McDonalds
Overcharged at McD's Drivethru

The last weekend or so in April of this year, I pulled through the drive thru of my corner McDonalds and ordered a Quarter Pounder meal. The sign said 3.79. I paid, got the receipt, it totalled to 3.99 tax. The drink was broken out separately. That's standard practice now, the breaking out of the drink price.

I pulled through and asked about being overcharged. The guy got the manager, who stood and argued with me for a couple of minutes, patted his pockets down like I was taking his money, told me he puts the prices up so it couldn't have been wrong, told me it was the tax (I pointed out the tax). Finally gave me a quarter and a hot apple pie.

I didn't want the pie. I wanted an apology for being overcharged and treated like an idiot. I wanted sincerity. I most certainly did NOT want to be treated like I was in the wrong.

Round two.

One month later I try the same McD's, this time for breakfast, thinking maybe that manager had trained his shift to overcharge. I have no idea how the registers work. I'm since told they just push buttons and prices come up. Same thing happens with a breakfast meal. Overcharged 20 cents.

I was meeting a friend to walk and didn't have time to argue with a manager, so I came home and emailed McDonald's, explaining all that happened. I thought it odd that a store seemed to consistently, intentionally charge an extra 20 cents per meal. Who gets that money? The next morning, early, I got a phone call from a supervisor about my email. She was vague. No apologies. Abrupt. Glad she could satisfy me. Except she hadn't satisfied me and I said so. She said she'd send me some coupons. Why? To eat someplace I'm never going to again?

Last week I got a letter from a regional person. A form letter. It's very generic. I emailed McD's again and told them I wasn't pleased, that I would never eat there again, then blogged about it. Almost immediately I received an email from the local supervisor to this effect:

Dated July 8 - lt;br /

I am writing in regard to your concerns about the previous price issues at

Our location at 91st & Memorial. I have tried to reach you by phone but was

Unable to do so. First, let me apologize for the impression I left during

Our first conversation. I certainly did not intend to come across as vague

Or unapologetic. I researched the original complaint about prices on the

Menu board being different from what the receipt shows you were charged. I

Found that the price for the Sausage Egg and Cheese McGriddle was incorrect

On the menu board. I asked the Restaurant Manager to correct the menu board

Immediately. Unfortunately, with the large number of items we offer, we can

Miss something in posting pricing. At this time I am not sure what action

You expected from our first conversation or what action you are looking for

Now. Based on the information provided I felt that we did resolve the price

Issue. We place a lot of importance on the feedback we receive from our

Customers. I appreciate the fact that you took the time to contact us in

The first place and look forward to discussing this issue with you again.

Please contact me at the number below or on my cell number, 918-6 (I'm really tempted to leave her cell number intact).

Liz B*

General Manager

Mar-B McDonald's

That was certainly genuinely caring and apologetic. Not. Same tone as the phone call. I responded with the following and never heard back:

Thank you for your response. This happened not only with a dinner menu, but a month later with a breakfast menu, which is what you're addressing here. The earlier event was a Quarter Pounder meal. Unfortunately I didn't have time to address it with breakfast, as I was running late to meet someone. Also unfortunately, the manager treated me like an idiot the first time I addressed it.

Your response to me was simply acknowledgement that I was unhappy with the situation. Not much more or less. I wasn't necessarily angry, but definitely unsatisfied with my treatment as a human being. I was unhappy with our conversation and feeling as though I got the brush off, as though you simply wanted me off the phone, as though I was a nuisance.

I will no longer eat at McDonalds. I know that you said on the phone that you'd send me coupons (which you didn't - I got a form letter from someone in Texas), but I don't want coupons I won't use.

You say that you're not sure what action I was looking for. I am simply looking for an apology for being treated like I was at fault, as well as an apology for being overcharged. Not excuses. If the manager had apologized and refunded the difference immediately the first time, I would have let everything go. It's not about money. It's about customer service.

*

This isn't about the money. The supervisor sent me two coupons for free sandwiches, which I gave away. And then blogged about the entire thing again.

Company: McDonalds
Country: USA
State: Oklahoma
City: Tulsa
Site: thegoodflea.com

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