As a frequent traveler for several decades, I’ve been to a great number of fast-food restaurants across the country, from the biggest cities to the smallest towns. This McDonald’s is by far the absolute worst of the worst! From waiting roughly 15 minutes to place an order while being entirely ignored by employees who were preoccupied with gossiping, playing around, and one employee with her cellphone out. Phones can carry bacteria and cross-contaminate food. Consequently, this violates McDonald’s policy. Another local gentleman finally walked in, shared that the service was consistently poor, and apologized to me as a traveler. At that point, I politely said, “Excuse me, can someone take my order, please?”
The gentleman also said, “Hello, we need help.” Another traveler also chimed in and expressed his frustration over the poor quality of service. The employee who came from the back to assist was uninterested and unfriendly. However, I was polite and clear in placing my order. There were not enough small bills to make change in the cash register, so the manager was called. After mentioning my long wait for assistance, she was nonchalant, showed little care, and quickly brushed aside my concerns. Moreover, she handled my change dismissively, causing the coins to fall onto the counter. This was intentional, not accidental, and very disrespectful! This type of behavior often results in a hostile work environment, bad customer experiences, and high employee turnover. I realize fast food is a high-pressure environment, but that doesn’t excuse poor service or bad attitudes. At this McDonald’s, it starts with managerial incompetence. In my opinion, the manager doesn’t set a positive tone or lead by example! I witnessed an employee using profanity at the counter, in the presence of a lobby full of other customers who had ordered at the self-ordering kiosk, including several senior citizens. We were all in disbelief! This occurred while the manager stood and said nothing! This is very disrespectful and inappropriate in the workplace! I could hear another employee in the back using profanity as well. Before exiting, I noticed the lobby was filthy with overflowing trash. This signals poor management plus an outright disregard for sanitation. This could lead to hygiene issues, including the spread of germs. This is a red flag for hygiene and management. I will definitely contact the State of Florida Health Department and send this to the local news outlet. In closing, I stopped at another McDonald’s in Tallahassee, and the service was absolutely superb!