Rendered Speechless

I don't usually go to McDonald's. I have my reasons, but generally you can attribute this to bad customer service and trans-fat. This week however, I had two occasions to override my normal aversion to going there, and try them out, and I was paid back with stupidity on an epic scale.

Here's a clue McDonald's. If I choose to go to your "restaurant", it isn't because you have exceptionally tasty food, it's because I want hot food now.

Monday night, I left the house on time for work, and decided on the way I would stop at the Papillion 84th & highway 370 location. I ordered a value meal, I get in line, in fact I am the only one in line, and I wait, and I wait, and I wait. In fact I waited nine minutes in between the time my money is taken and someone shows back up at the window to explain to me that their automatic drink machine is not working, and they couldn't get me my drink. There is no manual override on these things? Now I appreciate the clerks honesty, and it wasn't her fault, but seriously, you can't get me a drink in under nine minutes? Getting my meal took me twelve minutes. I was a couple minutes late for work. I could order from Village Inn and have my meal that fast.

But wait, here comes the epic part.

Wednesday night and I was running behind for work because I turned around when I noticed I forgot my phone. No problem, I got to work on time, and ate my frozen dinner there, figuring I'd just go someplace later. 0330 runs around I tell my coworker Chris I am going to step out and get some lunch. My plan is to either go to McDonald's, Taco Bell, or the Super Saver grocery store ... I am leaning heavily towards the grocery store, but Chris says "Where you going?"

It turns out he would like me to pick him up a burger, so I say McDonald's is fine. I get in my car, get over to the McDonald's at 144th & I80, I have Chris' $5 bill and my ATM visa. I pull up and the voice at the drive through says "welcome blah blah blah, I am sorry, but we can only accept cash at this time." Maybe I am a little spoiled, but I am pretty much used to the ATM card for everything now, so I say no thank you.

I pull off in my car, call Chris "dude, can I borrow your change and pay you tomorrow?"

"No problem" he says. I get back in line, I order, it comes to $7.13 (I don't know what a burger costs), so I look through the car change bucket, not enough. So I am to plan C now. I call Chris, and I tell him that I am driving down to the Millard 136th & Q street McDonald's and I'll be a little longer than expected.

I get down there, pull up to the speaker and hear a different voice say "welcome blah blah blah, I am sorry, but we can only accept cash at this time." Must be something wrong with every McDonald's. Hmmm.

What? "No thank you." I say, but I got a plan D. Those who know me well know that I like to have at least a plan B for just about everything, going to the bathroom? Can't? I got a plan B.

I head over to the Super Saver grocery store. It's not a big deal, I need a few things, and I can get some cash. They have a great sale on Pepsi products, sweet. Some frozen pizzas and breakfast and I check out. The poor checkout girl must be eight and a half months pregnant, she waddles from lane one to lane twelve (the only open one) to help me. I get my groceries and cash.

By this time it is after 0400, on the way back I pull back into the 144th and I80 McDonald's and hear "welcome blah blah blah, I am sorry, but we can only accept cash at this time." Ha! I got you outsmarted, I have cash now, so I ordered. "I'm sorry sir, we have moved to our breakfast menu."

I was literally speechless. I just stared at the speaker. "Sir, sir, sir?" I drove off again with no food.

Now I know I could have called Chris, gotten breakfast, and gone with plan E. At that point, I couldn't have gotten word one out of my mouth. I came back to the office, gave Chris his $5, offered him half of my pizza, sat down, faced forward, and stayed speechless.

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About nine years ago I had a dispute with Baker's grocery stores that was my fault. I bounced a check at a Baker's due to a math error, I think I even called them and told them about the mistake, but their policy at the time was to only try to deposit checks once, not twice. I paid the $42 in fees, and maybe go into a Baker's once a year on my own now, even though it is the closest and most convenient store to my house. They didn't give my check a 2nd chance, I'm not going to give them a second chance.

The Taco Bell on 120th & Center (I didn't go here for seven years or to any Taco Bell for two, as a matter of fact I am still mad about this one), the Fantasy's gas station in Bellevue (the one that was on Galvin Road, it was over four years, and they sold it), K-Mart (can't even remember what they did, but it was a long time ago, I was married at the time), all have felt the wrath of my non-shopping.

This will be the third time McDonald's has gotten on my do not go there list. Good luck getting off of it this time. If I ever go back, you can be sure of one thing, I'll have a plan F, and G, and H...