I Scream for Ice Cream
Woman in the Middle | March 30, 2017Back in January, I went one evening to one of our two local McDonald’s to get some dessert for the family. We especially like their little hot fudge sundaes. Nicely portion controlled, tasty, comes with a little package of peanuts to put on it. What isn’t to love? But, when I ordered them, I was informed their ice cream machine had broken down and they could not provide cones, shakes, or sundaes. Sigh. I was also told the repairman was coming in a couple of days.
The next time I happened to be there, which was about two weeks later, they had placed a printed piece of paper on each of the speakers, letting customers know they didn’t have ice cream. Hum….must be quite the break down I thought.
When I was there last Friday (about two months after the original “breakdown,”) the signs were up for the annual shamrock shake promotion, but the increasing weathered paper about not having ice cream and “sorry for the inconvenience” were still up on the speakers. At that point, I was done with the insanity. It would be like them saying they couldn’t put cheese on a burger for two months, or being out of ketchup for two months. There is a set menu. As an owner of a McDonald’s franchise you are supposed to provide your customers the ability to buy those things that you advertise you have, that EVERY McDonald’s advertises having. I understand the occasional problem, but two months?
I got on the McDonald’s website that day and made a customer comment. The comment asked why this particular restaurant was allowed to be without ice cream for so long, even as the corporation spent millions advertising their shamrock shake promotion. I apparently got someone’s attention.
Eldest Daughter and I were out running errands today and I stopped at the problem McDonald’s to get happy meals for lunch (again, portion control!). I noted that the weathered printer paper was gone. Then as we pulled forward in the drive thru, we saw someone pushing an obviously used ice cream machine out the back door. I turned to eldest and asked, “Coincidence?” We both shrugged. Who knows, maybe those ice cream machines were on back order.
When we pulled up to the window to pay, I asked the sweet young thing taking my money about the ice cream situation. “So, do you have ice cream again?” “Yes we do!” ”You haven’t had it for a while.” “Oh, I know. He didn’t want to replace it because it is such an expensive machine. It costs like $1500!!!”
I pulled forward, and said to Eldest, “Well, I think now we know that wasn’t a coincidence. That cheap $#@!*&$ didn’t want to have to buy a new machine until I complained to headquarters.”
The world may be falling apart but, darn it, my neighbors and I will be able to have soft serve ice cream while it is happening. For my trouble I got a coupon for a Big Mac and an Egg McMuffin in the mail. Ironic, isn’t it, that I didn’t get a coupon for ice cream.
Recent Comments