Golden Arches

In store Wi-fi

2009-02-26T09:10:38+01:00

A while back I mentioned that McD's have put free wi-fi access into many of their stores (don't ask me how many I work for a franchisee.)

I happen to be in Bolton this morning so popped into their for me employee brekky and have my laptop so hooked into the wifi system.

Out of morbid curiosity I ran speedtest.net to see how fast the connection is.

7 Mbps

I'm impressed, that's a lot quicker than I have at home! They just need to sort the service out here, bar al the riff-raff and get comfier seats and I'll be hooked!!!

Comments

McProfit

2009-01-28T09:30:38+01:00

So, it's all doom and gloom, the economy has hit the buffers and I've not contributed here for a while.

But the people behind the Big Yellow "M" in the UK have knocked out a record year (sales wise) and basicaaly embarrassed the Americans (after all it's their business)

So, how are McDonald's succeeding in such piss poor times?

Simple, it's cheap and cheerful. All of a sudden we are tightening our belts (figuratively speaking) and Frankie and Benny's is now out of the question. But we have become accustomed to eating out from the good times. Wel I say "we" I'm glad you have but I don't ever seem to have enough spare cash to eat out as much as some seem to!!!!!

But this Christmas, just about every store operating normally has knocked out record after record.

Who'd have thought it, I've just found a recession-proof business!

Comments

McFranchising Part 2

2008-01-09T13:21:51+01:00

One of my very first blogs was about how the company at a regional meeting were singing the praises of franchising and how it is the way to go.

I knew then that it was only a matter of time before it came to our little sleepy corner of the northwest.

And sure enough on Monday it did.

My ops con and ops manager walked in to announce that we are being sold off with the store.

Guess this renders my blog obelete now!

Comments

McBurgers and pop

2007-12-01T01:44:31+01:00

I said, jokingly, earlier in the year that we had been through more products than Tesco stock.

I don't actually see the funny side anymore.

Another month, yet another frigging promo.

This time, camembert bites with caramelised onion dip, mincemeat and custard pies (which bizarrely some customers actually think contain ground beef!!!!), a sage and onion type tortila wrap, and the biggest fucking cheeseburger that you'll ever see!

I'll be honest, I struggle to train my staff at the basics of day to day shit, these items are just adding extra work to my already creaking jobs list.

But, I still don't blame work, I blame you, the customer.

After all, you ask, you get.

For the love of all that is good, McDonald's is a burger bar!!!!! Just roll with the punches and buy a bloody Big Mac and a Coke!!!!!!!!!

Comments

McBreakfast

2007-11-27T04:36:50+01:00

I try to credit my customers with some level of ................ intelligence, credibility ................ anything to not make me consider you a complete cretin.

But right now I'm struggling.

I recently had a family death, and although I will never bring personal matters to work, I'm struggling to find patience for stupid or difficult customers.

After all, if something that McDonald's does upsets you so much that you feel compelled to abuse the manager then maybe, just maybe it's time to reassess the issues in your life that really matter.

Take, for example, the complete bonehead that decided to give me grief at 10.40 because we had no breakfast items left (we stop breakfast at 10.30 for those who don't know)

After 2 attempts to be as polite as possible in explaining why he couldn't have his beloved Egg McMuffin and getting abuse in return, my patience wore out,

"I can understand why you feel aggrieved that you can't have what you want, but I have to ask, what was wrong with the four and a half hours that we were actually serving breakfast to come in for it?"

Silly thing to do, but I was on a roll,

"I mean, do you have some insight into how we should serve breakfast all day, or when we should ideally switch over to our main menu?"

Can't wait to see that complaint hit our system! Gonna have it framed!

I love my job.

Comments

McSkills

2007-10-26T19:34:30+02:00

Don't get me wrong, it is great that the company is offering English and Maths qualifications through the employee website, OurLounge.

But, glancing through it today (sad I know) I saw a position open at head office for a property administrator.

Reading through the job description it all looked good and well until I saw some of the requirements which included being able to copy type at 40wpm and knowlege of some fairly specialist software.

Not really that open then.

McDonald's has rapidly evolved its employee practices over the years to actually be recognised as a respected employer in the UK (contrary to some opinion.)

But this isn't enough as far as I'm concerned, I want more.

If these types of jobs are available through Our Lounge, then why the hell can't they offer me training for the skills for that job: after all, there is no better experience than that of those who are currently on the front line.

A demand for extra specialist training may seem a lot to ask, but is it really?

It is used as a sweetener to recruit bus drivers and apparently helps keep them where they are.

How about in the big, bad world of burgers?

I spend a good chunk of my life in my store doing everything to keep things runing smoothly (you seen that BT ad with Gordon Ramsey playing with a PC and his kitchen in total chaos? That's what things are like if the managers are off the shop floor at mine for any length of time!!!!!!!)

The McJob ads say that half the boardroom started as Crew - but it doesn't mention how many of them were part time whilst at university. I'm not university educated but very capable and frankly, like any other manager very expensive to replace. So why not give us extra skills and keep us busy with different roles?

And lastly, many law firms put their trainees through uni,

So just how unreasonable is it to demand specialist training in different areas of the business?

Comments

McAdverts

2007-10-18T16:27:44+02:00

I'm becoming increasingly concerned for the state of mind of the McD Marketing team.

Promo after promo they put out bizarre (and usually crap) adverts to market the products that the rest of us make and sell.

Take the American thingy that we are doing at the mo.... WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!

When I see these adverts I become instantly irritable and overcome with a desire to burn down the weird octogan in East Finchley.

I hate to think what paying customers think of the ads!

Comments

McFree WI-FI

2007-10-09T13:03:15+02:00

Until now a majority of restaurants offered internet access through BT Openzone.

A few months ago the company had a falling out with BT, by moving the ISP for all company restaurants over to The Cloud (perhaps this was a hint that I should have noticed.)

So, for daring to move our ISP, BT took their bat and ball home and withdrew the Openzone service (how the fuck childish can you get?????)

But, just for once, one of the company buyers had been very shrewd, and The Cloud jumped in the breach and not only said that they were going to provide a Wi-Fi service in the restaurants, but a FREE wi-fi service!!!!!

It started to go live on 8th October (takes a while to have phone lines installed in 1300 restaurants, especially when BT are responsible for installing them) with all restaurants live by the end of the year.

So, soon you'll be able to enjoy a coffee, free internet access and get to watch a parent beating their children in the play area (the cabaret is free!!!)

Comments

McUs & Them

2007-09-18T16:06:25+02:00

Nope, not the track from Pink Floyd's 1973 DSOM album, but a growing mentality to be found in many store based staff and managers.

This is the second of my entries given over to answering Sparkly_diamond's comments in my Mc6a.m. entry,

I know thats customer demand according to the bigwigs who sit in central office and who incidently will not be working due to their "office" hours.

The context of sparkly's comment was about the proposed opening times over the Xmas and NY period, but they have actually hit on something that is more endemic in the company.

Many of our support services (supply chain, restaurant services, marketing, HR, construction, estates, payroll, accounts, banking, customer service) etc are based in our Head Office (East Finchley) or Regional Offices (Sutton Coldfield, Oakwood, Glasgow and Salford) and our hierarchy also live out of these offices. With the exception of customer service and supply chain, the departments work ordinary office hours.

Usually store based managers get on very well with the other departments (with the exception of the jobsworths at Customer Service) but there is a growing level of general animosity from store based teams.

And, in my view, it is not at the different working cultures (as far as I'm aware, store based grades attract a premium over office based, but I could be wrong.) Instead, it is at the lack of consultation or invitation for input that store teams are given.

Twice a year I sit in some corporate suite in a hotel or stadium and listen to my senior managers and other department heads tell us what will be happening over the next few months.

I don't recall once being asked by one of my managers,

"What do you think we should be doing?" to any real business issue.

I find this to be a liitle strange: we are trusted to run a multi-million pound business yet we are never invited to offer input on its' development. There is a fledgling system in place where crew et al can offer suggestions, yet it would be insulting to think that this is the only way that the people who run the business can contribute ideas.

It is ironic that in an age where we are told that "tell and do" management is not a good business practice, that this is exactly what our Ops Hierarchy are doing to us.

This style of management is making managers increasingly hostile toward both their hierarchy and to the support departments whom they hold guilty by association.

Sparkly_diamond makes another very valid point as well: the perception is that Office based staff and the hierarchy in general sit in their ivory towers (or weird octagon as East Finchley could be described) whilst the rest of us act as cannon fodder.

I would suggest to these teams that every office based worker should spend at least one week spread out over a year working crew shifts to remind them of what they are working for (and by shifts I mean outside of normal office hours getting their hands dirty.)

Of course it could be suggested that store managers should do the opposite, but our jobs already involve doing many of the things that individual departments follow up for us anyway.

Comments

McScrooge

2007-09-17T23:59:02+02:00

"'tis the season to be jolly.........." Nope, not lost my mind, but did you know that it is less than............ er.............. a few months until xmas.

The header of my blog says that I'll answer questions (the reasonable ones anyway) honestly, and I finally got one, woohoo!!!

I got asked this in a comment to a previous entry and it really got me thinking,

What's you opinion on the new christmas opening hours then?

I'm within management, within a different group to yours and I am total...........how shall i put this......frustrated by the fact that my store will be open untill 11pm christmas eve and open from 8am on boxing day, same for new years!!!!

It sucks big time! Especially as christms is meant to be a time for family and it's hard enough with mcd's only being shut christmas day without the extra time to fit family around.

I have very young children who the magic of christmas is still there and I do not want to miss out just for mcd's!
comment on Mc6a.m. paraphrased

We've not had our opening for Xmas and NY confirmed yet, and I'm not looking forward to it now either.

My colleague first talks of the expectation placed on the management team to open later at Xmas and NY than has been expected in recent years.

My colleague also talks of the worry of not being able to spend proper quality time over xmas with their children which, quite frankly, is the sign of a good parent. How can my colleague do this with the expectation of the company?

A classic clash of work and family. So, my views?

I'll be honest, this one has really made me think, and I like the way that it has made me have to think.

I like it because I have my view as a bloke with no issue working most hols, no family committments or childen, but I have an empathy for my colleagues who do.

So, the opening hours for the, as the Americans say, Holiday Season.

My first reaction is,

"Have the regional ops team got a fucking clue what they're doing?!?!"

I'll be honest, if my ops con (Operations Consultant - person that Restaurant Manager answers to) announced to us that we were to open until 11 on xmas eve then I'd honestly think that they were taking the piss.

The vast majority of my crew rely on buses to get to and from work. there will be no buses.

So, it will be either a lift from the shift manager or taxis. Which shift manager in their right mind would be offering lifts at that time on Xmas Eve?

So, it's taxis; at Xmas Day rates!!!!!!!

Not particularly well thought out then.

I'll put it this way, when we do the schedule for a bank holiday we already know the buses that our crew get and check on the transport website before we set out the schedule to make sure that everyone is fairly scheduled. A close this late before "THE" bank holiday is silly to say the least.

If I were to tell my crew that they would be working into xmas day I would get one of two things,
1. A shift so critically understaffed that I'd have to close.
2. My entire crew walking off shift in time for the last bus.

Until public transport companies adopt continental practices then people in the service sector cannot work longer hours. That's just the way it is.

Actually, that's my only reaction.

McDonald's family friendly approach

Oh boy, won't this one be fun!!!!

In total honesty, I'm a bloke with no family committment, no religious belief and no children so I have no objection to working through any form of holiday.

In fact, the last few Xmas Days I have spent some time in work doing equipment checks (and it never ceases to amaze me that when someone sees a car outside the building and a light on they pass through the drive thru just in case!!!!!)

And one restaurant not a million miles away from me is considering opening on Xmas Day as the cross section of staff and willingness of managers allows it

But I understand and appreciate the extra demands put on my colleagues with family: and trying to enjoy Christmas with no weekend off and no prospect of leave whilst all the offices close down and the kids are on holiday is no fun.

I'm left with one term that I've had to use with my fiancee on several occasions when she has been upset at my shift pattern,

"It's the job."

And, unfortunately for McDonald's managers, that is the top and bottom of it.

Salaried managers for McDonald's get paid the best in the industry, but that salary comes with a premium at our cost. And as my first manager said,

"There's a reason why it is a young company"

And he is right. The job is demanding; maybe not intentionally, but I could compare it to he police force. It involves shift work, long hours, an intense level of pressure. In fact, a friend of mine who is a police officer thinks I got a bum deal.

It will come as no comfort to my colleague who has kids, but the modern McDonald's might be designed to attract families, but the business model doesn't consider the family life of its' managers (and a "work life balance" bollocks thing in the PRs doesn't count for shit, my BM knows no more of the state of my relationship than a pea knows the history of Birds Eye!)

So, my thoughts.

We are a multicultural society; several of my team are currently fasting and will soon be celebrating Eid. These are also people who will want shifts at Christmas, which is how our Rochdale colleagues will be open on Xmas Day, such is the way of the world.

And it is worth pointing out that every manager should be asked if they wish to work Xmas or NY (then you fight out which you actually work!!!!)

But, and I'm going out on a limb here, if someone were to get a copy of the salaried personnel files from Salaried Admin then the vast majority of Salaried Managers would be caucasian Christian descendants who celebrate Xmas (not through any institutional racism but simply how things have turned out!)

I am doing everything I can to accomodate my team who are currently fasting and organising their time for Eid. Over the Xmas and NY period what are my managers doing to accomodate those who have families or faith?

"It's the job" only works to an extent, after which you see disillusionment and resentment.

Quite frankly, in my time with the company I have seen a shift to servicing the customer at all costs, and this is making my job increasing suitable only to those with no committments. You'd never see that on one of the McJob posters!

I understand that, at the end of the day that we answer to customers, but without the families to support so many of the managers that put so much into the company what can you hope for? It is almost perverse that a family oriented company is (unintentionally) awkward to managers who have families.

As for Xmas opening times: couldn't comment on anywhere else, but where I'm based they would be unworkable unless my Ops Con would be willing to pay for the taxi himself. This unfortunately smacks of an ops team out of touch.

Comments

McQueuing

2007-09-17T20:06:20+02:00

"Two deep is too deep" rings out the bloody annoying mantra of anyone fully indoctrinated by our training department (there's nothing actually wrong with being trained, but if you are going to remember and repeat something over and over, best stick to something that isn't likely to get you stabbed by your colleagues!)

The phrase has a point, nobody likes queuing, we are all busy people who have better things to do than stand waiting in Macs.

But there is also a much more sinister side to queuing at McDonald's; one which could see the end of civilisation itself.

A large number of people (and growing) when they join a queue in a McD restaurant suddenly become braindead. It's true!!!!

They stand waiting, drooling in some cases, until it's their turn and they get greeted.

And suddenly it's like a hypnotist has clicked his fingers,

"What would I like? Er, oh yes...... hold on................"

Now, I appreciate that it is your time, and I really HAVE got all day, but we'd like to shift the queue and get you served quickly just as much as you'd like to not be in one in the first place.

Comments

Mc6a.m

2007-08-24T17:52:26+02:00

It isn't enough that our places open at 6.30 meaning that I have the pleasure of being up at 4.45 some mornings (I used to think that there was only one 5 o'clock in a a day) but we have just been told that in the near future all Drive Thru's are to open from 6 a.m.

When I became abusive to my manager in response he explained that it was due to customer demand.

You inconsiderate bastards.

Comments

McI.D.

2007-08-23T21:31:40+02:00

McDonald's love promotional events and marketing (at last count we have been through more products this year than Tesco actually stock) and next month will be no different.

Amongst other things, we will be running a Big Mac BOGOF voucher.

We get sent all promo information via intranet a few weeks in advance so got to read through all the planning notes.

Nothing new and nothing special, until I was reading the small-print on the vouchers,

"Over 16s only."

That'll be fun,

"Big Mac? Got any ID?"

Comments

Securitas Cash Handling

2007-08-07T22:43:59+02:00

The cash handling firm formerly known as Securitas has had to pay back money to the Bank of England for overstating the value of money that it has processed (see here).

This may not seem like much to do with McDonalds. But it is, we use Securitas/Loomis, whatever!

And we have had to change our own cash handling proceedure due to Loomis basically trying to rip the company off by claiming that our cash is going AWOL!

The new system is a ballache and many of us do hold Loomis responsible.

So, to see them attempting to rip off the Bank of England as well comes as no big surprise!

Comments

McPraise

2007-07-31T23:51:23+02:00

If we were to all analyse how we look at things, we'd quickly find out that the vast majority of us are naturally negative. (yes this does follow on from my last post, it's just how my mind works)

Put it this way. I e-mailed my bank's customer service department a few weeks ago. Reason why? The person that I rang and spoke to (on my day's off visiting my local branch is not my idea of fun) gave me fantastic service.

They were polite, prompt, friendly, did everything for me that I needed, and even things that I hadn't thought of. I was actually smiling by the end of a phone conversation with a service provider (which when you have BT Broadband as one of your providers can come as a surprise) but by the same token is something that you'd come to expect with the Co-operative Bank.

This post isn't intended to sing The Co-op's praises (though they deserve it) or slag off BT Broadband (though they really deserve it!) but it is simply to pose a question:

When did you last contact a company to complain, and when did you last contact a company to say thankyou or well done?

My prompt for this was the weekend just been.

We got busier then expected - MUCH busier then expected! A queue formed on drive thru at 9am, and with my team all in place for the shift, between us it took us 7 hours to reduce it to nothing.

We all ran all day, doing everything humanly possible to get our customers served as quickly and effieciently as possible. My team were under just about as much pressure as I could reasonably expect of them and it is in general a very thankless task when you're in that situation.

I spent a lot of time dealing with complaints - although I'll never understand the mentality of people pulling away the manager to voice their grievance about the time it's taking to get served when everybody is running, panting, including me. YOU SLOWED DOWN THE SERVICE YOU IDIOTS!!!!

To their credit, a lot of my staff take complaints about them very personally - which is a great quality in them - and are quick off the mark to defend themselves and explain in detail what they had been doing (although they always choose to do it there and then rather than a quieter moment, and not in front of the customer who then thinks that they're trying to undermine them)

But the point is that we are almost prepared for dealing with complaints: McDonald's is the biggest player in the market and there is an customer expectation way above that of KFC or BK to deliver a certain degree of service (which I'm not about to complain about, I expect good service whenever I shop anywhere)

So, at the point where I was at my busiest (I rate how busy things are from the number of simulataneous pleas for mercy from the kitchen) and I was literally running at this point, came the now all to familiar call,

"Are you the manager?"

My spirit was not feeling particularly strong at this moment. So I sort of whimpered "yes," whilst still running.

"I just wanted to say that the service I received was fantastic. Thankyou."

I was just in the automatic process of apologising when I realised what he said and stopped dead in my tracks. My shift was at full stretch (if not beyond) and we got praise.

When I told my team, in particular the person who served him, it made their day - seriously! But it would. You do expect a degree of recognition from your bosses, and they got that from me - in between pants - but to get it from one of the people who we are actually serving is a lot more special, because it's so rare.

But like I said, when was the last time you went out of your way to offer praise to a company? And when was the last time you were ready to complain?

Thought so, negative bastard!

Comments

McGrief

2007-07-31T23:11:14+02:00

In my life I have the uncanny ability to attract flak from all sides:

From my regional team for not generating enough profit in the business
From my partner for never thinking of her before I jump into some hare-brained scheme
From my family for never ringing them
From my friends for always being conspicuously absent when it's my round

And I also have the ability to get upset and give out just as good as what I can take:

When my crew are of the opinion that Food Safety rules are optional (which is usually followed up by boot in arse)
When my 9-5 girlfriend whinges that my shifts, which I have worked all my career, are inconvenient for our relationship
When my mechanic tries to convince me "honestly" that the car really needed that much work when I take it in for 2 new tyres.
BT Broadband - don't need to go any further with that one!

But the point is that there is always a sense of perspective kept in my, and most other people's mood.

Until today that is, when a very irate customer (later branded "spoilt rich bitch" by 3 of my team) marched up, slammed her handbag on the counter and announced to me her displeasure at my D/T team telling her that there were no Vanilla Shakes and demanded to know what I was going to do about it.

When I told her that there were no Vanilla shakes because they had been removed from the menu until September, she went bright pink and demanded to know why they had been taken off.

I have a mortgage, fiance, credit cards, high pressure job. I have things which can wind me up at the drop of a hat: all in all, differing priorities in my life which need to be handled in certain ways. But none - NONE - involve the product range at McDonald's.

Are there really people out there with nothing else to worry about? If so let me know how it feels; that way I have someone new to ridicule.

Comments

McStealing

2007-07-28T23:55:05+02:00

Whilst trying to dig something out of the inbox that I knew was there, but couldn't be sure exactly where, I came across an e-mail from regional security (a jumped up prick on secondment) to say that waste oil was being stolen from some restaurants by a bio-diesel firm from Liverpool.

Apart from our blue drums going missing I couldn't see a problem, saves us a job!

Then I realised about the issues of all Keystone's lorries being run on our waste oil. Would be ironic that just for once with a new system being introduced that we would let them down instead of vice-versa.

Comments

McEqual Pay

2007-07-27T13:54:00+02:00

McDonald's is notoriously a fair employer (our Regional HR teams are very proud of that fact) and at times it does feel like my staff can get away with murder, but that's not what this post is about. This one is about my staff under 22.

They do a job that is always at least equal to my team who are 22 and over, work just as hard and get all the same job perks as everyone else.

But they are on a different pay scale.

Why?

Like i said, they work just as hard as anyone else but take less home.

Looking at the www.makeupyourownmind.co.uk site for reasons why (can't be bothered harrassing HR about it) a similar question put to the Head Office team was answered as follows,

All McDonald's rates of pay are reviewed each year in light of external market competitiveness, internal comparability and National Minimum Wage legislation. Like many other retailers, McDonald's pays a lower starting rate to crew members aged under 18 - currently, £4.00 per hour compared to £4.25 for crew members aged 18 - 21. All McDonald's employees are paid the appropriate wage at or above the government's minimum wage. Currently less than 17% of hourly paid employees are on national minimum wage.

Now, I wouldn't like to sound cynical (!!!!) but as far as market competitiveness goes, McDonald's could set the standard if it wanted to.

McDonald's recently highlighted how age friendly it is with several staff in Manchester over 65. Maybe it's time to stamp out discrimination at the other end of the scale by bringing all staff onto a level playing field: after all, the expectation for them is just as high on their shifts, they may as well be rewarded for it.

If this one doesn't start an internal investigation into who's writing blogs about the company, nothing will!

Comments

McHalal

2007-07-27T13:43:45+02:00

This could fast turn into a can of worms so I'm going to have to tread carefully here.

The company has started a trial in the Southall area of Halal products.

So, is it another opportunistic stunt by our PR department to get another positiive story of the company, or is it a genuine trial with a view to roll out across the country?

Well, I'm sorry to have to say this to all you sceptics out there, but it is a genuine trial, and the news of how it is doing is slowly filtering up North as well. Guess what, according to initial reactions, it is doing fantastically well and is well on the way to being rolled out across the whole UK network.

On one hand it is good to see that we can broaden our range and appeal to people with other dietary requirements, but on the other hand I'm not too keen on the effect it will have on restaurant procedures.

Currently we have to train our team a huge range of systems and procedures that fall under the categories of food safety, fast, friendly service, and general cleanliness and clean as you go (CAYG.)

The problem that some restaurants will face with this new system of working, is that people who are woking on Halal products won't be able to work on Beef or Pork products, and a lot of stores rely on kitchen staff being able to swap between sides at the drop of a hat.

Of course 2 different colours of apron will be easy to understand (you'd have to hope!) but the cleaning and sanitising of preparation equipment will add another layer to cleaning procedures. Happy days!

Apart from that it sounds like a good idea.

Comments

McSelling Up

2007-07-26T15:29:38+02:00

Serving a customer earlier,

"Big Mac meal with a coke please."

I got a mouthful off him when I asked if his Big Mac meal was large,

"Whenever I order anything from you, you always try to sell up!!!"

Two reasons for this,

1. The vast majority of customers are not very clear in what they want, they simply say "Big Mac meal". I respect my staff but don't expect them to be psychic, so by being so vague you are directly prompting us to start the whole process of endless questions.

2. If we simply put a medium size meal through and suddenly you decide that you want it large, it is a complete pain in the arse to change it!

Don't like it, fair enough: I hate going to Subway because of the bloody questions: be clear and concse in the first place and you won't get loads of questions and prompting.

As an aside, yes McDonald's staff are prompted to sell up, it is a business just like any other after all. But we are instructed to not sell up to children or vulnerable members of the community (an ambiguous term I know, dontcha just love PC) as it is simply not ethical.

Comments

McFloods

2007-07-26T14:55:32+02:00

As an addict of the BBC News website (it's cheaper than buying a paper,) I often stumble across little nuggets of news that make me laugh. This time was the BBC's attempt to sensationalise the story of how business is coping with the aftermath of flooding in most of central and southern England.

The term used was,

Two days on, and a few more have re-opened their doors. But even that symbol of indefatigable consumerism, McDonalds, is still shut.
www.bbc.co.uk 25th July 2007

Let me clear something up about the rest of the story, it is referring to how businesses continue to trade even though towns are without a fresh water supply.

Yes stores are still shut, they have to!

It is as though McDonald's is this corporate monster that commands its' own private water supply and could continue to trade even when the four horsemen turn up!

Now the company might be big but, contrary to popular belief, we ae still the same as any other company and when the water stops so do we.

Reason why: how do we clean and sanitise our equipment, clean the stores, provide handwashing facilities to our staff etc etc when there is nothing to do it with?

It is fantastic to hear that some people can continue to trade through this period, it really is: but until the water supply is restored, our stores simply can't. Believe it or not, food safety is the first trading priority and always has been.

Comments

McCriticism

2007-07-24T14:02:38+02:00

I seem to be getting more and more private messages criticising me for "defending the bastards" and told that I'm not a real person but a, "drone in the PR department."

Time to clear things up:

- The GoldenArches blog is not my only blog, if you looked at my profile you'd notice that.

- What the company does in the USA I've not the first clue about, I live and work in the UK (for those American readers, thats the little island that your ancestors came from!)

- Not every entry is complimentary to the company, if they do something boneheaded I'm the first to point it out and take the piss.

- I do not get paid to write my blog, in fact I'm probably in breach of contract by writing it, which is also why you don't see my picture or other personally identifiable information on the blog!

- Yes McDonald's first concern is profit. They are a company and that is the primary aim of every company!!! Making money is also the first aim of GreenPeace, Friends of the Earth as well, without it they wouldn't exist!

- I haven't written an entry about how staf and managers are mistreated by the company, very true. That's for one simple reason, you got it!!!! Any issues of mistreatment are invariable localised, not corporate.

- There may be things that I haven't noticed about the company, I'm an employee not an encyclopaedia!!!

- I know they produce fatty food! I also know that there is this little thing in the UK called freedom of choice!

- They sell fatty food to kids. Shocker! Ever heard of a balanced diet? Parental control?

I do not offer free marketing for them, I simply say what I see. If you have a problem with that then you have the freedom of choice to read something else!!!!!

Whilst I don't regret starting this blog, it is concerning that I'm getting criticism for it not being Anti-McDonald's and name called (sticks and stones........) by the moral minority.

The ironic thing is that these are the same people who squeal loudest about Freedom of Speech, and other liberties when someone has something to say about them.

Go figure.

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McVeggie Brekky

2007-07-22T10:54:49+02:00

The biggest complaint that I get over breakfast is that there is very little veggie stuff on offer.

Believe it or not, here is a bigger selection than on main menu but who am I to correct?!?

So, as I'm no vegetarian, let's go through the list.

Oatso Simple (with sugar, jam, syrup or salt)
Egg muffin (company technically withdrawn it but we'll carry on regardless it brings in sales)
Pancakes
Bagel with light philadelphia cheese

Not a bad selection considering.

But we still get complaints about our woeful offering.

OK - tell us then. What do you want to see at breakfast in McD's?

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McQuestions

2007-07-22T10:42:07+02:00

Now I've been with the company for a while, so things change and we go with the flow. But I can't help but notice that we seem to be asking more and more questions to customers these days. And I know that it isn't just me.

Take the Deli sandwich meal with coffee that I sold yesterday:

"Is that sandwich on white or brown?

With or without cheese?

With or without salad?

Is that a large meal?

Is your coffee white, black, cappucino or latte?

Would you like sugar for your coffee?

Are you eating in or taking out?"

All good stuff!

But during a mid year meeting on Thursday (mind numbing to say the least) our marketing department were pretty insistant that we advertised the new system of paying by cards by asking,

"Are you paying by cash or card?"

As a colleague of mine said, fairly cynically, "Welcome to McDonald's, please fill out this questionnaire and we'll take your order!"

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McProud

2007-07-13T23:52:41+02:00

It's that time of year again and the annual company appraisal, in the form of the anonymous Viewpoint Survey is now out for us to tick a load of boxes and rate the company.

Every salaried manager in company though, is only interested in one question:

I am proud to work for McDonald's Agree / Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree.

Reason why? Simple, part of our bonus depends on how our team answer.

But deep in our hearts we feel both empathy for the crew who answer disagree, and stitched up by the accountants that included that question!

One of my Shift Managers put it this way,
"If I was in the army I would be proud to serve my country; if I was in the police force I would be proud to serve my city. Am I proud to serve a bunch of ignorant scrotes with fast food?"

Man has a point.

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McReporter

2007-07-03T22:49:57+02:00

Following on from our "huge success" of the McJob campaign in Manchester (even got air time on Key 103!!!!) a local hack from the M.E.N. decided to descend upon one of the city centre stores as research for writing a report.

Feedback about the hack in question (just promoted from the Advertiser probably) was pretty damning,

"Couldn't make a Mac to save his life."
"Complete cock" I thought that was a little harsh until I heard that in his little world everybody who works for McD is stupid, and this attitude really upset a colleague of mine who I hold in very high regard. Now I refer to that outburst as fair coment.
"Thank fuck he doesn't actually work for us!"
"Couldn't follow simple instruction." Bet his editor loves him!

Be interesting to see what he says about us. Though from his approach to the day, he's no Louis Theroux.

I only hope that some of his preconceptions were dispelled by his visit to the store, if not then he is his own fool.

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McPress Release

2007-07-02T04:22:15+02:00

Or McBollocks as it should be known, but what's the difference?

Anyway, another day, another new press release from our powers that be (wish ops would make as much effort as PR are currently doing!)

This time all our (!!!!) trucks are to be converted to run on bio-diesel from the fat in our vats.

Bear with me, this is where the BOLLOCKS bit comes into it.

1. When the oil in our vats has expired (reached 25% or above carbon) it gets collected, at cost, and sent to a processing plant somewhere in the NE.

2. Then the processors sell it to Keystone (the distribution company, McDonald's have nothing to do with that infrastructure) to run the trucks.

Brilliant, absolutely brilliant, why didn't I think of that!!!!! Basic instructions on how to fleece a company twice!

I'm in the wrong line of work

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McPetition

2007-05-02T17:48:48+02:00

Our Head Office (with obviously a little too much time on their hands - shocker!) have asked all stores, through the medium of the weekly Operations Update, hand round a petition demanding OED change the definition of McJob in the Dictionary.

Now I personally am in favour of the change of definition, it does my crew no justice especially those who are going through the management training system.

Just one small hurdle to overcome. Been passing it round work and I keep getting one question from my crew,

"What's a McJob?"

'nuff said

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The Big Tasty is Back!!!

2006-09-27T16:59:39+02:00

Dieticians everywhere, cover your eyes!!!!

As the strap line from the marketing campaign goes, "The One and Only Big Tasty is Back!!!"

This is an incredibly brave move for a company under almost constant crticism for is selection of food, even more so as it has now begun putting nutritional values on the food containers themselves (rather than just on trayliners)

And oh my god is this sandwich bad for you!

840 calories - that's for the sandwich not a meal!!
75% of recommended daily fat intake
75% of daily recommended salt intake

This sandwich is a monster!!

And I'm glad to see it back, nd so were most of my customers today. My old friend has been away for far too long.

Of course not everyone will be glad to see it back on our menus, fat campaigners everywhere will be beside themselves at this "moral catastrophy."

But here's my message to the moral minority:
This sandwich is back for one reason, one reason alone - the customers asked for it! And McD sure as hell aren't about to deny lucid human beings the opportunity of this product, and to show even more responsibility they've put the nutritional information on the box!!!

And to those who think they should remove it altogether: unlike you, some of us have a little faith in other people to think for themselves and decide on how best to adjust their diet to include this as an occasional treat.

You cannot penalise the majority of society for the reckless actions of a few, and campaigning to remove food like this because some can't control themselves is doing exactly that!

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McCustomer Service

2006-09-25T14:51:55+02:00

Following on from my McVegetarian blog, my partner decided to take the bull by the horns.

A little pissed off by the fact that the McD decided to mock her and every other vegetarian with the basically woeful offering, she contacted the Customer Service team and point out that they were losing her custom whilst they tried passing off a courgette, pepper and onion sandwich as a serious offer.

And a week or so later they got back to her. This is what they had to say:

Thank you for contacting us about our menu.

We welcome customer feedback on any aspect of our business as we recognise the role this plays in moving our company forward.

Your comments are therefore appreciated, have been noted and will be reviewed by the relevant internal departments.

You are clearly a regular and loyal customer and we thank you for your custom.

Again, thank you for taking the time and trouble to contact us.

When she showed this to me I laughed for approximately 10 seconds, the sort of laugh you give when you can see someone clearly bullshitting you with no intention of changing a single thing.

I don't like our customer service department to begin with, neither do many other managers within the company (that's a whole other story,) but we didn't realise that they were such halfwits with the customers as well. Put it this way, I would have expected at the very least for one important question to be asked back "What would YOU like to see instead?"

But the jobsworth in East Finchley wasn't even bothered with that and just fired off the standard brush-off e-mail.

And still nobody has got anywhere!

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