Four Pickles and No Salt

For my test location I picked the Mc Donald’s on the corner of 28th street and Park Ave, the Mc Donald’s closest to our school. It was a Thursday afternoon, windy and gray. I entered the Mc Donald’s at 3 15 pm. There were three people in the line in front of me, three people in the second line and two in the third. The atmosphere felt really busy. There were three cashers, then in the kitchen there were three cooks and one person that was passing the orders from the kitchen to the people at the registers. There was also one manager that, what I liked, was contributing by helping the person that was making french fries. They were pretty busy so it was nice from him to jump in and help.

After waiting in the line for few minutes the woman at the register asked: “Can I help you?” The greeting was very generic, as all the other cashers were saying exactly the same thing. I asked for a hamburger with four pickles and small french fries with no salt and the woman asked me: “So, you want a cheeseburger with pickles?”. I sad that I want hamburger with four pickles and again she asked if I wanted a cheeseburger with pickles as if she can’t imagine that someone would want pickles in their hamburger. Then I repeated that I wanted hamburger with four pickles and please to make sure to put exactly four on it. Then she looked at me few seconds too long. She didn’t look at me in a bad way or as if I was crazy, she just looked very puzzled with my request. She was actually very nice to me the whole time I was there. Then she said that she’s going to the kitchen to see what she can do. After a minute she came back and asked me if I wanted anything else accept the french fries and the burger. I said that would be all, and then she charged me and gave me the receipt. After I paid I observed how my order was processed. The order that is placed popes up on the screen in the kitchen under the number of register that an order is for. The manager put in a fresh batch of french fries and when they were done he separated mine and put the salt on the rest of them. I didn’t see how the hamburger was made. Manager brought the bag with the burger and fries to the front. I thanked and went to check if I really got four pickles. I was never so excited to open a burger in my life, accept maybe when hungry at four in the morning. As I was opening the package I was hoping that when I open it I will find three pickles or five, or even better no pickles at all; so I have something to write about. I opened the hamburger slowly and I couldn’t believe my eyes, there they were; four pickles. At the first sight it looked like it was three but that was because one of them was partially covering the other one. Disappointed, I grabbed a package of salt for my fries, and left the Mc Donald’s.

This project didn’t turn out as I expected. I expected something different to happen. I thought that the person serving me will be rude at least and that there is no way that I will get the order without mistake. The cashier was fairly nice and I got exactly what I ordered. I was very surprised.

When I think of Mc Donald’s I think of it as dirty and depressive with mad, frustrated, underpaid staff. Definitely it is not the most pleasant place to eat although there is something addictive about the Big Mac which I just can’t resist. People working at Mc Donald’s are usually very hostile and I can’t blame them. How could they have good attitudes about their job if they are treated as machines? What is up with that thing on the register that tells for how many seconds they completed their order? And how can they survive with their paychecks? Only thing that is worse than working in Mc Donald’s is working at Jonny Rockets and having to dance and sing when the Respect song comes up, but at least they are paid better.

What I would suggest to Mc Donald’s, if they are going to be treating their workers that way, is simply to replace the cashiers with some kind of vending-like machines. Costumer should be able to push the button, pay and person in the back should get the order ready and hand it trough. This way although there would be a decreased need for the cashers some jobs would be created in building and maintaining the machines. Honestly, I don’t see a need for people at the Mc Donald’s register. If they would be replaced by machines Mc Donald’s would save some money and I think that costumers would be happier. I don’t think that is very appetizing receiving your meal from clearly frustrated person.

Or maybe Mc Donald’s should make the requirements for its franchises stricter. Very often Mc Donald’s restaurants have very old, neglected interior that looks very depressive. In costumers mind the neglected interior translates to bad care of the rest of the establishment and makes them reluctant of using its services. In Mc Donald’s people eat when they really have to, and it is pity that such a huge international conglomerate so widely spread doesn’t try to make a difference in what they are offering. If they could only make the restaurants nicer and their staff happier, even if that meant a raise in price I believe they would make a big difference. We don’t need more ugly things in the world.

For example in Croatia, where I’m from, things are very different in Mc Donald’s. The employees receive rigorous training and the regulations about the quality of food are very strict. Also, the restaurants are very clean with nice lighting and decorations. The workers are paid what would translate here about $12 an hour and the price of food is little higher. In Croatia Mc Donald’s is a happy place and it would be great if it would be the same case here in the US.