So I took Red Rocks to his boy scout house last Friday night so he could head to the diamond mines in Arkansas to dig diamonds for mom (none found, but the gift shop sent some lovely rocks home). Leaving the house he reminded me that he was supposed to arrive already fed, so I drove through McDonald's window. Big mistake.
I ordered something simple. A Quarter Pounder meal. The sign said that it was 4.89. The cashier told me my total was 5.62. I shook my head, drove around and paid, wanting to see the itemized receipt.
The receipt? Had the burger and fries broken out at 3.89, and the soda at over a buck. What the heck? So I pulled forward, handed the receipt to the guy at the window. He immediately went for the manager.
The manager told me that the cashier routinely rings up meals this way, since people often swap up their drinks for lattes and whatnot. I asked, politely, if the medium soda didn't already come with the price of the meal? His response, "Yeah, didn't you get a drink?"
Argh.
Yes, we got our drink. It's included in the price of the meal. The meal is listed on the board as 4.89.
Manager: That can't be right. I put up the prices on the board! I'm going to have to go back and look at that ...
Me: Yes you are. Look, the price is 4.89. I was charged much more. I want my money back.
Manager, patting his pockets, like I'm putting him out and it'll have to come from his personal funds: Lemme see ... that price can't be right ... wait, (showing me MY receipt) what would the tax be?
Me: Sir, the price total was 5.12. The tax, it says RIGHT HERE, is 44 cents. So the 5.12 is much more than the 4.89 on the sign.
Manager: So I owe you, what? nineteen cents?
Me: Closer to 29 cents (I hate mental math - shut up).
Manager leaves and comes back with a quarter from the register and a hot apple pie
I take his quarter and hot apple pie and leave, never to return. The pie was yummy.
My point is, the MANAGER was trying to rip me off and shut me up. He did his best to confuse me and make me feel stupid and small. He's trained his cashiers to cheat people, then he backs them on it.
I'm not eating at that McDonald's again. Which is a damn shame, since it's only 45 seconds from my house.
Until I write again ...
Flea
23 comments:
The cool retro-looking McD's near your place? That sucks!
Damn! I hate it when that happens.
You are very observant to have caught this. Hopefully, you gave the McD employees something to think about even if it didn't turn out the way it should have.
Go get 'em Flea! Whether it's 29 cents or a thousand dollars, people shouldn't be allowed to mock, belittle or ignore you when they're the ones who did somthing wrong.
Woot!
Awesome. Good for you sticking to your guns when you know you were right. I can't stand people who try to make others feel small.
I always look at the totals because the kids on the machines just don't know what things cost, they punch buttons. I just tell the manager to get it right or I'll notify the Attourney General's fraud division. They just love to fine the manager and the organization when they rip people off. Especially if someone like me tells him he is wrong and he ignores the situation. MUD
That is horrible! How many people never even question how much they pay? I know I will be looking at my receipts much closer now!
Although it does seem you were over charged when I work Mc D's years ago that is how meals were rung up as well. Happy meals too. Being in California we always got people in from Oregon that would FREAK over the price because they don't have sales tax lol.
Its a franchise so why not write the owner and McDonald's HQ include the receipt .. how much fun would that be?
Good for you, and how frustrating! I'll bet a lot of people have gotten taken by this.
It kind of puts a pall on the rest of the scheduled activities, though, doesn't it?
Hey Sister~Friend was it really the retro Mickey D's by you?
If so, we won't eat there either.
First time, got siiiicck. Really sick.
Second time, did not know I had someone else's order until all the way home.
Third time the person handing me the food started to hand me a drink that had pop spilt all over the sides. I politely asked if she'd wipe it off before I handed it to the back to Crumb Snatcher...she grudingly did. Then didn't have the lid on tight so when the exchange was made the entire thing spilt in my lap...
Lesson learned. Haven't been back.
Way to go Sister!!
I wonder if the franchise knows about the bad name this one place is giving them? I know it's only 29 cents, but if you had ordered a few meals, it could add up quick. That's rotten!
You have made me hungry for Mcdonalds-- just not for the one by your house.
Well that wasn't much fun for you!
What the heck ever happened to a simple apology? And the fact that the customer is always right?
And now that you've blogged it, I hope McD's PR dept. reads this. After I ranted about Sears, I got a comment from their people apologizing. You've earned at least that!
gah
Good for you Flea - I'm so glad you didn't inherit my math o phobia. I'd have been ripped off easy.
really? i should pay more attention to the prices at mcd seeing that i make weekly trips there.
omg!
Having an aversion to fast food that borders on the pathological, this isn't something that happens often to me, but I rarely check to see if I am being overcharged. Unless it's an egregious difference they probably get away with it with me.
On the other hand, I find it highly entertaining to give cashiers my money in amounts that will make my change come out to something even - like giving them an extra couple pennies so I get a quarter back instead of 23 cents. Then watch their heads spin around as they try to figure out how to do it. I'm easily entertained.
i like snakes too... they are pretty and serve a great purpose... I like seeing them before they see me than they dont startle me... and then we live in harmony... this is the thrid snake of the year the other two were babies, i took them to the woods... they were the size of worms LOL... this one I woudl nto pick up becuase he loked like he had just eatten and I did not want him to puke it up LOL
Unfortunately, this is common...the retailer cheats by a small enough amount to make it not worth the customer's time to complain...over and over and over. I wonder how many extra quarters that one store makes in a day? I hate thieves. I am proud of you for standing up for yourself!
It is posts like this that make me wonder if we live in the same town. Similar stuff going on over here. If it must be the Arches...then we go to the one further away. I refuse to be treated like an idiot when I pay for something and then told I did not order said item and they can not seem to find the itemized receipt. Nope, don't go to that McD's anymore.
Flea, I had a similar thing happen at the McD's near me. I called the 800 number on their cups, bags, etc. I got a lot of satisfaction, coupons, a call from the manager of the store and the owner. They would love to know about your problem call Corporate.
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