In the weekly plastic sales flyer bag, I found a McDonald’s book of discount tickets – 2 fish fillet sandwiches for $3. Yum! I biked to our Waverly Place and 6th Avenue franchise and, as I presented my coupon, I eyed a stack of the same discount booklets on either side of the sales station. ‘Do you need the coupon?” I asked as the smiling clerk who nodded yes and took it.
As I sat and ate the very greasy fishy fish fillet – one would have been enough I thought but I had to take two to get the 2 for $3 discount – I glanced down at my receipt and it was not $3 and something but $4 and something!
As I left, I went to the young manager and asked about the possible error and he sadly pointed to invisible type that stated that the discount was not valid in Manhattan. Later I used a magnifying glass but could find no such message.
I called McDonald’s and spoke to Raymond in Chicago to whom I explained I was about to write the incident up for WestView and wanted to hear McDonald’s side. He asked for a minute and came back and said that since I was the press, I had to call the press office and gave me the number. I was met with a recorded voice that said McDonald’s does not talk to the press and that the press has to send an email. I hung up and called the main number and by miracle, I spoke to Raymond back again.
He asked me for the number of the store from my cash register receipt, but I could not find it. He could not find from his list of Manhattan franchises the one on Waverly place (it was like a comedy routine) but at last we found it and Raymond allowed that they would talk to the franchise owner to, I suppose, chastise him and ask him to discontinue taking discount coupons and then not delivering the discount.
Yet wait Raymond, I am out one buck and taxes and the franchise owner is not going to give that back to me. That has to come from McDonald’s so just send me a check.
Raymond hung up.
