Me: I would like a #6 meal.
McD: [murmuring, nearly silent]
McD: …
Me: I can barely hear you.
McD: [Speaking up, more volume]
McD: What kind of kids meal would you like?
Me: No, you misheard me. I would like a Number, Six, Meal, and I do want the Swiss cheese.
McD: [Rings me up a #6, hold everything except the cheese.]
McD: [Rings me up a sweet tea, which I did not order.]
Me: No, I did not tell you to take everything off the sandwich. I said I like the Swiss cheese.
McD: [Clears the screen]
McD: [Rings me up a #6, hold the cheese.]
McD: [Rings me up a sweet tea, which, again, I did not order.]
Me: No, I did not tell you to hold the cheese. I said I want the cheese. I like Swiss cheese. We’re having some trouble communicating. Can you understand me?
McD: [Getting snippy. Replies with a bad attitude.]
McD: Yes…. Sir.
McD: [Clears the screen]
McD: [Rings me up a #6.]
McD: [Rings me up a sweet tea, which, again, I did not order.]
Me: You have rung up a sweet tea that I did not order.
McD: [Clears the screen]
McD: [Rings me up a #6, special note on the cheese.]
McD: [Long pause….]
Me: Let me know when you’re ready.
McD: [Asks the following question begrudgingly, as though too lazy to ask, and frustrated to have to ask…]
McD: What would you like to drink?
Me: Mr. Pibb or Dr. Pepper.
McD: [Rings me up the correct drink.]
McD: [Asks the following question with a smarmy tone]
McD: Is the screen correct?
Me: Yes. Thank you.
…So then I drive up, pay, move up, get the food, and check the bag. Looks OK. I drive away. Then I open the package to eat, and there is no cheese on my sandwich.
I turn around and drive back. I park and walk in. Stepping up to an abandoned service counter, I call to the nearest employees standing on the far side of the restaurant, “Excuse me.”
No luck.
“Excuse me.”
No reply.
“Excuse me!”
Finally, a drive-through delivery girl starts saying, “Oh, he wants to talk to someone!” while another asks me if there is a problem.
I reply that I had asked three times for Swiss cheese, and I have a sandwich outside with no cheese on it. “Can someone get me some Swiss cheese, please?”
Employees start scurrying away, while the drive-through delivery girl seemingly decides it’s not her problem.
I thought one of them might have gone to get me some Swiss cheese. No dice.
Apparently none of the employees wanted to talk to me or help me, so someone among them had gone to fetch the manager.
Out comes the manager, with an employee in tow. I asked the employee behind her, “Is no one helping me yet?”
No answer from the employee.
“What seems to be the problem?” asks the manager.
I was explaining, when she stopped me to ask what kind of sandwich.
I thought, “What does it matter? I just want a slice of Swiss cheese that I paid for!” However, I told her it was a club.
Then she wanted to know whether it was crispy or grilled.
Sigh. “Crispy.”
She walked away. I thought, “Well, maybe I will get a slice of Swiss cheese.”
I waited.
Finally, she came back with a whole sandwich, saying this one has cheese.
At that point, I just kind of gave up, said, “Thank you,” and took the sandwich.
It did have Swiss cheese on it.
This was perhaps the most annoying drive-through experience I’ve ever had. Some may say it’s not worth the trouble. I am tempted to agree, but, “Oh, the power of cheese!” Did I mention that I like the Swiss cheese?