February 11, 2009

The McDonalds Whopper


"Two Whoppers please," I told the cashier, as I slid a BOGO free coupon across the counter.

The cashier handed the coupon back to me. "We don't have Whoppers here," she said.

It wasn't until after I asked the poor girl what kind of Burger King doesn't sell Whoppers that I realized that I was at McDonald's.

In moments when I am confronted with my own stupidity, I almost always choose to throw myself off the cliff rather than back away from its edge with my tail between my legs.

In this economy, retailers are doing whatever they can to make a sale; I figured that fast food restaurants would be no exception.

"It's a competitors' coupon," I explained, as I scanned the overhead menu. After a quick ingredient comparison, I decided that I could be just as happy with two quarter-pounders.

The manager was called over to explain to me the difference between the 40% off coupons handed out by national chain craft stores and the item-specific coupons mailed out by individual restaurant franchises.

"Burger King and McDonald's are not the same restaurant," he told me. "Completely different."

I wasn't convinced of the man's claim, but for the sake of my children, who were wondering why it was taking so long to get their food, I chose to take the high road and not pick a fight over hamburgers (feel free to applaud my maturity in the comments).

The manager was feeling pretty good about how our conversation ended until I asked him if he would consider selling me a Big Mac for $2.50 since it was Whopper Wednesday.

I was only sort of joking.

33 comments

Charlotte said...

I ask for Happy Meals at Burger King all the time. And frosties at McDonalds. They always give me such dirty looks. Can I help it if they misnamed their food?

To be honest, I've never understood the whole craft store coupon switching. Not that I don't use it to my advantage, but I always feel weird giving Michaels an AC Moore coupon.

amanda said...

lol. that's hilarious

peapodsquadmom said...

ha! i ordered chicken mcnuggets from burger king once. good grief, that girl couldn't handle a simple matter of semantics. it's chicken, for crying out loud. call it what you want, but my kids were hungry and screaming at me from the back of the minivan. just give me the **** chicken already.

mintifresh said...

Stupid manager.

Stephanie said...

Number one rule of customer service: go out of your way to not make your customers feel stupid (even if they are). :)

Pam said...

I applaud you in your efforts :)

Kimberly said...

I worked at Arby's during high school. In the drive-thru. An elderly woman (she was probably 40!) tried to order a Big Mac. When I explained that we didn't have "Big Macs" she told me to give her whatever kind of hamburger we had. Hmmm. Arby's sells r-o-a-s-t b-e-e-f. She drove away. I TRIED to be accomodating!

Unknown said...

Oh this happens to me and my children and appalled and try to separate from me, for fear of being recognized!
Good work on your part.

Steph said...

Guess McD's doesn't want to adapt that BK theme: "Have it your way!"

More like "It's our way or the highway!"

Holly said...

I worked at Dairy Queen. Also in the drive thru. I got in trouble with a woman who wanted a "chocolate vanilla" shake. I was so confused and kept explaining that we mix the vanilla shake mix and the chocolate sauce TOGETHER thus making a chocolate shake.

After the manager was called in I was informed that BK uses chocolate shake mix and then adds chocolate to make their chocolate shake.

So I explained that is why DQ is better. We don't.

Liz said...

I think you should have stood your ground.. after all, what IS the difference? Besides.. did they want your business or not? LOL

Just yesterday I had to drive 15 min. BACK to Hardee's (after already arguing with the woman that they always mess up food orders.. there was a ham & cheese that I ordered in a chicken box.. and I decided that all the way at the bottom of the bag (since I had fries dumping out all over my car at this point) that my burger with the "no onions" sticker on the box SHOULD be right)

Well.. you guessed it. Got to work, opened my "no onions" burger and it was LOADED! There's one thing in life that I can't do and that is eat a RAW onion! Normally I would suck it up and scrape it off.. but I was ticked off. So back to Hardee's I go. While they were fixing my new burger.. I proceeded to help myself to refill.. surely they wouldn't mind.

So then (since there was another gentlemen in there beside me returning his burger for the SAME reason) I felt obligated to ask if they reimbursed for gas.. cause it's a shit economy, I can't afford to be driving all around town for a burger!!

I got 2 coupons for free thick burgers instead. I guess it will do! :)

wannabee free said...

I didn't even notice anything wrong in the title. Guess that shows how much I go out to fast food. I've never even eaten at BK. And what are these exciting things craft store switching coupons? I want some of those!
They really SHOULD honor their competitor's coupons. seriously.

Anonymous said...

My dad used to work at McDonald's and he once had a lady absolutely insist that he sell her a whopper. The conversation went on for a lot longer than really seems reasonable, until finally the woman practically shrieked at him, "what do I have to do to get a *&%^ WHOPPER?"

And my wonderful, patient daddy said, "you'll have to drive across the street to Burger King, ma'am."

LOL. Almost as good as the older lady who told my (graying, obviously middle-aged) father that he needed to take his ritalin, young man. HUH?

Unknown said...

If they were completely different it wouldn't be so difficult for you to distinguish which one you were in.

Anonymous said...

I worked at Arby's in high school. A lady came in and ordered for her entire office. When I inquired if she needed anything else, she scanned the menu and said, "Umm, I guess I'll take some curly farts."

Vee said...

You crack me up, every single time. I find myself coming back again and again. Thanks for helping to put a smile on my face everyday!

Triplets+3=Crazy said...

I can't stand it.. You are too funny!

Anonymous said...

Can't really help you with the Whopper, but Big Macs are 2 for $3.00 at our Mickey D's !!

April said...

how lame. they totally should have honored your coupon!

Missy said...

I do the exchange between McDonald's and Burger King all the time.
Even the kids do sometimes too.

Lisa Loo said...

Have you noticed the adds for "The Angry Whopper"?? Or is that only here in Montana? I don't watch TV alot--all I see is the add on the billboard thingie. So many questions! Why is the Whopper Mad? Or is it the cows that are mad-ah--mad cow--ha--I kill me--or now--after reading your post--maybe the whopper is mad at the Big Mac??!!

CurlyQuinn said...

This is totally something I would do!! Too funny. =)

Unknown said...

Oh, I also wanted to tell you a story. I worked at Chick-fil-a in high school. One time this girl came in and said, "yeah, I want the chicken..." I tried to help her specify which chicken thing, but she just kept saying, "yeah the chicken." So I gave her chicken nuggets, turned out, she didn't want that.
I had another person ask if we sold hamburgers.

That Girl said...

*clap clap clap clap clap clap clap*

Why are there so many different hamburger joints anyway?! They all taste the same.

Ande Malinowski said...

The customer is always right!!!

Morgan Hagey said...

I once ordered a Whopper at BURGER KING only to be told they were OUT. It happens. It does.

shannon said...

Holy funniness! Pushing the old "it's a bad economy card", eh?
Don't worry, I'm doing it, too...:)

Fairy Princess Garden said...

LOL...I've had those moments. You always make me laugh..and hey can't blame a girl for trying to save a buck!

Makayla Steiner said...

LOL. That's SO something my mother would do too... :)

Anonymous said...

wow...lol..that just made my morning!

Anonymous said...

Once, on a road trip, my husband and I pulled off at a Dairy Queen for a frosty afternoon treat, only to be told: "We're out of ice cream-you want a chili dog?" Seriously? You're out of ice cream and you are still open? It's Dairy Queen for crying out loud!

Unknown said...

Ahhhh. I feel less rotten for trying to order breakfast at McD's after 11:30 on a weekend. It happens to us all. :)

Anonymous said...

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