Well, let's start out as we enter the restaurant. First of all, since we have already examined some aspects of the MyRewards program, we might as well note that, for the new summer cheap drink special, it's unnecessarily complicated. It used to be that you just got any size drink for a dollar. Now McDonalds seems determined to use this annual special to promote its MyRewards program. If you want a small drink that's $1. If you want a medium drink that's $1.25. if you want a large drink that's $1.50. Unless you use the app.
The cheap summer drink special coupon, tied to the MyRewards program, does not work with the kiosks. This is not necessarily the fault of those at the 86th Avenue location. Presumably it is a fault in the programming of the MyRewards app using the kiosk interface. The kiosk will recognize the coupon code for this special. It then presents you with a menu. You are supposed to choose what type of drink you want. And then choose the size of drink that you want. And then choose what type of drink you want. And then choose what size of drink you want. And then choose what type of drink you want. And then choose what size of drink you want. All while numbers of drinks are being racked up in a sidebar on the interface. Since this coupon is only good for one drink it's hard to understand why the interface is presented in this way. And, in any case, there is no point at which you can get out of this infinite loop, and finish the order for your drink. Or, at least, I haven't found it yet. I've tried this several times and it's never worked.
So then you go to the counter. Having started ordering via the coupon at the kiosk, the coupon code is no longer valid. However, the coupon code will generate a new code for you, after several error messages. First of all you have to wait in the lineup.
There is always a lineup. Like their cousins, at Wendy's, eight blocks farther north up the street, this location seems fixated on the drive-thru. The drive-thru always takes priority. Even when nothing in particular is happening on the drive-thru. There is no one at the counter most of the time. There is no one fulfilling the orders that have been processed and are ready to be handed across the counter. By the time you get someone's attention, there is a lineup.
By the time you reach the front of the line, the code for the coupon for a cheap summer drink has expired, or timed out. You then have to go through the entire process of selecting the specials, selecting the summer cheap drink special, asking to use this coupon, and asking it to generate a code. At this point there's usually one more error message objection, before it presents you with the code. Once it presents you with the code, ordering is generally not a problem. You do have to specify that it is a large drink that you want. And paying for your order is generally not a problem.
Getting your order, now that's a problem. The person at the counter has gone on to the next person in line behind you. Even if all you want is a cup of coffee, or a cheap summer drink (which only requires a cup), no one is available to serve you. You can starve to death before anyone comes up to the counter to see what it is that you want. So if you don't want to starve to death you yell at the staff at the back. Eventually somebody comes. You say that you want a cup for order number such and such. And you get your cup. At this point you can get your drink.
So, service is not a strong point at this location.
McDonald's is big on quality control. So, the quality should not necessarily be an issue. However, I have noted that the food items that I have ordered at this particular location are not the best that I've ever had at any McDonald's. I'm not quite sure what the problem is. I can't really put my finger on anything that is done wrong. Yes the food is not necessarily terribly warm. But nothing is necessarily missing unless I'm missing something. However, I just don't find that the food at this McDonald's is as good as at other locations. So something is wrong with the quality somewhere.
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