McDonald's drive thru - are you really going to hand me that?

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Just left the the McD drive thru. Ordered happy meal, chocolate milk, and large iced tea.

The person in the car ahead of me was handed a happy meal, chocolate milk, and large drink which set down in her car. She had words with the McD employee, then handed everything back. Employee then hands lady in car a larger bag and a small drink. Lady drives off.

I pull up. Employee tries to hand me happy meal bag and large drink. I said "I saw you just handed that to the car ahead of me, and she handed it back. I really don't want something that was handled by someone else. Can you please get me a new drink?"

Employee to me "No, we just handed her the food bag, not anything else."

I then told her I saw the lady hand everything back and I knew it was mine. Please don't lie to me or argue with me. I would like my order and I don't want anything that someone else just had in their car. Thanks!

I am not a germaphobe, but come on this is FLU SEASON!! How do I know that lady didn't sneeze or what the heck germs surround her cup holder that she put my drink in!! (sure, for only a few seconds, I get that).

I know I'll hear plenty of "just let it slide" comments (which I usually do I admit) but it's FLU SEASON!!

What would you do????

Once an order is in a customer's hands, it is a violation in most to take that order back and then give it to another customer. Not only are you right to ask them to make your order over, you really shouldn't have had to. I'd have asked for a manager or shift leader and explained what happened to them. If they look mad at you, you should probably ask for your money back rather than your order remade.

 

[denisenh]

Wouldn't bother me at all and I certainly wouldn't have written about it on a forum. Not a big deal at all. I think OP overreacted.

I am interested to know why the bolded is part of your response.

To OP, you were the one paying for the food. If it made you uncomfortable to receive it after it had been in someone elses vehicle and you wanted new things then that is your choice.
I agree with the post about satisfying the customer in this case.

 

[Leigh123]

OP I can't even believe people are debating with you, it is disgusting and I would want new food...

 

[shortbun]

FWIW I was only concerned about the drinks, not the food bag. And I was irritated that the employee lied out it more than anything...

It's simply impossible to post something like this on here without getting criticized and attacked. It's almost funny-almost.

 

[FayeW]

It wouldn't have even crossed my mind that wrapped food being handed to the wrong customer would be an issue, so obviously it wouldn't have bothered me at all.

 

[kacaju]

Hahahaha...that happened to me last night...I was at a Taco Bell and was handed the wrong food. I opened it up, looked in the bag and knocked on the window. Told the Taco Bell worker this was not my food..handed it back and got my food. I work in food service and thought to myself..I hope they don't hand that bag to the person behind me, it is a health code violation.

 

[MIGrandma]

Like others, it wouldn't have bothered me. Obviously she didn't open a sandwich and take a bite, or take a sip of the drink. Everything in the bag was wrapped, and if a straw had not been put into the drink then I wouldn't have had a problem with what the employee did, but...

As a former restaurant employee myself I do know it was wrong that the employee gave the order to the wrong customer, accepted it back and then tried to give it to the correct customer.

But, OP is worried about germs from the person who the employee originally gave the food too. What about germs from the employee? Or the employee in the back who made the food and wrapped it up. You have no idea if they sneezed or coughed on your food either.

And like a PP said, you can pick up flu germs from the cart at Wal-Mart or the grocery store, touching a door handle, touching money, pulling out your chair in a restaurant, and the list goes on and on and on.

 

[tvguy]

I have no idea if it is a health code violation, but I have been in several McDonalds over the years where the wrong food is given to the wrong customer, and the employees without hesitation threw it in the trash, and remade the order.
What creeps me out is if you dine in at any fast food place, they set all your food out on a tray, with thinks like the french fries exposed, and call your number and all these people waiting for their food to go are standing there breathing on my food.

 

[MIGrandma]

What creeps me out is if you dine in at any fast food place, they set all your food out on a tray, with thinks like the french fries exposed, and call your number and all these people waiting for their food to go are standing there breathing on my food.

The cook (s) is/are "breathing on your food" too.

When you dine in a sit-down restaurant, besides the cooks, the employee who brings your food from the kitchen to your table is breathing on it too.

 

[LisaR]

I would be far more concerned about what the employee did to your drink once you argued and made her give you a knew one. I'm guessing you were safer with potential germs from the car in front of you.

 

[Tiger926]

I think the OP's worry is in the wrong place...

In my area, this is a food safety violation, and that should be the issue, as well as the employee lying and not following proper protocol.

The issue of the flu is not relevant at all, seeing as how the OP is out in public, and could be surrounded by potential flu viruses. I think she should be more worried about ingesting those toxic chemicals that are McDonald's products...

Sorry OP you had this experience, Tiger

 

[npmommie]

Just left the the McD drive thru. Ordered happy meal, chocolate milk, and large iced tea.

The person in the car ahead of me was handed a happy meal, chocolate milk, and large drink which set down in her car. She had words with the McD employee, then handed everything back. Employee then hands lady in car a larger bag and a small drink. Lady drives off.

I pull up. Employee tries to hand me happy meal bag and large drink. I said "I saw you just handed that to the car ahead of me, and she handed it back. I really don't want something that was handled by someone else. Can you please get me a new drink?"

Employee to me "No, we just handed her the food bag, not anything else."

I then told her I saw the lady hand everything back and I knew it was mine. Please don't lie to me or argue with me. I would like my order and I don't want anything that someone else just had in their car. Thanks!

I am not a germaphobe, but come on this is FLU SEASON!! How do I know that lady didn't sneeze or what the heck germs surround her cup holder that she put my drink in!! (sure, for only a few seconds, I get that).

I know I'll hear plenty of "just let it slide" comments (which I usually do I admit) but it's FLU SEASON!!

What would you do????

I'm pretty sure that is a health code violation. They should have made you all new food and drinks.

I am on your side OP. i would have asked for a new order or my money back because i get paranoid about complaining about anything.

It is a violation. Once at mcdonalds they gave us one fry too many and i told them before we pulled away and they said just keep it because they would have to throw it away if i gave it back.

Pet peeve at fast food restaurants........when they hand you the drink with their hand across the lid. I always wipe the lid off because of this. Think germs falling into the drink when you pop the straw in.

 

[Debbie7452]

Funny true story. I was waiting at Wendy's for an eat in order. They had placed the fries on the tray, but not the entree. The next customers behind me pushed in front of me and started sampling my fries! When my entree was ready , they tried to give me the tray with partially eaten fries. I made them get me some new fries. The other people didn't apologize...

 

[mhsjax]

OP I can't even people are debating with you, it is disgusting and I would want new food...

Yep, I am the least germaphobe person I know. I don't even own hand sanitizer, and I laugh at those who do. There is no way I would want food that was handed to someone else. It just ins't right, no question, she should be been made new food and a new drink.

 

[gracie1]

I would be far more concerned about what the employee did to your drink once you argued and made her give you a knew one. I'm guessing you were safer with potential germs from the car in front of you.

I was just thinking this!!

 

[S. C.]

OP I can't even people are debating with you, it is disgusting and I would want new food...

Same here!

 

[tvguy]

The cook (s) is/are "breathing on your food" too.

When you dine in a sit-down restaurant, besides the cooks, the employee who brings your food from the kitchen to your table is breathing on it too.

True.

 

[Erin1700]

This is why you don't want a drink that was handed to a person in front of you - I always order an unsweetened iced tea (often just that) and 9/10 times, they give me sweetened tea. I even ask when they hand it to me if it is unsweetened tea. They still get it wrong. So now I quick taste it first and hand it back if it is wrong. I have even been known to stick my finger in it to taste it.
So if you order sweet tea, don't ever take it if I am in front of you!

 

[handinpocket]

Much ado about nothing, IMO

Agreed. Besides, the workers IN McDonalds handled the food and bag......I'm sure the lady in the car didn't lick your lid or hock a phlegm ball in the happy meal.

 

[topolino]

I know this phrase is overused, but I'm going to use it anyway. It wouldn't even be a blip on my radar.