Saturday, October 24, 2009

Have it your way....Not!


Today was a trip to Morelia for some auto parts and miscellaneous stuff at Home Depot. Getting there early to beat the rush of do it yourselfers, I was there soon after the store opened.

In order to do that I left that house early around 8.

Stopped by on the road for a cup of coffee, I figured I'd get a breakfast after my Home Depot trip.

Not wanting to drive around, I figured I would stop at McDonalds for a quick breakfast. After all how can you screw up some sliced ham and eggs?

Or can you?

It was also then that I remembered why I don't go to McDonald's anymore, at least in Mexico or to be more fair Morelia. Other locations seem to be a little better at least the time we have faired into them.

It seems that multitasking is non existent or at least not trainable to the average McD employee in Morelia. It's not just one location, it has been the same at the two locations I have tried.

Today cemented into my memory why I will not go there, simply because the behind the counter Keystone Cops routine simply is not worth the wait.

Wait?

Well, the 3 counter employees can only take one order at a time and fill the order before taking the next order. Or at least attempt to complete an order.
So, if you are 3rd in line like I was today, you get to see the first clerk enter the order and accept the money and shout out what the order is.
The second clerk gets the tray and goes and puts the two potato thingamajigs on the tray. He then reads the ticket goes and gets the coffee. Meanwhile the other clerk take the order and places the tray next to the first one. He reads that one and goes and pours a coffee and orange.
Meanwhile the 2 potato thingamajigs are cooling, on the first tray.
Now there is a semi hot coffee and orange juice on the 2nd tray.
He goes back and again reads the first ticket.
He then reads the 2nd ticket and realizes that no orange juice was ordered and puts it back next to the machine.
Next the manager comes and takes my order. Eggs with ham, coffee. Pretty simple.

I get that because they have to make the order from scratch......

Now after about 2 minutes the hot order comes for the 1st tray, he puts it on the tray, again reads the ticket and goes and figures out that it need coffee.
So he takes the coffee from the 2nd tray which has been sitting there for about 5 minutes and puts it on the first tray.
Meanwhile the first clerk, gets my coffee, and puts it on the 3rd tray.
He now reads the first ticket again and calls for the person that the order is ready.
I see and hear that my eggs have been deposited on the chute for pickup.
He walks over and grabs two other orders and my order. Now he opens each Styrofoam contain to take a look see.
I know that the top one is my order.
He places it on the next tray. ( not on my waiting tray)
He then puts the other persons ordered item on my tray, the one that has been sitting in the chute for the last 10 minutes even before I got to place my order.
It goes on for about another 3 minutes , reading the tickets, walking back and forth, until I point out to him that my order is on the wrong tray.
He looks at it, opens up the container and puts it on my tray.
I don't wait for my potatoes.......
My stomach is in a knot........

12 comments:

Bob Mrotek said...

Tancho,

(I address you as "Tancho" because that is the hipocoristic or "pet name" for Constantino or Constancio in Mexican Spanish).

Sounds like "You deserve a break today! :)

Tancho said...

I like Tancho, I 'll have to work on that....

Michael Dickson said...

Hasn´t anyone told you that you must be patient to live in Mexico?

By the way, if you think what they call orange juice has ever been near a fruit of any description, you are less sharp than I think you are.

Tancho said...

Felipe, I never mind the wait, when it involves people with a common goal or mission. My frustration was the ineptness or lack of training to the ultimate goal of delivering a product for the customer......stupid me.,
I never have their orange juice...yyyukk!
I stop by a stand where I see them squeeze the crap out of an ugly sweet orange, and a good value.

- Mexican Trailrunner said...

Hahahaha. That's what you get for eating that crap.
That meal contains nothing previously or currently known to nature.
As I recall, it's like that in the States too. . .

Tancho said...

Trailrunner, every once in awhile I for some reason stumble back in there, only for something with an egg, so at least I know sort of where it came from....then I remember why I don't go there.

Leslie Harris said...

Wow! I haven't been to a McDonalds in 7 years. So glad we don't have them here. Sorry to hear about your terrible experience. You're better off at a cocina economica! :D

Tancho said...

I usually go to one, Leslie, but I figured out the easy way, since they had a empty parking lot in front. Now that experience will charge me up to my favorite cocina econonica even more!

Calypso said...

Tancho (I like it)-

I am with Felipe on this one - when in Mexico...

"My frustration was the ineptness or lack of training..." Tranquilo amigo.

Residente Permanente said...

That's why I choose Burger King as my processed cow lip provider. The employees have to score a 17 on the IQ meter for a position.

Don Cuevas said...

Tancho, McDonald's is such an easy target for scorn and wrath!

We ate once at the McDonald's on Camelinas. Slow, and not worth the wait nor the high prices.

There are all those cheap, Mom and Pop places specializing in desayunos, for better fare at a better price. (Admittedly, those are scarce near Home Depot.)

Then there's barbacoa. Savory and filling at a reasonable price. (It may take a few minutes.) I may have to list my fave barbacoa places in my blog.

Saludos,
Don Cuevas

Tancho said...

Don Cuevas, and I have certainly received sufficient scorn and wrath to permanently etch into my mind the reason I stopped frequenting the place.
I should explore more backup places so that next time I will not take the easy way out and be rewarded with things like fresh orange juice.
I would never have ordered that there anyway, that I remember!