8/3 Update: The local store was able to remake our order on another trip to Algood and rectified the problem. The franchise office offered mailing a free item coupon to our home for in the future should another mistake happen and were unable to turn around. I wish there were more convenient options than that, but I appreciate the swift response and genuine interest in my concern; therefore, I’ve raised my review rating. I do hope Corporate looks into refund options to update and allow more convenient credit options such as mobile app credits.
To be clear, this review is not meant to blame only this location. The mistake happened here, but the solution offered appears to be part of a larger McDonald’s policy or process that this store and others follow.
McDonald’s needs to improve how it resolves drive-thru orders that are made incorrectly, especially when the customer has already left the restaurant only to find the food they ordered is missing or made incorrectly when they get home.
In my case, I did not realize that two items were wrong until I had driven several miles away. I was on my lunch break, so going back to the restaurant was not practical. When I called the store, the store manager was apologetic and understanding, and she told they would write down my name and that I should remember the manager’s name. The next time I was in the area, I could ask for the items to be remade.
While I appreciate the thought, this process puts the responsibility on the customer to fix a mistake they did not make. I am expected to remember the manager’s name, return to the same location at some later date, and hopefully want the same food I should have received correctly in the first place. This process is not practical and is likely to fail.
With gas prices continuing to rise and, more importantly, the value I place on my time, making a special trip back for two incorrect items does not make sense. The time and cost of returning may be worth more than the food itself.
At the end of the day, we are only talking about a few dollars. However, those few dollars can add up when many customers never return to have the mistake corrected. In those cases, McDonald’s keeps the money while the customer is left with the loss and inconvenience.
McDonald’s should be able to refund the incorrect part of a credit card transaction or provide a digital credit through the mobile app for those customers who use it, like we do. Customers shouldn't have to make another trip, remember a manager’s name, or rely on a verbal promise.
When an order is made incorrectly, the solution should be simple, quick, and convenient. McDonald’s should create a clear company-wide refund or credit process that allows stores to fix the issue when it is reported.
Thank you,