McDonalds
- Thread starter Al
- Start date
Really, a single-restaurant franchise? Does McD even do that?
Yes
I'm not much of a App person, to use the McDonald's App, and get the "deals" do you have to pay with the App? I refuse to have a credit card on my phone 
, it's an unknown risk. Prefer to go in and pay cash or at the drive-through, not a fan of those either. I think Joe Peschi had the definitive statement on drive-throughs in one of the Lethal Weapon movies.
, it's an unknown risk. Prefer to go in and pay cash or at the drive-through, not a fan of those either. I think Joe Peschi had the definitive statement on drive-throughs in one of the Lethal Weapon movies.
Patman
Staff member
In Canada I know that you can get the deals on the app but then use a different method of payment, as long as there is a kiosk in that location. You just get the code from the app that links to your account (and the deals/rewards) and then key that in at the kiosk. I got a McDonald’s gift card for Christmas and I was able to get the deals from my app via the kiosk and pay for it with the gift card. You could also then pay in cash if you want but then you have to finish the transaction at the front counter.I'm not much of an App person, to use the McDonald's App, and get the "deals" do you have to pay with the App? I refuse to have a credit card on my phone
I hope you're talking about fryer oils.
If not, you can see yourself out. I'll be over here enjoying my DQP.
Absolutely that can be done. At a kiosk or even at a cashier. I'll typically start my order with a QR code from the app with a deal or perhaps just a rewards program code. At least around here the kiosks allow for cash purchases, where they spit out a number in order to take to the cashier to pay. But that hasn't been seamless. I've had situations where the receipt printhead wasn't working (might have been installed incorrectly) and I got a blank piece of thermal paper. At least once I had it jam and go out of order. I think earlier they weren't necessarily able to look up kiosk orders where cash payment was selected and I was out of luck. But more recently they've been able to look up all the orders and possibly even match it to my name on the account.
In some of those cases I was told I was out of luck, but at other times a manager came over, asked what the deal was, and then gave me the deal more or less freeform. Like if it was a free item it would be a manager's override with a "100% discount" on the free item.
I have seen one particular deal where I'll only do it with a mobile payment because that's the only way I've ever managed to get it successfully. It for free fries (any size so I'll pick large) once a day with the purchase of any soft drink. I might even just pick the cheapest soft drink on the menu. I scan the code on a kiosk and I get a selection for the soft drink, but when it comes to selecting the size for the fries there's no selection available. But once I've selected the deal, I'm locked out of selecting a different deal for 15 minutes.
I have noticed a few things recently, such as ordering extra condiments. Extra sauce used to be complimentary, but no longer unless it's part of a Chicken McNuggets order where the amount is fixed per order size. I think for at least a month, hot mustard (in tubs) was complimentary while all other sauce tubs were 29 cents. Honey used to be complimentary too, but now I think it's 19 cents around here. Strike that - I played around with a different location and it's complimentary at some locations. But mayo, yellow mustard, salsa, ketchup, and butter don't have a charge. But if I add stuff like that I don't always get it depending on the mood of the employee. I've had some employees flat out tell me they weren't going to do it when I picked it up, but once an employee at a different McDonald's laid everything out neatly on a tray like someone with OCD might do.
The only rude, or not helpful McDonald's employee I ever saw, was in Seattle Washington.
This guy wanted to be a jerk, so I yelled out 'Can i get a manager over here please'. A manager was there in under 5 seconds, i told her that her employee was being a jerk, and she told him to go away. She took my order, apologized, and comped my whole meal.
This guy wanted to be a jerk, so I yelled out 'Can i get a manager over here please'. A manager was there in under 5 seconds, i told her that her employee was being a jerk, and she told him to go away. She took my order, apologized, and comped my whole meal.
I've never really encountered a beyond rude McDonald's employee, but I get that some treat their jobs differently than others. Possibly the best experience was when our fries ended up on the ground after someone bumped into our tray. The manager was actually right there doing paperwork on a dining room table (and I've seen this before where they're actually doing paperwork or interviewing) and came over to tell an employee to bring us fries and the clean up the mess.
I have seen some employees who might have seems a little bit off, but were perfectly professional. I think one guy was older but developmentally disabled (possibly autistic) but he always got the order right and made sure that he did even though some might have been annoyed that he would always repeat back the order. But I get that McDonald's may be the only job he can get and I'd think that regular customers appreciated someone who was clearly glad to be there.
Our biggest problem is that they tend to be used as hangouts - possibly by people who didn't even buy anything. It's not too hard to figure out who might have been there too long. Have occasionally seen police called to eject someone who refused to leave or at least the manager told someone to leave who pretended to have purchased something.
Patman
Staff member
I have noticed (especially in Florida) that older people like to gather in McDonald’s for breakfast in large groups. I think it’s pretty cool actually, and they aren’t likely to cause any serious disturbances (unless they start yelling at the clouds) 
My grand daughter loves McDonald's number 7 with large fries and drink. It is now $8.69 here in Western Kentucky. That's too much.
Given a huge part of this equation is real estate - how does that work? Is it a traditional 5 year CRE note? Do you get your own financing or is McDonalds the financier? Were at 15+ year highs on interest rates.
I guess the other part is location. You need a good location, without another Mcdonalds next door.
Patman
Staff member
I don’t think McDonald’s would even allow there to be two locations that are close to each other. The only time I see two McDonald’s close to each other in my area is when one of them is inside a Walmart.
Its relative. Like in the inner city 3 blocks away is likely far enough. Where I live everything is 3 miles away. For years we had one McDonalds (it was terrible). Within the last couple years they put another about 3 miles away. Realize there are many cows still living in that 3 miles - possible not for long with development - but I would have to think the new one is pulling some traffic from the old one. There on the same route home for many people.
Patman
Staff member
I know that everyone has their own reasons for doing things but if I had enough money to open a McDonald’s I would rather invest that money and let it work for me than to go through the hassle of running one and possibly not making money for a few years time.
She is young, not ready or wanting to retire.
Wishes to have her own business, and not just work to make others rich. If she wants a McDonald's I support her decision, and if she decides to keep it 2 years, or 22 years, that is her choice. The business I bought cost way more than any restaurant she would build. She supported me 100% and still does.
If she chose to stay home and not work, or do something from home, I would also support that. But she is high energy, and not lazy at all, and wants her own business.
She has talked about McDonald's the most, but also possibly a Popeye's, or KFC. She went up to visit her cousin for a week, and hang out with him, and see how he runs his McDonald's. She feels confident that she can run her own just fine, after spending a week shadowing him. My wife is one of the smartest, and hardest working people I've ever met. There is 0 doubt in my mind that she would be successful in whatever she decides to do.
Right now she is working for crap money, to help her best friend, who opened her own business last year.
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