employee at the counter taking orders. And we got our food on a tray. But no self-serve soda fountains. (DH wanted a Dr. Pepper for breakfast.)

I don’t have their app nor belong to their rewards program, but there were a few specials right on the kiosk.

This location was physically attached to and open to a Chevron gas convenience store. El Segundo, CA.

As for drive thru, I think that has had priority over counter service for decades.

 

[mikehn]

The app is the best thing since slice bread. Dollar items and freebees, but you can only get them by ordering them through the app. I order ahead on the app, pay with apple pay, then drive through to pick up my order. Who cares what the decor looks like.

 

[nancipants]

I can't remember the last time I actually ate inside of a McDonald's. We pick up from there all the time and bring it home. If we want to eat in a restaurant, we go to an actual restaurant.

 

[lynxstch]

There are so few restaurants to choose from where we live, that our McDonald's are far from struggling. They are just now putting in the kiosks in 2 of them, the other one has none. They still have people manning the counter, last time I was in there, 3 employees were working the registers. We also still have the self service drink stations (as does the Burger King). No trays though, as far as I know, the only place here who still has those is Long John Silvers. As to healthy food, I only go to McD's when I crave a Big Mac or a Filet O Fish, so I don't care that they don't serve healthier food, lol.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

So all the ones in my area have been redone but we do at least have one person on the actual register (as a matter of fact minus my town and a town a couple towns over, none of the McDonald have drive through. You have to mobile order or order inside with a human or a kiosk). But I agree about the refills. It’s sad.

I really only go for breakfast, when burgers are for dinner and didn’t have time to get frozen food aisle fries and if I’m desperate lol

 

[nile455]

I quit going to McDonald's for the exact reasons as you described. They now walled off the front counter where no customer can be seen by the staff. Good luck getting refills or for an incorrect order. You want ketchup or salt? Tough! The very last time I dined in I resorted to yelling for help.

Yup, this very description is exactly what I'm talking about. See picture below. It's a view from the kiosk area. The area behind the counter is now completely walled off so employees cannot see you. And just look at that decor. It's like they went out of their way to make it as lifeless as possible.

Btw, the employee (whose face I blurred) is the only person that can be seen from the restaurant, and she is tasked only to deliver orders to the cars waiting outside. She strictly goes back and forth outside. She does not do the register, and she does not interact with in-store guests. Nobody is ever on that one and only register.

McDonald's has completely lost its soul.

 

[mrodgers]

I use the app, works like a champ.

I don't know how you all hold so many apps on your phones. I don't use apps because I don't need 150 different apps on my phone.

When I work the rare night shift, I work 5p to 5a. I was able to stop and grab a breakfast sandwich on the way home from work. A little over a year ago it was $2.xx and 2 for $4. I pulled in about 4 months ago to get 2 sandwiches and it was $8. $8!!! I said never mind, what happened to 2 for $4? She said I could get that still by using the app. I said again never mind and she insisted she would give it to me for $4.

 

[sam_gordon]

I don't know how you all hold so many apps on your phones.

um, phones have memory. You can put as many apps on your phone as you have space for. Or did you mean "WHY you all hold... "?

I don't use apps because I don't need 150 different apps on my phone.

It's not a question of "need". It's a question of "want". I primarily use:

Email (personal and work)
Google Maps
Calendar
Camera
Chrome
Delta

The rest are "time killers" (Instagram, twitter, ESPN, various games, etc).

 

[shh]

wow - had no idea they changed so much! I used to love mcdonalds (too much!) but haven't been in probably 15 years, since I cleaned up my act and eat very clean these days. I remember back in my college days - before Starbucks - it was a place other than the library to hang out for a long lunch and study or read.

But lordie - i crave their fries! I keep thinking about grabbing a meal as a treat, but I'd definitely be a newbie trying to navigate their new process. The app definitely sounds like the way to go.

 

[luv2cheer92]

I don't know how you all hold so many apps on your phones. I don't use apps because I don't need 150 different apps on my phone.

When I work the rare night shift, I work 5p to 5a. I was able to stop and grab a breakfast sandwich on the way home from work. A little over a year ago it was $2.xx and 2 for $4. I pulled in about 4 months ago to get 2 sandwiches and it was $8. $8!!! I said never mind, what happened to 2 for $4? She said I could get that still by using the app. I said again never mind and she insisted she would give it to me for $4.

What else is that space on your phone gonna do? I get so much free or discounted food just from using the apps. Easy peasy to use.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I don't know how you all hold so many apps on your phones. I don't use apps because I don't need 150 different apps on my phone.

When I work the rare night shift, I work 5p to 5a. I was able to stop and grab a breakfast sandwich on the way home from work. A little over a year ago it was $2.xx and 2 for $4. I pulled in about 4 months ago to get 2 sandwiches and it was $8. $8!!! I said never mind, what happened to 2 for $4? She said I could get that still by using the app. I said again never mind and she insisted she would give it to me for $4.

This is exactly why you need the app. There is a buy one get one free breakfast sandwich on the app that resets everyday. The app is so easy - you just tell them at the drive-thru that you have a mobile order and that's all their is to it - as a bonus, you earn points for free stuff.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I don't know how you all hold so many apps on your phones. I don't use apps because I don't need 150 different apps on my phone.

When I work the rare night shift, I work 5p to 5a. I was able to stop and grab a breakfast sandwich on the way home from work. A little over a year ago it was $2.xx and 2 for $4. I pulled in about 4 months ago to get 2 sandwiches and it was $8. $8!!! I said never mind, what happened to 2 for $4? She said I could get that still by using the app. I said again never mind and she insisted she would give it to me for $4.

I have 512 g storage. I have 364 g left. Apps take up about 65 g. If I come across an app the I think I might like or use, I add it. Every few months I'll zip through my apps and if I don't even know why I added it, or never use it, I uninstall it. The McD app is very easy to use, quick, simple. Always special deals, discounts. The rew ards add up also. Free food. I never order from any fast food place without using their app. Chick-fil-A, Burger King, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Panera. I'm sure there are more I have. I should put all of them in a fast food folder.

ETA--Most frequently used apps are Chrome, Google Photos, Camera, Waze, Phone, Phone/text, Calendar, Firefox (only use here for the dis do no ads). Not in any order. A few others are pretty frequent

 

[Meglen]

I don't know how you all hold so many apps on your phones. I don't use apps because I don't need 150 different apps on my phone.

When I work the rare night shift, I work 5p to 5a. I was able to stop and grab a breakfast sandwich on the way home from work. A little over a year ago it was $2.xx and 2 for $4. I pulled in about 4 months ago to get 2 sandwiches and it was $8. $8!!! I said never mind, what happened to 2 for $4? She said I could get that still by using the app. I said again never mind and she insisted she would give it to me for $4.

Did you get one of them free phones that say they have 36gig of memory and it has 32gig of spam programs you cant remove? if not all other phones have more than enough space for 20+ apps.

 

[Mysterian]

There are two McD's in my town, I haven't been to either in so long. I'm sure by now they've removed the balls from the ball pit and replaced them with framed photos of the Great Depression.

 

[Mysterian]

I don't know how you all hold so many apps on your phones. I don't use apps because I don't need 150 different apps on my phone.

When I work the rare night shift, I work 5p to 5a. I was able to stop and grab a breakfast sandwich on the way home from work. A little over a year ago it was $2.xx and 2 for $4. I pulled in about 4 months ago to get 2 sandwiches and it was $8. $8!!! I said never mind, what happened to 2 for $4? She said I could get that still by using the app. I said again never mind and she insisted she would give it to me for $4.

You should get an app that helps you figure out apps.

 

[mrodgers]

Sheesh folks, I have plenty of room on my phone. I don't need to have an app to do every single thing that I do in my life, that is all. Especially I don't want to need to have an app to buy 2 McDonalds breakfast sandwiches every 8 months or so.

Not all of us live with our phones permanently fused to our hands.

 

[BrianL]

Yeah, somehow every fast food place had to start looking like a Starbucks. I miss the variations in decor and architecture, even the gaudy stuff. It was part of the charm!

 

[greeneyedchick]

Yes I've been known to enjoy an occasional McDonald's (don't judge). But wow, how's it's changed the last few years. It's sad what they've done to their restaurants. Let me think of all the ways they've ruined their restaurant experience...

Most noticeably, they completely stripped all the fun and color from their dining rooms and replaced them with minimalist, lifeless decors. The location near me doesn’t even have the menu displayed on the wall behind the counter anymore.

But it gets worse. They no longer have anyone at the front counter to take your order. Everyone is in the back doing the food or scrambling to fill to-go orders. They now expect all customers to order using those awful kiosks. If you have a special order and need to order from the counter, you have to stand there and wait and wait for an employee to notice you.

Want a drink refill? Tough luck. They did away with the self-serve drink machines, so you have to go to the counter and battle your way through all the pickup patrons and hope that an employee back there sees that you need a refill. And if your drink is ice water, they now put those in the tiniest possible 8 oz cup, so that's an awful lot of trips to the counter and waiting frustrated (as your food gets cold).

Don’t want to keep getting up to refill your baby sized 8 oz water cup? Well, the regular size cups will cost you. That’s right, they now charge for regular sized water cups.

It's funny how their slogan used to be "smiles are free". Now you can barely get them to look at you. The only way to make eye contact with an employee is to lean over the counter and hope someone sees you. Or speak out "Excuse me, can I please get...."

Let's get to the menu... Remember when they offered healthier items? Well, no more salads. No more grilled chicken. Nothing but fried stuff. They even charge extra for lettuce on a hamburger. Appalling.

And remember the dollar menu? They took that away too. Let's be honest, they did. $3 doesn't count. There is literally not one thing that is a dollar, I looked it up. And a tiny little hot fudge sundae (which is no longer hot, because they took that away too), is now $3.19. What?!?

And don’t even think of asking them for a mixed soda, or a half-and-half. You used to be able to get that, but now that’s a definite no.

Even the serving trays are gone. Now they just hand you a bag with your food in it. Yes, even if you selected "for here", and even after you typed in your locator number on your plastic tent thingy. Everything now comes in a brown bag.

Even parking is a pain in the butt now because nearly every spot is reserved for pickup and drive-thru. Is it clear yet that they no longer want people in their restaurants?

Oh and forget McDonald’s PlayPlaces. Those were way too happy, so they got rid of those too. I was actually surprised to see they still technically offer birthday parties in their restaurants. This is funny to me. What on earth do the kids do there? There’s no PlayPlace, and the dining rooms are now so small with nothing to look at. Ronald McDonald is nothing but a distant memory.

Okay, McRant over. But I do miss the McDonald’s we had as kids. Or even from three years ago lol.

Same experience at our McDonald's. The inability to refill our own drinks is so annoying. While I like the idea of entering my order myself, so that I can be sure it's correct, the kiosks have slow-response touch screens and it takes me forever to connect to Wi-Fry, login and get it to register mydeals. On multiple occassions, the screens have frozen up or not recognized my deal and the person working there tells me that she has no way to enter it on her side. It's frustrating! But from McDonald's view, it's less people to pay.

 

[greeneyedchick]

Did you get one of them free phones that say they have 36gig of memory and it has 32gig of spam programs you cant remove? if not all other phones have more than enough space for 20+ apps.

I hate the app, too; but then I hate to pay more if I could get it for less with the app. I don't like having to remember logins for everythng and McDs forces you to connect to their wi-fi, even to pick up a mobile order. It's inconvenient. I miss the days where you cold just order, just like I miss the days you could turn on the TV with one remote and watch stuff without logging in. I guess I'm old!

 

[luv2cheer92]

I hate the app, too; but then I hate to pay more if I could get it for less with the app. I don't like having to remember logins for everythng and McDs forces you to connect to their wi-fi, even to pick up a mobile order. It's inconvenient. I miss the days where you cold just order, just like I miss the days you could turn on the TV with one remote and watch stuff without logging in. I guess I'm old!

I don't do any of that. Everything stays logged in for me automatically, both all my apps as well as all my streaming services on my TV. Same with every website on my phone and laptop, don't need to remember anything. And only need one remote for each of my TVs (all new/smart TVs).