View Full Version : It happens on all levels
Another story to relate.
Today for lunch we had the desire to have McDonalds. In our defense, we don't eat there too often, but it's really nice when you're really busy to be able to go grab something quick and keep working. We have a McDs about a kilometer from the house, which is very convenient.
They have started to implement a deal at the drive-thru during lunch hour that when you pay, you press a button on a control offered by the cashier that starts a clock. They have 30 seconds to deliver your meal or you get a free Big Mac. They have done this, I think, due to complaints about the length of time service takes, which often can be up to ten minutes waiting in the "Auto-Mac" parking places they made to shunt waiting cars off to the side.
They have a clock right outside the delivery window that displays your time. You cannot ask for ANYTHING special, in order to comply with the deal - not even ask for a burger without onions for example. I can understand that, really, because 30 seconds is a small amount of time and obviously, they are cooking a number of everything they have to make sure that it is deliverable in 30 seconds.
So I press the button after paying and we move up to the window, which is clear of any other customers. The clock is running. I turn my head to talk to the girls in the car with me. One of the ladies tells me, "hey, look, the clock stopped ticking!"
Indeed, the clock had stopped at 24 seconds. In fact, it took them about a full minute to deliver our meal, and the guy who delivered it said nothing about the timer having expired, thanked me and started to turn away. I had to say "wait a minute, what about the clock? It's stopped at 24 seconds and although I don't know how much time elapsed, it took a helluva lot longer than 6 more seconds after we noticed it stopped to deliver our meal."
He looks at the clock, gets this sheepish expression on his face, and while we're both watching the clock, it suddenly resets to 0. There's no one even behind us to restart the clock.
Meanwhile a manager comes over and asks what is going on. The cashier doesn't want to say anything, so I explain what the deal is. The manager shrugs and says "give him a free Big Mac." The cashier tells me to wait a minute, and he'll deliver it. I'm expecting an actual Big Mac when he returns, but instead, he brings a printed card that says on the front "Enjoy a free Big Mac on us!" in spanish. I thank the guy, take the card and leave.
I hand the card to one of the girls, who, as we are driving down the highway to return home, says "hey this card was issued on June 11th and it's only good for two weeks!" It was signed by the manager.
I will leave you to draw whatever conclusion from this you may.
:)
You are sending this to the wrong place. Send it to corporate america mcdonalds and I bet you will get a response.
This reminded me of the movie with Joe Pesci saying "never use the drive-thru, they always fuck you at the drive-thru!".
You are sending this to the wrong place. Send it to corporate america mcdonalds and I bet you will get a response.In the US and many other countries that may actually do some good, but here, it is as good as a separate corporation run by different people. I might get a response from someone in corporate here though. But it would probably be some BS similar to the manager signing an expired voucher.
Besides, Ronald doesn't read the forum (I don't think! And isn't thinking about possibly moving down here one day;) I write these little stories to blow off steam and to let other people know that there is more to Argentina than the people one normally interacts with when buying pussy and the otehr incidental things that one may encounter in the pursuit of such.
This reminded me of the movie with Joe Pesci saying "never use the drive-thru, they always fuck you at the drive-thru!".Very true:D
Member #3320
07-02-09, 02:45
The service and quality of food at Mac donald in downtown Manhattan is pretty shitty as well.
Most of time the the French fries are pretty old and dried up. Often they conveniently forget to put any lettuce in the Big Mac.
I think bad service at Mac Donald is nothing to do with a country in particular. There could be something wrong with the brand itself OR the people handling it irrespective of what nationality they may be.
TejanoLibre
07-02-09, 13:25
The service and quality of food at Mac donald in downtown Manhattan is pretty shitty as well.
Most of time the the French fries are pretty old and dried up. Often they conveniently forget to put any lettuce in the Big Mac.
I think bad service at Mac Donald is nothing to do with a country in particular. There could be something wrong with the brand itself OR the people handling it irrespective of what nationality they may be.Why even bother going to Mc. When you can get a much better meal for the same price just about anywhere?
I make the absolute BEST burger in BA for a lot less and it's so much better!
TL.
P. S - Fuck convenience!
Member #3320
07-02-09, 16:32
Why even bother going to Mc. When you can get a much better meal for the same price just about anywhere?
I make the absolute BEST burger in BA for a lot less and it's so much better!
TL.
P. S - Fuck convenience!I agree with you 100%.
TL sorry man, but the title of best burger in BA has to go to me:P.
If yours is the same one you had on the menu at L'Alliance - well, it's wasn't a bad cooked patty sandwich, but I couldn't call it a hamburger because the meat was mixed with some things that just shouldn't be in a hamburger;) and was on pan arabe and not hamburger buns. But I always figured that was the fault of the Argentine cook (the meat anyway, I never understood why you didn't at least go down to Disco or something and buy some Bimbos!:)) so I may not have enjoyed one of your hamburgers before. When summer heats things up a bit you have to come out and we'll get a party going and fire up the parilla and cook off.
But the point of the story, of course, is the way that the guys who worked at McDonalds (although a US franchise, owned by Argentinos here) advertised a deal and managed on to worm out of fulfilling their promise. I think most people agree that McDs is crap.
However, when there's nothing in the house for lunch, no easy walk to a restaurant of ANY sort, no fast food restaurants EXCEPT McDs within a half-hour round trip, and the actual need is to be eating while working because the pressure is ON, convenience doesn't necessarily want to be fucked.
TL sorry man, but the title of best burger in BA has to go to me:P.
If yours is the same one you had on the menu at L'Alliance - well, it's wasn't a bad cooked patty sandwich, but I couldn't call it a hamburger because the meat was mixed with some things that just shouldn't be in a hamburger;) and was on pan arabe and not hamburger buns. But I always figured that was the fault of the Argentine cook (the meat anyway, I never understood why you didn't at least go down to Disco or something and buy some Bimbos!:) so I may not have enjoyed one of your hamburgers before. When summer heats things up a bit you have to come out and we'll get a party going and fire up the parilla and cook off.
But the point of the story, of course, is the way that the guys who worked at McDonalds (although a US franchise, owned by Argentinos here) advertised a deal and managed on to worm out of fulfilling their promise. I think most people agree that McDs is crap.
However, when there's nothing in the house for lunch, no easy walk to a restaurant of ANY sort, no fast food restaurants EXCEPT McDs within a half-hour round trip, and the actual need is to be eating while working because the pressure is ON, convenience doesn't necessarily want to be fucked.A couple of years back, I had just finished packing a container and due to the normal inefficiencies that go with the territory here, didn't get lunch and didn't finish untill after 7pm. I dropped off one of my employees at his house and was so physically exhausted, so hungry I could have eaten a used tampon and dressed like a labourer, I called into the McDonalds in Avenida San Martin, close by Juan be. Justo. It was like the the 4th of July. So busy and the wait was interminable. The meal arrived and it was to go. A Big Mac, fries and a coke. What a let down; and remember I was a willing victim. It was as cold as a mother-in-law's kiss, the fries so salty I couldn't eat them but the coke was fine.
I am not an habitual fast food fiend but I agree with the cheese, sometimes convienience outweighs other considerations. But Mcdonalds, in my one and only experience here was a real letdown. The few times I have bought from them in other countries, the service and the product was fine. Shame on them here. Shame on me if I ever repeat!
Argento
Stan Da Man
07-02-09, 21:44
No one apparently wants to admit that they like the taste of a McDonald's hamburger. Clearly, everyone's palate is so refined that an admission to liking "fast food" is akin to admitting you're a rookie monger.
But, there's a reason they've served "billions and billions." Sure, there's something to marketing, there's something to speed, there's something to price, and there's something to having one on every other corner.
Nonetheless, while everyone on this board surely despises the taste, there are millions who think they actually taste quite good. Good enough to go back time and time again, despite a wealth of other choices. Good enough to make the late Ray Crock and his wife billionaires. Good enough to make McDonald's one of the most successful and emulated business models of all time.
I'm not saying they're better than Queso's or TL's hamburguesas. I'm just saying that there have been a few billion votes cast with people's wallets. Again, I already know that everyone here hates fast food and would never touch the stuff except in a true emergency of some sort.- and even then, most would choose starvation. But, there are a few billion people who have plenty of choices and are still dim enough to choose a McDonald's burger.- and a couple of them are even stupid enough to like it.
The new coffee is pretty good.
The service and quality of food at Mac donald in downtown Manhattan is pretty shitty as well.
Most of time the the French fries are pretty old and dried up. Often they conveniently forget to put any lettuce in the Big Mac.
I think bad service at Mac Donald is nothing to do with a country in particular. There could be something wrong with the brand itself OR the people handling it irrespective of what nationality they may be.I'm a fat bastard but I'd rather starve than eating at Mc Shitheads to me Burguer King is a safer bet.
But, there's a reason they've served "billions and billions." Sure, there's something to marketing, there's something to speed, there's something to price, and there's something to having one on every other corner.
Nonetheless, while everyone on this board surely despises the taste, there are millions who think they actually taste quite good. Good enough to go back time and time again, despite a wealth of other choices. Good enough to make the late Ray Crock and his wife billionaires. Good enough to make McDonald's one of the most successful and emulated business models of all time.
I'm not saying they're better than Queso's or TL's hamburguesas. I'm just saying that there have been a few billion votes cast with people's wallets. Again, I already know that everyone here hates fast food and would never touch the stuff except in a true emergency of some sort -- and even then, most would choose starvation. But, there are a few billion people who have plenty of choices and are still dim enough to choose a McDonald's burger -- and a couple of them are even stupid enough to like it.Nobody argues about the business model, if they can sell 99 cts. Burguers it is because they are quite good doing a bad product. Sorry but to me their product is really bad, however, when you have no time or no money to eat a better thing then you eat it. If you have young kids you will take them to Mc Donald's for a happy meal, they keep their toy and you it the fries and half a burguer.
As you can see some people don't eat there because they love the product, they do it for convenience in one way or another.
Funny thing is in many ways the business for Ray Croc is not selling burguers as much as getting good locations in every town of the world.
Greetings.
Whiskas
Of McD and BK, I actually prefer BK. I don't like either one particularly, but even aside from the times it's necessary, sometimes here, with all of the parillas all over the place, and a severe lack of other kinds of good food in many places, it helps break the food monotony that can be Buenos Aires when you live here.
I remember one time spending a month and a half in northeast Italy (Ravenna) about ten years ago, and after about five weeks of the most marvelous pasta I've ever had, decent fish and sauce-prepared meat, I sought out a McDonald's when I took a side trip to Venice, just to break the monotony.
Also, the other problem here is distance to BK (about a 30 minute round trip to the nearest one for me) there's nothing else, unless you want pizza or empanadas delivered - there's plenty of those out here.
Oh, for want of a Popeye's! Or even a Boston Market.
TejanoLibre
07-04-09, 04:05
TL sorry man, but the title of best burger in BA has to go to me:P.
If yours is the same one you had on the menu at L'Alliance - well, it's wasn't a bad cooked patty sandwich, but I couldn't call it a hamburger because the meat was mixed with some things that just shouldn't be in a hamburger;) and was on pan arabe and not hamburger buns. But I always figured that was the fault of the Argentine cook (the meat anyway, I never understood why you didn't at least go down to Disco or something and buy some Bimbos!:) so I may not have enjoyed one of your hamburgers before. When summer heats things up a bit you have to come out and we'll get a party going and fire up the parilla and cook off.
But the point of the story, of course, is the way that the guys who worked at McDonalds (although a US franchise, owned by Argentinos here) advertised a deal and managed on to worm out of fulfilling their promise. I think most people agree that McDs is crap.
However, when there's nothing in the house for lunch, no easy walk to a restaurant of ANY sort, no fast food restaurants EXCEPT McDs within a half-hour round trip, and the actual need is to be eating while working because the pressure is ON, convenience doesn't necessarily want to be fucked.You obviously prefer Paraguayan burgers!
Mine are the best. But how often can you obtain the proper ingredients to make a FUDDRUCKER in BA?
I had to settle like all others!
This is MY burger:
Lomo.
Mixed in:
Onoins.
Garlic.
Morrones.
Cebollas.
Peppers.
Actual spicy spices.
Cooked rare and below.
The problem ¨:
I had a difficulty obtaining the buns baby!
Sesame seeded thick and fluffy buns!
I had to do at times.
However; I never authorized a fucking pan arabe burger bun damn it!
Did I forget the extras:
BBQ sauce.
Grilled onions.
Guacamole.
Crispy bacon.
I know you want one now!
Let's do a burger cook-off at your place!
TL
You obviously prefer Paraguayan burgers!Well that's a loaded statement! Lol. You know my preferences for Paraguayans!
Mine are the best. But how often can you obtain the proper ingredients to make a FUDDRUCKER in BA?
I had to settle like all others!
This is MY burger:
Lomo.
Mixed in:
Onoins.
Garlic.
Morrones.
Cebollas.
Peppers.
Actual spicy spices.
Cooked rare and below.Dude! Fuddrucker burgers are pure meat with a little seasoning on the outside, cooked over flame. At least at the Fuddruckers by Willowbrook where I used to gobble them up!
If I wanted a meatloaf sandwich, I'd just make a meatloaf, eat it with mashed potatoes and gravy, then make sandwiches the next day;) Although at least you don't put bread crumbs in your burgers:) And my meatloaf is 1/3 sausage to 2/3 beef.
My hamburger:
Mix the meat with a little onion powder and seasonings (salt, Old Bay [imported!], season salt [imported!] and a few other bits and pieces - I found some chipotle peppers in Jumbo the other day and have been dying to try that, maybe even a little finely-chopped cilantro) press into a good-sized patty, and cook slowly over a wood fire (preferrably mesquite, but I'll settle for hickory) Unfortunately, here you can't get either of those woods, and the wood they sell for cooking (not the leņa but actual wood pieces) have no flavor, like most Argentine cooking materials. So I found some liquid smoke at Jumbo (I bought 4 bottles! Almost turns panceta into bacon, too, if you soak the panceta in a liquid smoke / water / salt solution for a couple of days and let it dry out) and that mixes well into the ground meat. And one can't use lean lomo either - has to have a little fat to give it flavor!
Served with toasted buttered buns, thick slice of fresh tomato, onions, lettuce, mayonnaise, and sprinkled liberally with black pepper. Damn I'm hungry now! Just made some salsa, but the burger is more substancial!
I had a difficulty obtaining the buns baby!
Sesame seeded thick and fluffy buns!
I had to do at times.
However; I never authorized a fucking pan arabe burger bun damn it!
TLI'll give you a pass on the buns - really, a good burger would be ok on a number of different breads, even buttered, toasted sandwich bread as a patty melt. Although pan arabe doesn't work well - the burger at L'Alliance that time fell apart because the arabe didn't hold together. BTW - you weren't there that day, but I mentioned it to you afterwards. I was eating your absolutely heavenly lomo with black pepper and roquefort sauce and we had a discussion about the ability to get bakers to bake hamburger buns.
It's on dude! Should be warm enough for a cook-off by mid September or so, eh? Beer, food, I'll send the young'uns off to a friend's house or something and we'll party. We won't be the only ones, I'm sure - spring weekends out here usually have a ton of little parties going on.
Thomaso276
07-05-09, 21:23
Anyone know where you can buy rye bread? Patty Melts!
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