Mcdonalds new ordering system

[fouroaks]

monkfish1 said:

And then they point you to the self service. Where the screens still dont detect my fingers. Maybe they will sort that out one day?

I thought it was just my fingers they didn't work for and perhaps had scales built into the floor?

[48k]

monkfish1 said:

wazztie16 said:

RM said:

Even in one that has been refitted? I thought they were doing away with the ability to order at the counter.

Yes, you may have to shout at the staff though for them to actually acknowledge you want to order at the till.

And then they point you to the self service. Where the screens still dont detect my fingers. Maybe they will sort that out one day?

Just tell them you want to pay cash so please will they take your order at the till like they are supposed to when you ask.

Edited by 48k on Tuesday 31st January 12:01

[WCZ]

taking away the breakfast bagles and wraps was completely retarded, though I guess the sales figures most have shown they weren't popular or something?

I don't even bother going for breakfast there since but used to go 5x a week !

[R Mutt]

Bear-n said:

I feel slightly qualified to comment as I visit nearly every day (coffee, on my walk)

The Uber eats/whoever element has bksed the experience for anyone arriving on foot - it's absolutely mental at times, and not just weekends. Today at lunchtime was bezerk.

Suggestions that the drivers are uninsured etc though don't sit well with me either - feels a bit racisty, although TBF everything and anyone is totally invisible to them apart from their order number, but they're just trying to earn a stty living...

The fact there are locally typed & printed signs in my local McDonald's asking asking these drivers not to park in the carpark, tells you something's all a bit wrong -"Deliver our food but don't park here to pick it up".

I mean, it's a big car park too. How disrespectful is that?

It's a bonkers situation right now and I feel sorry for everyone involved.

The ratio of delivery drivers to customers in store has likely increased further since this post as I see several different driver uniforms these days. I even had to wait for the Deliveroo drivers to be served before me in my local chippy.

[RoadToad84]

R Mutt said:

The ratio of delivery drivers to customers in store has likely increased further since this post as I see several different driver uniforms these days. I even had to wait for the Deliveroo drivers to be served before me in my local chippy.

I do a little bit of part time cycle delivery work for Uber Eats - beer money and extra fitness. As far as I'm aware it's only Uber Eats that have the contract for Maccies, but there's nothing to stop drivers from being signed up to multiple delivery companies, so take the uniform/bag logo with a pinch of salt.

Incidentally, I tend to wait outside until I get an order to avoid clogging up the counter area, cos I know it's a pain in the proverbial for customers.

[anonymous-user]

I had a Big Tasty with bacon this evening. Large fries and Sprite.

It was bloody nice. Absolutely no complaints.

[monkfish1]

fouroaks said:

monkfish1 said:

And then they point you to the self service. Where the screens still dont detect my fingers. Maybe they will sort that out one day?

I thought it was just my fingers they didn't work for and perhaps had scales built into the floor?

No, its lots of people.

Sit and watch how many it doesnt work for. Touch screen technology isnt new, how hard can it be!

[dannnd]

RoadToad84 said:

I do a little bit of part time cycle delivery work for Uber Eats - beer money and extra fitness. As far as I'm aware it's only Uber Eats that have the contract for Maccies, but there's nothing to stop drivers from being signed up to multiple delivery companies, so take the uniform/bag logo with a pinch of salt.

Incidentally, I tend to wait outside until I get an order to avoid clogging up the counter area, cos I know it's a pain in the proverbial for customers.

They’re also on Just Eat and Deliveroo around here so I assume that’s everywhere.

[SmoothCriminal]

Mcdo is just ridiculous now £1.50 for a single hash brown £6 for a 6 nuggets meal.

Also their setup is a joke, they have like 5 members of staff dribbling at the counter waiting for a food item to slide down while one guy is working his arse off behind trying to make it.

I wouldn't mind but pulling a sweaty burger out of a warming tray and putting it in an bun is not "fresh" so I don't know why they don't just go back to having the main items ready made where the dribblers can grab it and put it in a bag.

The food is still luke warm when they make it to order so no difference to what it used to be like before.

Also went in for just a coffee after waiting 5 mins have to fight my way past all the delivery drivers and other people waiting for food to be told they do orders in order when I can see my drink has been sat there for 4.5 of the 5 mins I've been waiting.

Also like I've said before the UK gets the same old rehashed ste big tasty or great taste every three months.

[Koyaanisqatsi]

Purely from my eyes, there seems to be a huge increase in demand for 'customised' food, (e.g. fries with no salt, Big Mac no pickles, hamburger with added this and that), which displeases the makers greatly because it interrupts their speedy flow having to make a fresh customised burger, whereas previously there would just always be a few cheeseburgers and Big Macs and other popular items on the chutes ready to go. I'm guilty of it too ('double cheeseburger, no pickles, add mayo', is my go-to)

The Breakfast Wrap containing everything was just divine, I would almost describe it as celestial, and a part of me died inside when they removed that from the breakfast menu.

[stevemcs]

Bring back the breakfast wrap, ditch the big not so tasty

[craigjm]

Koyaanisqatsi said:

Purely from my eyes, there seems to be a huge increase in demand for 'customised' food, (e.g. fries with no salt, Big Mac no pickles, hamburger with added this and that), which displeases the makers greatly because it interrupts their speedy flow having to make a fresh customised burger, whereas previously there would just always be a few cheeseburgers and Big Macs and other popular items on the chutes ready to go. I'm guilty of it too ('double cheeseburger, no pickles, add mayo', is my go-to)

I have no doubt there has been a huge increase in customized orders because customers can now see what is available. Customisation is the enemy of speed if you just want a bog standard cheeseburger etc. The biggest issue for me is that they are trying to serve restaurant customers, drive through customers and delivery customers all in the same production line. Maybe it is time for them to start to have dark kitchens for delivery.

One thing that has always puzzled me though is why people go to the drive though and then drive to a parking space to eat the food. Why would you do that if there is a warm and clean restaurant right there? you also are then taking up parking spaces for the restaurant.

The problem with designing any process though is that as soon as you add people into it then you get chaos because humans are very strange creatures

[wobert]

craigjm said:

Koyaanisqatsi said:

Purely from my eyes, there seems to be a huge increase in demand for 'customised' food, (e.g. fries with no salt, Big Mac no pickles, hamburger with added this and that), which displeases the makers greatly because it interrupts their speedy flow having to make a fresh customised burger, whereas previously there would just always be a few cheeseburgers and Big Macs and other popular items on the chutes ready to go. I'm guilty of it too ('double cheeseburger, no pickles, add mayo', is my go-to)

I have no doubt there has been a huge increase in customized orders because customers can now see what is available. Customisation is the enemy of speed if you just want a bog standard cheeseburger etc. The biggest issue for me is that they are trying to serve restaurant customers, drive through customers and delivery customers all in the same production line. Maybe it is time for them to start to have dark kitchens for delivery.

One thing that has always puzzled me though is why people go to the drive though and then drive to a parking space to eat the food. Why would you do that if there is a warm and clean restaurant right there? you also are then taking up parking spaces for the restaurant.

The problem with designing any process though is that as soon as you add people into it then you get chaos because humans are very strange creatures

This….

Back when I worked at McDonalds (1986-1990) we had “grill orders” but they were few and far between.

If you wanted a Big Mac minus the pickles, you ordered one, then removed them prior to eating (usually throwing them at the walls or mirrors in the lobby) judging by most of the areas I had to clean.

Nowadays, you can pretty much order whatever you want and as you correctly point out, it kills the production line.

Back in the day, the regular grill turned out both regular burgers (hamburgers & cheeseburgers) at upto 12 at a time. Big Macs we’re done on the same grill, upto 6 at a time.

They’d get passed over to “Wrap & Call” and go onto the holding bin to await picking. Turnaround between order was 1-2 mins with replenishment coming quickly if the person on Wrap & Call was on their game.

Now it seems each item is made to order and the holding bin is a warm cabinet in the grill area from which the product is picked.

Imho it’s an inferior process resulting in an inferior product.

Add in the mix of restaurant, take-away and delivery orders and a process that’s lacking and the only outcome is a worse customer experience.

I don’t visit Maccy’s regularly now (maybe once or twice a year) but each time I do, I think the turnaround between order and food is too long, for what should be “fast food”.

[Koyaanisqatsi]

craigjm said:

Koyaanisqatsi said:

Purely from my eyes, there seems to be a huge increase in demand for 'customised' food, (e.g. fries with no salt, Big Mac no pickles, hamburger with added this and that), which displeases the makers greatly because it interrupts their speedy flow having to make a fresh customised burger, whereas previously there would just always be a few cheeseburgers and Big Macs and other popular items on the chutes ready to go. I'm guilty of it too ('double cheeseburger, no pickles, add mayo', is my go-to)

I have no doubt there has been a huge increase in customized orders because customers can now see what is available. Customisation is the enemy of speed if you just want a bog standard cheeseburger etc. The biggest issue for me is that they are trying to serve restaurant customers, drive through customers and delivery customers all in the same production line. Maybe it is time for them to start to have dark kitchens for delivery.

One thing that has always puzzled me though is why people go to the drive though and then drive to a parking space to eat the food. Why would you do that if there is a warm and clean restaurant right there? you also are then taking up parking spaces for the restaurant.

The problem with designing any process though is that as soon as you add people into it then you get chaos because humans are very strange creatures

Utter laziness, that's why. The litter will then be thrown at those enormous funnel bin things with the targets, the thrower will miss and simply drive off. again, laziness.

Edited by Koyaanisqatsi on Wednesday 1st February 14:13

[gareth_r]

Koyaanisqatsi said:

Purely from my eyes, there seems to be a huge increase in demand for 'customised' food, (e.g. fries with no salt, Big Mac no pickles, hamburger with added this and that), which displeases the makers greatly because it interrupts their speedy flow having to make a fresh customised burger, whereas previously there would just always be a few cheeseburgers and Big Macs and other popular items on the chutes ready to go. I'm guilty of it too ('double cheeseburger, no pickles, add mayo', is my go-to)

The Breakfast Wrap containing everything was just divine, I would almost describe it as celestial, and a part of me died inside when they removed that from the breakfast menu.

Is that because technology (the app and the order screens) makes it very easy to make the changes?

[Koyaanisqatsi]

gareth_r said:

Koyaanisqatsi said:

Purely from my eyes, there seems to be a huge increase in demand for 'customised' food, (e.g. fries with no salt, Big Mac no pickles, hamburger with added this and that), which displeases the makers greatly because it interrupts their speedy flow having to make a fresh customised burger, whereas previously there would just always be a few cheeseburgers and Big Macs and other popular items on the chutes ready to go. I'm guilty of it too ('double cheeseburger, no pickles, add mayo', is my go-to)

The Breakfast Wrap containing everything was just divine, I would almost describe it as celestial, and a part of me died inside when they removed that from the breakfast menu.

Is that because technology (the app and the order screens) makes it very easy to make the changes?

Almost certainly. In the past, I just bravely extracted the offending pickle myself, but the 'customise' button on the screens unlocks a whole variety of ingredients that can be added or removed by everyone. The other plus point is that you stand a very good chance of the item being an acceptable temperature if it's made fresh, so that's the main reason I sometimes opt for a custom order. Would be interesting to know what % of ordered are customised compared to say, 10 years ago before the screens/app were installed.

Disappointed with the Cheesy Garlic Bites too. The long Mozzarella Dippers are by far the best of the 'bites' on rotation, and I won't hear otherwise.

[craigjm]

Koyaanisqatsi said:

The other plus point is that you stand a very good chance of the item being an acceptable temperature if it's made fresh,

The new process means this is irrelevant. It very much used to be the case in the old holding pen days when a burger could be coming to the end of its life time so you order one without pickles to get a fresh one made. Now all of them are "made fresh" which in reality means assembled from ingredients kept in various warmers. There is no benefit in ordering a custom burger these days beyond getting what you want contents wise.

[wobert]

craigjm said:

Koyaanisqatsi said:

The other plus point is that you stand a very good chance of the item being an acceptable temperature if it's made fresh,

The new process means this is irrelevant. It very much used to be the case in the old holding pen days when a burger could be coming to the end of its life time so you order one without pickles to get a fresh one made. Now all of them are "made fresh" which in reality means assembled from ingredients kept in various warmers. There is no benefit in ordering a custom burger these days beyond getting what you want contents wise.

If anything it’s worse, lukewarm to start with, then it’s sits waiting for the orders ahead of it to be processed.

[Big Stevie]

craigjm said:

One thing that has always puzzled me though is why people go to the drive though and then drive to a parking space to eat the food. Why would you do that if there is a warm and clean restaurant right there? you also are then taking up parking spaces for the restaurant.

I do this. I often prefer to eat whilst sat in my warm car whilst listening to the radio etc. That’s often better than sat in a crowded restaurant assuming you can get a table that’s free and clean. Plus I usually shove my food down quick then continue my journey in the car, with the drink by my side.

Though I frequently order just a couple of double cheeseburgers as I can unwrap those with one hand whilst still in the bag, and pop them down my throat whilst driving. Kind of like a Maccy D’s one handed grab bag

[mw88]

craigjm said:

One thing that has always puzzled me though is why people go to the drive though and then drive to a parking space to eat the food. Why would you do that if there is a warm and clean restaurant right there? you also are then taking up parking spaces for the restaurant.

Guilty! Usually because it's the warmest it will be, but mainly because the drive thru is a million times quicker than ordering in the restaurant where you'll be waiting 30 minutes for food while they prioritise drive thru orders.

And the restaurant is often full of other people/kids.