I Think, Therefore I Know McDonald's SUCKS!!

Ok, sorry. I've been reminded (more than once) that I haven't posted in a while. Well sorry - I've been distracted lately.

I have some things to get off my chest. But before I go there, let me just say - I have no real update to my earlier posts about the drama otherwise known as "my life", and suffice it to say that for now, no new is good news, 'k?

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

I know I'm not the first person to be ticked off in a drive-thru window. But today, I have finally been freed from the McDonald's habit once and for all. Thank you, Jesus, say AMEN!!! Ok, it really wasn't that dramatic, but - whatever.

In the (recent) past, I admit to being a fast-food junkie. Mainly because I was just too depressed (and/or lazy) to go to the grocery store and keep stocked. Not to mention the fact that would have involved some kind of planning, cleaning, and organizing - YUCK. Result? Well, for one thing, I gained about a 100# in the past yr (not quite, but close). So anyway, I have just recently managed to give up the fast food diet and have opted to set a better example for my young daughter - the older two already grew up thinking that "leftovers" was a special meal. In addition, I have really tried to give up sugar - to the extent that I no longer use it to sweeten my tea (horror of horrors for a good southern gal) or my coffee, and I have given up regular "cokes" for the diet variety, but have REALLY cut back on all carbonated beverages in general. I also try to be smarter about bread and other sugary/carb-laden foods - but only in baby steps. I can't have any major shocks to my system. And in addition, I got a new dishwasher, which REALLY solved the kitchen cleaning problem, so I really haven't minded cooking so much anyway.

Anyway, today I had my nephew (school was out) and one of his little buddies under my supervision for the whole day - but, alas, I haven't made a recent trip to the grocery store and I was not prepared to fix lunch for little kiddies today. Instead, I let them pick a place and went to pick it up. Naturally, they opted for McDonald's, and I was off with an order that sounded more like I was feeding a pro football team than two 11 year-old boys and a 2 year-old cherub. So, I get in line - and finally I get a chance to give my order to the little silver box. Never mind the fact that I had to ask IF they had triple cheeseburgers because they're NOT on the menu, and when I asked "how much they cost", the clerk must have thought I spoke a foreign language - all I got in reply was the subtotal of my order so far. Geez, ok, never mind, I'll just order double cheeseburgers off the $1 menu. At the end of it all, I got the total and was told to pull forward - and THEN I remembered THE APPLE PIES FOR DESERT. The boys each wanted two of them - no biggie because they are 2/$1, right? After some checking from the invisible end of the silver box, I was told that they only had 2 apple pies, would 2 cherry pies be ok (along with the 2 apple ones). Well DUH?? They are sweet and sugary, aren't they?? NO PROBLEM!! So now, I am given an amended total of $16.83 and asked to pull forward.

Upon reaching the 1st window, I was greeted by, (bless her heart) some woman who I KNOW had been an extra in Deliverance. She tells me they made a mistake (say it ain't so) and that they only have 2 apple pies and one cherry pie - so is that ok? I say "sure, just give me what you have" - the boys will just have to make do. About 7 minutes later, she turns around and says "Ok, ma'am, that will be $16.60." What?? I get a $.20 break for the price of ONE pie? TWENTY CENTS?? That's all?? Then why are they 2/$1 on the menu?? By MY calculations, that's $.50. Ok, ok - you are right - it's not like it's a huge amt of money - but - I would correct them if they undercharged me (most likely - especially if I caught it right away) - and, c'mon - I've already had them change their minds 3 times about what's available.

So, I say - "look, I don't want to be petty, but - are you telling me that the difference in price in my order is only $.20 for 3 pies instead of 4??" The girl says "well, the cherry pies are $.89 each." Ok, shut the hell up. I ORDERED APPLE. You didn't have apple and offered to substitute cherry and I very good-naturedly agreed. No bitching about it - just "sure, no problem" and NOW you are telling me that because YOU are out of what I ordered, you are going to charge me MORE for the substitution?? I say "But wait, the pies are 2/$1 on the value menu, and I ordered TWO, I can't help it if you only had one." Deer in the headlights look from the clerk. She finally managed to stammer "Well, I don't know - I just pushed the button to order one cherry pie, since that's all we have." That was it. The whole explanation. And then, she just stood there looking at me like she was waiting for pigs to fly out of my butt.

By this time, there were no less than 7 other cars behind me (I had been the ONLY one in line when I pulled up).

So I just said "never mind, that's fine", took my change, and pulled to the 2nd window to get my order, fully intending once there to ask for the manager on duty. When I got there, a younger, thinner version of the 1st clerk opened the window, shoved two HUGE sacks and a happy meal at me without even speaking, let alone making eye contact. As I was putting the sacks down in the seat, and the drive-thru window was closing, she said "Thanks." So much for asking for the manager, I had two 11 year-old boys and a sleeping 2 year-old at home waiting - I was really in kind of a hurry, since the LAST thing I wanted was to come home to sirens and child protective services.

Fortunately, I've been listening to the news a LOT lately and I found out (again, probably) that ONE BIG MAC has about 1400 calories. That's probably MORE than I need to eat per day to lose the weight those damn things put on me in the first place. Thank GOD today gave me the willpower to NEVER DARKEN THEIR DOORSTEP AGAIN.

Probably NOT the entertaining story you were looking for - but I never promised anything but rants about my every day life. Compared to what I've had lately, this is actually a welcome nuisance, I guess.

Are you happy now, Chuck?? ...osm