~Blogaholic Me~: December 2007

The following story is a personal experience that happened to me many weeks ago, but the fact that I can still write about it now proves how angry I was at that time. I’m not a temperamental person, but what happened on that day really made me blew my top off.
It was early morning on 14th Dec 2007. My alarm clock went off at 6am, and I immediately shut it off. I was still very sleepy and wanted to snooze till later. However, I remembered that I promised Wan Shia that I’ll buy McDonalds for breakfast. With much effort, I forced my sleepy eyes to open and routinely prepared to go for work.
At 7.30am sharp, I walked into the newly opened McDonalds near my place. When I went in, there was 1 customer in front of the counter. I walked in line and waited for my turn. Not long after that it was my turn to place an order. I ordered 1 Weekday Breakfast set (which consist of 1 Sausage McMuffin and 1 cup of coffee); 2 Sausage Egg McMuffin and 1 Hash Brown. The person at the counter taking the orders was a trainee (I assumed) had no idea how to key in the orders. So he called another person to come help him. I smiled understandingly; maybe it’s his first day on the job.
After getting my orders, I paid for my food while he past the orders to be processed in the kitchen. Somehow none of the food at that McDonalds was ready made except the coffee, so I could see them hustling and bustling in the kitchen. They were not really efficient as they took 10 minutes to finish the 2 Sausage Egg Mcmuffins and the Hash Brown. I continued waiting for my Sausage Mcmuffin when another lady worker walked by, and asked me what I was waiting for. I told her that my order was not complete yet, and she just continued to do her own stuff. Right after what I told her, she did not take the initiative to investigate or rush the kitchen for the order. At that time, the crowd was already building up and everyone was waiting for their orders due to the inefficient workers.
After a while I started noticing that they were processing orders for customers which came later than me. I started to ask the person who took my order, what was holding up the order. Apparently he missed out my order and he forgot about it. Then the previos lady came asking what was missing. I told her calmly that I’m missing a Sausage Mcmuffin, she shouted to the kitchen “Sausage Egg Mcmuffin!” Shocked, I repeated, “No, it’s Sausage Mcmuffin” and she shouted again “Sausage Egg Mcmuffin”. I was really crossed by that time and I scolded them, “This is a main set in your menu, it’s so simple and yet you guys cannot get it right!” Not only did she not apologize, she stated as a matter of fact, “Sometimes we forget”. What the hell was that comment? That really pushed me of the brim, and I retorted rudely back, “What the heck is the computerized system for then?” Awkward silence after that….
I seriously would have considered demanding for a refund if it wasn’t that I already promised my friend. I got my order completed not long after that. I glanced at my watch, it was already 7.50am and I was late for work thanks to them. They took 20 minutes to process a simple order. I wanted to tell them that I could defrost and fry a burger myself faster than them. But I kept that to myself as I did not want to make a bigger scene than necessary.
Key lesson for me is to not buy McDonalds when you are in a hurry. You never know when you’ll meet an incompetent worker.