MCDONALDS LACK OF FEEDBACK + POOR SERVICE

Good evening MCD. I write this email in disgust. I recently visited with my wife and 6-year-old daughter your Mc Donald’s Food Store in Canal Walk Shopping Centre, Canal Walk, Cape Town, Western Cape on 2021-12-30.

As per attached slip, I ordered the selected items at your self-service portal at this branch at 13:06:24 (as per print out on slip). Order number 3118 is issued as per attached slip. Fair enough it was indeed a busy day at this store as it was for competitors as this branch is in the Food Court Section of Canal Walk Shopping Centre. After waiting for an almost complete hour (45 minutes to an hour) and noticing my order number called up on screen as per the “order system on screen display” at this store and disappear during this period (when it states at the time to collect your order as per order number) only to find out that my order was never completed and delayed for reasons unknown to myself. I began to question this as it has almost been a full hour since I ordered and still not received orders yet order numbers are being called up on screen and disappearing/being removed again without any actual customer receiving such meals. Myself and one other customer (who had ordered after I did) queried as to where our food is and why we are called up as per “on-screen displays” but when we are at the counter – none of the customer orders are complete. No staff member could address or explain to us what the hold up was. This customer shortly received his food after waiting and left. I thereafter queried as to why my order is taking almost an hour and that no staff member has explained or addressed the customers on floor all waiting for their orders when it has been well over 45 minutes at this stage. I then approached one of the cashiers and asked to speak to the manager as I now want to request a refund on my order. One of the Mc Donald staff members then redirected me and pointed to a colleague next to her and said “she is the manager.” I reiterated that I would like to speak with the manager then. The lady came over to me with a name badge reading “Kotama” attached to her shirt and asked me for my order slip. I then handed it over and made it clear that I would like a refund as I have been waiting now almost a full hour for my order. She completely ignored any engagement with me and went into the kitchen area where several other staff members were busy inside preparing orders of the day and so on soon returning with what looks like parts of my order being put together. When she approached the counter with what I assume is now to be ‘my order’ I reiterated again that I do not want any order from Mc Donalds but instead a refund.

She requested that I write my banking details on the back of the order slip and a contact number and disappeared back into the kitchen/working area. I then after waiting for a short period, asked another MCD staff member where the manager is as I was requested to place my details on the back of my order slip. She took my slip and went to the back section of store where I had no further visual however to my demise see the same lady who I was told is the manager – is not. The other staff member returned and told me that I had to add other additional particulars on the slip as per the manager’s instructions. I then queried as to “the manager” – as the supposed manager that was just helping me earlier is not the manager. I then demanded to speak to the Store Manager (I did not get her name) who shortly then agreed to see me. I explained the above scenario as best as possible. She acknowledged this fact and promised to contact me further at a later stage and that the monies will be refunded in 3-5 working days if I am correct as I paid via Debit/Credit Card and not cash. So as frustrated as I was, took my family to a competing store to MCDs and walked in and out as busy as they were when in comparison to MCD and other tenants, ordered and ate my meal within 15 minutes no issue. I request that MCD conduct a proper investigation into the conduct of its staff. It is unacceptable that I had to stand in a queue for almost a full hour in limbo along with several other disgruntled customers. It is unacceptable that I was diverted and **** to an ‘incorrect’ person of authority in the first place and not the actual manager from initial start. It is unacceptable that the staff did not acknowledge nor even communicate in a manner acceptable to society when I attempted to address MCD staff.

I say the above without prejudice or malice and that based on my extreme frustration, that this is not the way to treat customers or conduct business. The communication (or lack thereof) needs to also be improved and addressed accordingly with the staff that were on duty this day.