Service with a Smile - The Worst McDonalds

Living in the city of Philadelphia I see many people constantly on the go. From the office, to the gym, to the classroom and everywhere else and when people are on the go we don't eat like we would want to, thus the reason for the vast amount of fast food restaurants and pizza pubs. However not all places contend with the "Service with a smile" or "Have it your way" attitude portrayed on the multi-million dollar commercials.

One place that I have seen steer away from the "Service with a smile" idea is McDonalds. Over the years, only if I have no other option, I'll stop into a McDonalds for a quick bite to eat to hold me over until I can eat what I want. Recently, since I now spend a great deal of time in Center City, the likeliness of me walking into a McDonalds is more of a possibility because the company offers great food fast and with exceptional customer service.

However, for the past month I have been eating, occasionally, at the McDonalds located in the Gallery Mall on 8th and Market Street and every time I go there I witness the worst service I've ever seen at a fast food place. First, I would like to mention that when I was fifteen I was employed at a McDonalds and it was mandatory that our service be exceptional. So when I stand in the line and wait to be ordered I almost critique the level of service that is being given, not just to me but also to the customers in front of me.

Yesterday was just the last straw for me. It was about six pm and I went into the McDonalds in the Gallery Mall and waited to order. I saw that behind the counter were seven females, all African American working on the line. Two were visibly pregnant. A young woman set to order but changed her mind toward the end. The employee taking her order slammed her hand on the counter, let out a sigh then rolled her eyes before smacking her teeth and saying "Do you know what you really want now?" I was surprised at the level of service this young lady was delivering but it didn't stop there.

There were three more people ahead of me but a bunch of people in the other four lines and the staff was obviously overwhelmed and instead of keeping their cool and remaining professional they shouted, tossed things, snatched items and talked to their customers with anything less than nice. I thought about leaving but I had already been in line for seven minutes I really didn't want to stand in another one. So to take you back to the girl who changed her order, when her order did come up the same employee held the bag in the air and shouted out her order and the young woman was standing directly in front of her. When the young woman identified as the one who ordered the employee rolled her eyes again before attempting to hand her the bag. When the young woman reached for the bag the employee let it go allowing it to drop to the counter.

By that time many people were becoming upset but the horrible service continued even as the manager came to help out. Then I realized why the staff were unfriendly that was because the manager displayed the same level of service to the people she was helping. So now I order, the same thing I always order which is a double cheeseburger plain and French fries with no salt on them, sound pretty simple right? Well that order took another almost seven minutes to make. I took my food and walked out without incident. When I went to eat my cheeseburger I discovered it had everything that comes on a regular cheeseburger, ketchup, mustard, onions and pickles. I was furious. I was furious they messed up on such an easy order; furious I had to stop my writing to walk back to the restaurant. Once I did the employee who let the young woman's bag fall to the counter looked up at me walking in and she, again, rolled her eyes and said, "your order ain't right?" I responded with a no and as I handed her the bag she snatched it out my hand, threw it to another girl and said, "get your shit right." The other girl said, "Shut up bitch." Which was loud enough for me to hear her as well as the six or seven-year old standing next to me with her elderly parent.

Yesterday's experience was one of many I have witnessed and experienced in the last two months of going to that particular McDonalds. I understand they are only being paid minimum wage but they know that going into the job so I can't really accept that as an excuse to the poor service. I just know after yesterday combined with everything I've seen I will never eat at that McDonalds again let alone a McDonalds period. The McDonalds located in the Gallery Mall on Market Street in Philadelphia is by far the worst establishment I have ever been in, in terms of service, the staff and the management and I urge everyone to stay away from that particular one if not the entire McDonalds company.