Not Covered In The Training Manual

On Sunday evening, we stopped for a quick break in our "on the road" adventure at McDonalds.

I was standing by the beverage area and Rachel walked up to me with a few food items but she was crying. Looking in her direction I could see about 5 McDonald's employees were talking/whispering to each other and looking at her.

I said to her, "What's wrong?"

But she was crying and answering me at the same time so I could not understand what she was trying to say.

One of the managers of the restaurant walked up to us and said, "I'm sorry. We did not hear her full request when she placed her order. So, we only charged her for what we heard her order. Now, we realize she wanted some additional items. When we told her that she only purchased what we gave her and not the additional items she wanted she began to cry."

I think some of the McDonald's employees were as upset as Rachel.

The manager who explained the situation to me looked like she might start crying.

I said, "It's alright. Don't worry." With a big smile I added, "Allow me to order the other things she wanted and pay for them and it will be fine."

I went to the counter and placed the order and three or four employees jumped right into action (I suppose I should mention that no one else was in line ordering food at the moment). Rachel got what she wanted and was satisfied. (Chicken McNuggets almost always lead to satisfaction.)

I tried, again, to smile and reassure the crew that everything was alright. No serious damage was done! But I think it was a rough moment for them. This specific type of scenario is probably not covered in the training and procedures manual.

They Got The Order Wrong

Yesterday I stopped at a McDonald’s in central Illinois for breakfast.

I ordered a couple of breakfast burritos and the clerk seemed hesitant to complete the transaction. I didn’t think much about it—I just assumed she was moving a little bit slowly—but then the clerk turned to look behind herself, leaned over the counter toward me and in a lowered voice said, “I wouldn’t get the burritos.”

I had a puzzled look on my face.

Before I could say anything she continued, “Our microwave isn’t working and the burritos aren’t good today. They are sort of… well… trust me, they’re not good. I’m just being honest with you. I wouldn’t order them.”

I said, “Oh. Okay. Well, then I will have a sausage, egg and cheese biscuit.”

She said, “I’m sorry but I’m just trying to be helpful. I, personally, would not eat the burritos.”

I said, “No need to apologize. I appreciate your honesty.”

When the order came we sat down at a table, unpacked the bag and discovered that they got the order wrong.

For about 4 seconds I felt really irritated. Then I laughed and thought, “Hey, this will make for a fun little post online.” But now that I’ve posted it online… on second thought, I wish I would have had some decent breakfast burritos.

Mitch "Harry" Jones, The Gecko, Has A Close Call

My niece Amanda has been driving over the past couple of days, with Michael and Helen, from Florida to Chicago. On Friday morning, Amanda, Michael and Helen pulled over at a rest stop in Illinois and when she opened the car door a gecko fell to the ground.

She did a double take upon noticing the little critter. “Huh!?!”

The poor guy was half frozen. He had been hiding in some space in the car door and had managed, somehow, to survive up to this point in time. They were astonished he had made it this far.

Geckos live in warm weather climates… (and prefer sandals to work boots). Amanda and her friends had already been on the road for hundreds of miles and many of those hours were in cold weather. How did he do it? Unfortunately, he wasn’t looking well and it was questionable whether he would even survive.

When he fell to the ground, Amanda said, "Oh my goodness!"

Initially, her traveling companions couldn’t see him and asked, "What is it?"

Amanda said, "It's a gecko!" And she picked him up.

"Is he alive?" they asked with some disbelief.

"Barely," said Amanda.

So she held him in her hands for a while allowing him to warm up. Then they got a box, poked holes in it and placed him in the box keeping him in the heated car.

They named him Mitch “Harry” Jones. I don’t remember exactly why but three names seems like a pretty sweet deal for a lizard, doesn’t it? Most reptiles are dying for even one name.

Mitch continued with them on the trip through Illinois all the way to our house, stopping a few times for McDonald’s drive-thru and an occasional decaf latte from Starbucks. (Geckos will usually try to avoid caffeine.)

When they arrived at our house, we found an old aquarium in the garage and Mitch is making himself at home. He appears to be doing alright. In fact, this morning they went out to buy him some crickets for lunch. (Jealous, aren’t you?) Just a few moments ago, Mitch looked up at me with thankful eyes and said, "I won’t lie to you, dude, that was a close call!"

I nodded my head sympathetically as I tossed him another cricket dipped in barbecue sauce. (We’re sharing.)

I’m not sure about this but I think there is a possibility Mitch might be part cat. If I’m right that would mean he now has 8 lives remaining.

They Have These Restaurants Called McDonalds

It's the craziest thing. They have these restaurants called "McDonalds" in Bowling Green, Ky.

We thought, "What's this all about?"

But we threw caution to the wind and gave it a try. You know, just to see what it was like. What the heck, we're on vacation. Let's be reckless!

I have to say it wasn't too bad. But I don't think it's a business concept that will really catch on.

The Guy On The Elliptical

Did you ever have one of those days in which you did not want to go to the gym?

Well, that’s how I felt this morning.  But I pushed myself.  I overcame the inertia.  I got myself in gear and went even though the innate desire was not present.

However, when I arrived, I still did not feel like I had any energy.  So, when I stepped up onto the treadmill it felt as if I was plodding along with a 30 pound sand bag around my neck.  I did not set a high incline on the machine nor did I set a very fast walking pace.  I’m admitting to you that I just didn’t have it.  (Okay sure, the breakfast burrito from McDonalds, on the way over, probably didn’t help.  I’ll grant you that.  But, still…)

But then I noticed a young man on one of the elliptical machines who was going at a faster pace than I’ve ever seen before.  I’m not kidding when I tell you it looked like a video that had been adjusted to a higher speed.

I thought, “Wow!  Look at that guy!  That kind of pace is amazing!!!”

I actually laughed while I watched him.  It was a sight to behold.  It was inspiring.  It was motivating.  Watching this young fellow made me feel better.  I said to myself, “You know what?  Sometimes you’ve got to bring it, even when you don’t feel like it.  You’ve got to rise above the temporary emotions of the moment.”

You say, “Dan, did this encouragement cause you to increase the incline and the pace on the treadmill?”

No, it did not. 

But I’ve noticed a crispness, a vitality, and a certain vigor as I sit here typing this story.

Podcast for 8/3/12 -- Audio Podcast

I talk with Vic about writing at McDonald's and about persevering in prayer.
Take a listen!

             Click here for audio!

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What's Open At 7:45pm On Christmas Day In Southern Indiana?

What’s open at 7:45pm on Christmas day in southern Indiana?  Answer: McDonalds!

But the line was almost out the door because just about the only thing open at 7:45pm on Christmas day in southern Indiana is McDonalds.  (…And Waffle House.)

I must say, however, the cashier at this McDonalds gets the Official Christmas Day Wonderful Attitude Award (administered annually by the Christmas Attitude Association of the Greater Midwest Region).  After spending over 8 hours on her feet, with a line out the door the entire day, she was smiling, cheerful, patient and friendly.  Seriously, she was.  I was impressed and pleasantly surprised.  What a nice lady!  In fact, I was so impressed that I offered to give her a McNugget from our order.

She smiled and said, “No thanks.  I’m alright.”  (Then she gave Nadia a look that said, “You actually hang out with this guy all the time, huh?)

Have you been wondering for years how to perfectly cap off a Christmas Day?  Well, it turns out that the answer is a double cheeseburger from McDonalds.  Who would have guessed it?

Well, who knows where we are right now, frankly, I’m blurry eyed.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!

Nadia's Birthday And Dessert...And Dessert

“Where would you like to go for dinner tonight?” I asked Nadia.

It’s her birthday, today, so I let her select any place she desired, McDonalds, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, it doesn’t matter.  No sir.  When I’m in a generous mood like this, I get crazy!

She said, “I was thinking about P.F. Chang.”

I said, “Okay, that’s good.  When you stop thinking about whatever issues you have involving Mr. Chang, then start thinking about a restaurant, and let me know.”

But it turns out that P.F. Chang is a restaurant.  So, that’s where we went.  [Psst, guys?  It’s a little pricier than McDonalds.]

We had a nice meal and Nadia opened her card and present right there in the restaurant.  Fortunately, she really loved her necklace and bracelet.  And she kissed me several times after she looked at it.  This, once again, proves that she loves me despite what some of the skeptics, and news analysts, and Washington, D.C. think-tanks have tried to suggest.

At the end of the dinner, dessert was served in small glasses.  Have you seen these things?  It seems like a popular way to serve dessert, these days.  The glass looks like a tall version of a shot glass.  It really does not contain a lot of dessert but I think that’s the idea.  It’s more like a “taste” of dessert rather than a big, coma-inducing helping of dessert.

At P.F. Chang's enjoying some tea.

It turned out to be good for us that the desserts were served in these small glasses because both Nadia and I are trying to be more cautious these days about what we eat.  And it was good because the small dessert glasses gave Nadia a legitimate excuse to say, “I’d like to go out for ice cream, since that wasn’t much of a dessert and, after all, it’s my birthday!”

Well, the most brilliant debater in the world couldn’t even begin to argue with that air-tight logic.  Am I right?

So, we found our way to a local Oberweis store and we enjoyed some ice cream.  (For the record, I had frozen yogurt.  That’s almost like having a carrot, isn’t it?  In terms of health and nutritional value, I’m going to assume that a frozen yogurt cone is equivalent to…oh…what? Four or five sticks of celery?  Sure.)

Well, that was Nadia’s night of birthday fun and frivolity.  We’re back home now and Nadia has spent the past half hour, or so, trying to catch her breath because that much fun, all at one time?  Well, come on.  I think we all know, it can take it out of a gal.

 

At Oberweis holding a small box of chocolates.

      Back home, catching her breath, after a thrilling evening of fun and adventure.