Best/Worst McDonald's

[Walkoff Balk]

Re: Best/Worst McDonald's

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1833391.html

Bbbbaaa...d

[genepark]

Re: Best/Worst McDonald's

I wouldn't be surprised if someone told me the L&L restaurants in California or New York are better than the ones here in Hawaii.

Well allow me to not surprise you.

The L&L Restaurants I ate at in California were way better than the ones here in Hawaii. The quality difference was so vast, I actually questioned they were of the same franchise. I never eat L&L here. I always ate it in Cali. Go figure.

[tutusue]

Re: Best/Worst McDonald's

[...]We were all so well trained...so McNuts about QSC (quality, service, cleanliness...[...]

Before I moved to Hawaii I worked on many McDonalds national commercials, almost always shot on location at one of the restaurants and always with McD reps on set. I think they were called technical assistants. If there was any floor mopping, counter cleaning, etc. shown on camera there was a correct way to do it. I was terribly impressed by the QSC! It sounds like there were lotsa perks when you were the manager. I don't know whether or not that still exists.

and even a night out at The Stoplight...[...]

(hopefully not in uniform!!!)

or had babies with each other.

[...]What happened?[...]

The only thing unchanged in life is it's ability to change!

It's been a few years since she left, but I still miss Ruby, who worked the drive up window at the Beretania McDs. She was close to my age, painfully shy and the ultimate sweetheart. I'd go out of my way to patronize that location just because of Ruby.

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Best/Worst McDonald's

Awwww! What happened to the McDonalds that I knew and loved and was a manager for back in Hawaii so long ago?!

We were all so well trained...so McNuts about QSC (quality, service, cleanliness...so much freaked about those surprise inspections that could come at any time and hurt not only our employmen ratings, but our pride...we all worked so hard training our crews to be as OCD (err..caring) as we were about everything to do with operations, especially customer service.

Where did Pat Kahler go? Did he retire?

He was young and charming and energetic and got us all to be McFreaks. Picnics and trips to Disneyland and meetings and rallies and conferences and training days and trips to Chicago to learn even more....incentives and bonuses and conventions and hotels and even a night out at The Stoplight...we all cared so much. We even fell in love and married each other...or had babies with each other.

We had hostesses and buy-one-get-one deals and bingo nights and birthday parties and kukuinut leis. Crew picnics and competitions and rap sessions and in-house promotions to build better teams. Ronald telephones and french fry radios and gold pens.

What happened?

Did selling off the store franchises to the old-time managers kill the idea of QSC? Did people get lax, once the place was theirs, and they didn't have the threat of being transferred to another store hanging over their heads? Was fifty or seventy or a hundred stores to many? Was there too much, too many choices, too much paperwork? Too few good employees? Lack of unemployment meaning lack of employables?

I can see, through the Internet, that the Hawaii I once knew has changed in the many long years since I have gone....but McDonald's?!

This is too difficult to take.

[Pomai]

Re: Best/Worst McDonald's

The McDonald's of Keeaumoku is now open.

I just noticed that passing by the other day. Really nice and very modern. Not sure, but it looks like there's a McCafe in there now.

My sister said as far as food quality control and service, most of the McDonald's restaurants here in Hawaii are better than the ones they used to go to in Missouri. Go figure.

I wouldn't be surprised if someone told me the L&L restaurants in California or New York are better than the ones here in Hawaii.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Best/Worst McDonald's

A buck-50 for a cup of joe ain't that bad considering the times. But McDonalds does serve a good cup of standard joe to seniors for 50-cents.

Geez I'm only 47 but occasionally I do get charged only half a buck for a morning cup of coffee. The younger the cashier, the greater the chance. Must be the increasing white hairs and my 4-year old Jesse with me. People think he's my grandchild!

As far as the worst McDonalds here in East Hawaii...for french fries the Keaau branch forgets to add the vital salt ingredient most of the times but their wait period is definately short during the morning commute as opposed to the Puainako McDonalds.

But a hot batch of salty fries at the Waimea/Kamuela McDonalds is a great treat on those cold blustery evenings there.

[helen]

Re: Best/Worst McDonald's

The McDonald's of Keeaumoku is now open.

[tutusue]

Re: Best/Worst McDonald's

I wish the Discovery Bay McD would turn into a McCafe...for the tuxedo brownies!!! Yummm. But, alas, Starbucks is but 10' away. And McDs is walk in only so no drive thru convenience which might otherwise get some of Starbucks customers.

[mapen]

Re: Best/Worst McDonald's

Looks like the Keeaumoku McD's is the next to close down and undergo renovations for the McCafe (?) concept.

They're handing out coupons with every order announcing a June 28 closing date, to re-open sometime this Winter.

If you want some buy one get one free Quarter Pounder coupons, go to Keeaumoku McDs before they run out.

[lavagal]

Re: Best/Worst McDonald's

No. Why?
What's with this small redish pickup?

I drive a mid-sized luxury sedan, plus I walk alot.

Yeah Tutu, I read somewhere in there that it was upscale, but I had to go back and re-read it, hence the edit. Those prices are reasonable, but keep in mind that they're for the small sizes.

I think I'll go on a Hawaii Kai coffee establishment photo hunt today.

Because, based on previous exchanges between us on various threads, I think you work out here in Hawaii Kai, but I don't think you live out here and I see this red truck come out here with a certain establishment's bumper sticker on it and I say to myself, "Is that Pomai?" so now I'll have to look at all the lexuses and mercedeses and jagses and bimmers and etc out here and say to myself, "Is that Pomai?" but now I doubt you have a bumper sticker.

[Pomai]

Re: Best/Worst McDonald's

hmmm. the dregs in the coffee plots thicken!

Pomai: Do you drive a small redish pickup truck?

No. Why?
What's with this small redish pickup?

I drive a mid-sized luxury sedan, plus I walk alot.

Yeah Tutu, I read somewhere in there that it was upscale, but I had to go back and re-read it, hence the edit. Those prices are reasonable, but keep in mind that they're for the small sizes.

I think I'll go on a Hawaii Kai coffee establishment photo hunt today.

[lavagal]

Re: Best/Worst McDonald's

hmmm. the dregs in the coffee plots thicken!

Pomai: Do you drive a small redish pickup truck?

[tutusue]

Re: Best/Worst McDonald's

Hey Pomai! You significantly edited your post #52 while I was writing my post #53!

[tutusue]

Re: Best/Worst McDonald's

If you read their profile, the McCafe is said to be "upscale", hence PRICEY.[...]

To quote Erika from the 11/29/06 Star Bulletin article about the McCafe...

A small, plain ol' cuppa joe, with no adornment, called an "Americano," costs $1.50. A small cappuccino sells for $2.20, and a small hazelnut caramel latte will set a caffeine-seeker back $2.40, just for some examples.

I have no idea how these prices compare to Starbucks, etc. but McD's is all about fast food and frugal prices. Are the McCafes really in business to compete across the board with the boutiques or are their prices significantly lower? Get me beyond a senior diet coke at McD, JitB or Burger King and, well, I'm lost!

[Pomai]

Re: Best/Worst McDonald's

Might PRICE be one answer? Would McD's price points differ significantly from trendier coffee boutiques?

This ain't bad actually...

McCafe serves the specialty coffees that have spawned equally specialty verbiage, just for the ordering of same.

A small, plain ol' cuppa joe, with no adornment, called an "Americano," costs $1.50. A small cappuccino sells for $2.20, and a small hazelnut caramel latte will set a caffeine-seeker back $2.40, just for some examples. There are also frappucino, macchiatos, chais and other gourmet specialty beverages.

If convenience and price are factors, there's the coffee at Seven-Eleven, which recently opened in Niu Valley Shopping Center. Gotta love that French Vanilla and Mint creamers. Yum. I put at least 3 of 'em in mine.

Plus you can get gas too!