Victory!!!

[Gilhelmi]

About 3 years back, I worked in a nursing home kitchen. My boss hired her son-in-law after he quit McDonald's.

He quit after the district managers told him "You do not yell at your employees enough" and implied that the employees were expendable. His people respected him, they did their jobs, and this HIGHLY offended him. He was not alone, a few customers heard this as well. McD's lost a lot of business. (town of 5000, word got around, other businesses would not play reindeer games with them, schools would not let them advertise at sporting events or through fundraisers, ect)



The wheels of justice move slow, but crushes all, eventually. Today, December 14, 2014 is the last day McDonald's will be open. They know why to.

Dairy Queen, a owner operator franchise (meaning the local owner runs things, the franchise provides things, I think, tell me if I am wrong). The local DQ is ran by a guy I went to High School with, a Deacon at my church, board member of low-income housing (that is well ran), a growing community leader. He respects his employees and the community. His DQ is one of 2, in our area, to break $1,000,000 in sales. Remember, this is a town of less than 5,000 people. A million in sales is the proof that the community could handle the 'fast-food demand'. We just did not want the taste of abused workers in our mouths.

Today, marks the fall of a dictatorship. Very few will miss them.

[MoonCat]

And they'll sit back and wonder why they closed. Must be someone else's fault. Couldn't be their policy! They did everything right!

[XCashier]

It is nice to see justice getting served, the victims vindicated and the villain getting what's due.

I would not be surprised if McD's tries again in a few years. Let's hope they learned this lesson.

[Sapphire Silk]

That's interesting since McD's is usually a francise operation. Must have been one of those rare ones owned directly by the corporation. Either that, or the owner was a hands off dick.

[Javarod]

That's interesting since McD's is usually a francise operation. Must have been one of those rare ones owned directly by the corporation. Either that, or the owner was a hands off dick.

Could still be a franchise, some of those franchises are huge. Also MickeyD's really doesn't do much to rein in their franchisees, when i had an issue i contacted McD's. It took two weeks for them to get the franchisee to respond, and it didn't appear they really cared. This and their terrible service in STL is why i haven't eaten there since... April.

[Jetfire]

You can be sure McD's will be back. But the Town seems to know who to support which sounds good.

If McD's comes back with the same guy in management, the town will continue shunning them.

If it's a new guy from outside, then they'll probably give it a chance. If it's a local, then they'll probably give him or her a chance depending on their reputation.

As for DQ's, at least in my neck of the woods, the owners tend to be very big on Local supports. Half of the local teams in the schools are the DQ <team names>, and they seem to be big in a lot of local events. I know back up in my home town the local DQ is just down the hill from the High School (and the closest non-school food outlet), so they get a LOT of weekday business from students.

In general, either DQ knows the value of rep and makes sure everything under their name (whether they own it or not) reflects well on them. Or they have just been really lucky with their franchise owners.

[mhkohne]

In general, either DQ knows the value of rep and makes sure everything under their name (whether they own it or not) reflects well on them. Or they have just been really lucky with their franchise owners.

Actually, I think it's a consequence of their market position. McD's can attract customers because everyone knows the food will be approximately the same everywhere. They are supported by wixe recognition, and massive national advertising. DQ needs to attract an audience, and let people know they are there. Local support is a good way for them to do so without having the stupid large budget.

[Gilhelmi]

Actually, I think it's a consequence of their market position. McD's can attract customers because everyone knows the food will be approximately the same everywhere. They are supported by wixe recognition, and massive national advertising. DQ needs to attract an audience, and let people know they are there. Local support is a good way for them to do so without having the stupid large budget.

That is also true. My friend bought the franchise after DQ stripped the previous owners of it (multiple health code violation, dilapidated building, ect.). He tore out the old barn (literally, a barn that had been moved to town in the 50s, it was nice about 20 years ago) and replaced it with a brand new building. With working modern conveniences (like air conditioner/heaters, new machines that worked reliably, ect.) and investing a lot of money into the property.

[Gilhelmi]

Could still be a franchise, some of those franchises are huge. Also MickeyD's really doesn't do much to rein in their franchisees, when i had an issue i contacted McD's. It took two weeks for them to get the franchisee to respond, and it didn't appear they really cared. This and their terrible service in STL is why i haven't eaten there since... April.

I honestly did not know they were "franchise owned". If the local one was, I am sure it is like you said, large and uncaring. (I do know that the guy who left McDs to work in the nursing home kitchen said "District Manager" which implied to me that the owners had a large enough operation to warrant more then one district. But I am guessing.)

[registerrodeo]

It is a rarity to see something as big as McDonalds close down. They are not just a fast food joint, they are a brand and I know, at least here in Pittsburgh, they are all run so poorly and some are downright seedy inside, but they still get business because they are McDonalds.

The one closest to me has been busted by the feds for payroll shenanigans, it is dirty inside, and the rare time I will go there (can't stand the food but hey quick breakfast) their employees are rude, incompetent, and most look like they left the crack house to come to work. The ones in our downtown area have been busted so many times for their employees/managers openly selling drugs from there, they let all manners of riff raff hang out all day long, and a few years back they found a dead body in the ones bathroom (Stanwix street for you yinzers).

I think it is great that your town decided enough is enough because here, everyone bitches, complains about gastric distress, rude employees, filthy conditions, but is still buying. I quit going almost a year ago after some bad behavior by employees

[mhkohne]

I honestly did not know they were "franchise owned". If the local one was, I am sure it is like you said, large and uncaring. (I do know that the guy who left McDs to work in the nursing home kitchen said "District Manager" which implied to me that the owners had a large enough operation to warrant more then one district. But I am guessing.)

I was under the impression that McD's wasn't giving out new franchises, just opening corp stores and supporting older franchisees. Early in their history they didn't have the capital to grow on their own, so the franhlchise thing made sense. Now, they don't really need to split the profits if they don't want to.

[Sapphire Silk]

Could still be a franchise, some of those franchises are huge. Also MickeyD's really doesn't do much to rein in their franchisees, when i had an issue i contacted McD's. It took two weeks for them to get the franchisee to respond, and it didn't appear they really cared. This and their terrible service in STL is why i haven't eaten there since... April.

I've quit eating at McDonalds because the quality of the food has turned to shit. I used to love the chicken nuggets. It was bad enough when they got rid of the dark meat (most flavorful and juciy) but all the McDs around here overcook them. They're dry and nasty.

BK OTOH, their food has improved quite a bit and I've been going there more often.

[Jay 2K Winger]

I've quit eating at McDonalds because the quality of the food has turned to shit. I used to love the chicken nuggets. It was bad enough when they got rid of the dark meat (most flavorful and juciy) but all the McDs around here overcook them. They're dry and nasty.

BK OTOH, their food has improved quite a bit and I've been going there more often.

That's like the opposite of my experience. Mickey D's quality has actually ticked up, while the BK Lounge has declined markedly. This is heartbreaking to me, because I'd preferred BK Lounge to Mickey D, and now it's the other way around.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I normally prefer Burger King over McDonalds, but probably now have to change that.

The last few times I've been to Burger King, the service has been disturbingly slow and I understand they were recently closed an entire day due to "staffing issues."

But I think the recent reports of food poisoning I've heard coming from there may be the real reason for the closure.

[notalwaysright]

It's all so expensive, I haven't been to any recently. However, our local um, scary wind up music box place is almost deceptive (yes I'm using that word, hear me out!) in the way it displays it's prices. It lists a price for a combo meal, right? Then when you say "I'll have a number 2" they say "medium or large" but the price on the board is for a SMALL which they don't even offer, you have to specifically ask for. So I haven't been lately because I don't like that policy.

I do like that they serve breakfast all day, and I like their croissant-wich. Anyway, there's fast food Mexican place opening (the talking dog one) near my work and I'll probably go there when I feel like cheap crappy food.