Can I Have Four Pickles Please?

Can I Have Four Pickles Please?

As we have been taught, leadership comes in many different forms. Some positions require leaders to be hard on their employees while other situations require leaders to be soft and understanding. What kind of leadership does the McDonald’s franchise require? The McDonald’s chain I visited was located on Bay Parkway and 66th St. in Brooklyn N.Y. My experience there was a friendly one. My order had to involve a total of three McDonald’s employee’s to complete, one for taking the order, and two from the kitchen to make my meal.

I walked into the McDonald’s chain a few minutes before 3:00pm. I patiently waited in line for about 50 seconds and then my turn came. I felt a little nervous placing the order, assuming I would get a few “he’s crazy” stares from the individuals around. I started off by speaking slowly and placing my order, “can I please have one cheeseburger with exactly four pickles and a small fries but please I absolutely no salt on the fries. Please make sure the fries are really well done also.” The woman taking my order seemed quite pleasant. She started smiling as I was explaining to her what I wanted.

“Lastly, I need everything I just asked you for to reflect on the receipt. The four pickles must be stated and the fries must be listed as well done and without salt.” She explained to me the best she can do with the receipt was write that I requested one extra pickle, as the norm is three, and for the fries can only list the term WITHOUT as there is no way she can enter that I requested them well done. I tried asked her to somehow manually type in what I had asked for, but she denied saying she just had no way. I took interest in the fact that the whole time we were discussing the receipt I can clearly notice her holding back a smile. I took no offense to it, but I understood this was a unique situation. Finally I agreed to what she offered, and the process began.

The kitchen was only a few feet away from the employee taking the order, unfortunately I did not get her name but her initials are listed as KS on the receipt, so I will refer to her as that. KS walked closer to the large hole opening to the kitchen and told two people there that I did not want salt on my fries and to make sure they were well done. KS was just an order taker, but she clearly was in charge of what the cooks provide on the food. I do not at all believe it was a formal position, but more of an informality between peers. She mentioned nothing about the pickles, so it is safe to assume her entering one extra pickle on the ordering pad was enough for the cooks in the back to know what to do. It is also safe to assume since she can only write WITHOUT on the ordering pad the cooks would not know what exactly I did not want on my fries. I moved to the side to make sure I had a better view of what went on in the kitchen and what response the cooks may have had to this. My assumptions were clearly correct, KS started laughing after she told the cooks what I had requested. I heard the cooks speak but could not make out the words due to all the noise. I bet it was something along the lines of “what on earth?” KS then went to the fries section on her right and started to toss the fries. Normally KS would have given me the fries from that section, but those fries are all salted and since I requested no salt, she did not take any for my order. About 40 second after she started the fries my food was ready. These cooks are extremely fast, everything must have already been somewhat premade. The fries and cheeseburger were given to her in hand and she made sure to ask whether or not the fries are without salt and well done. The cook confirmed she neatly placed them inside the bag for me. I would have been happier if she had asked about the pickles as well, but I’m assuming it’s not her responsibility at that point, she did her part by entering it in the system. KS told me this was my order and I was good to go. I pulled to the side, opened my bag to make sure everything was perfect. I do not eat McDonald’s food so my goal was to return the food. I first checked the fries with my hand to make sure there was no salt. These guys did a great job, not only was there no salt, but they were extremely well done without being burnt. I put the fries back into the bag and opened up the whole cheeseburger right there on the ordering counter. At that point KS had nicely informed me that maybe I should sit down at a table. “Believe me, there’s a reason to my insanity” I responded with a smile. Four pickles just as requested. I packed everything back into the bag and told her “please give this to someone who would enjoy it, this experience was for a management class to watch how you all perform, good job!” KS started laughing, took back the meal and I was on my way.

The experience went smoother than I expected. I do not believe there is any education what so ever necessary to be hired at McDonald’s, and with that many individuals form stereo types of the kind of people that work there, I was one of those individuals. You assume a simple task would be hard for them, but these guys laughed about the order, and without question completed it perfectly. If McDonald’s had asked me to come in as a consultant and improve the management process I would give the order takers a formal supervisor position where they were fully in charge of what the customers had requested. KS did not confirm that there were four pickles on my cheeseburger. Though the cooks did get the order correct, what if they did not? That would mean extra time spent to change the order and an upset customer who requested small change to the normal McDonald’s menu. I attempt to put myself in their shoes, someone requesting such a special and odd order to be made. I can understand the fries, but why exactly four pickles? I too would have cracked a smile. There were no managers necessary to perform an out of ordinary order, KS took the leadership role, made sure that what I had requested was completed correctly, and did so in a friendly manner. Definitely not the experience I assumed I would have. Thanks McDonald’s!