Fast Food Ignorance

This is a spin-off from another thread (the KFC one).  I don't know if it's the populace in general, or fast food managers in particular, but I have been very frustrated numerous times about the lack of even the simplest arithmetic ability in fast food managers, or their ability to lie with impunity.

In a McDonald's, I bought two 90 cent breakfast items in a state with 8% tax. The register rang up $2.12. A quick calculation showed me that they had included the tax in the initial price, then added tax on top of that. I complained to the manager; he said that the 32 cents was tax. I pointed out that if the tax on $2 was 16 cents, then the tax on $1.80 could not POSSIBLY be 32 cents. The manager took the tack, "Well, that's what the machine says, so it must be right."

In a Burger King, more recently, a sign said Whopper, $x, Double Whopper w. Cheese, $y. Well, I ordered a the Double Whopper with cheese, and was charged 40 cents more than the sign said. When I pointed it out to the manager, she claimed it stood for Double Whopper WITHOUT Cheese. At this point, I had a cell phone camera, so I took a picture of the sign, and discovered that Burger King had no customer support email. You had to pay for a stamp, or phone them (so you couldn't present your evidence) if you had a complaint. I phoned, and received an answer, which was essentially, "Sorry about that, we'll do better next time." They still don't have an email to send complaints.

BTW, in terms of consumer complaints, especially in overpricing, most Departments of Consumer Affairs are generally worthless for specific complaints (they tend to collect complaints, and then investigate places that receive a lot of them). Often a better result would be the most local Weights and Measures departments, which generally has the power to immediately close a place down if it is cheating customers.

You think these fast food places regularly cheat customers like this?

Definitely.  I recall being ripped off at a McDonalds in Strawberry, TN one time where several combo's cost more than the individual components. 

mjambro


Definitely.  I recall being ripped off at a McDonalds in Strawberry, TN one time where several combo's cost more than the individual components. 

But were you charged more than the posted price of the combo?  That's where they get people who are in too much of a hurry or incapable of doing the math.  A lot of the time the combo is more expensive than the individual prices, but it's so much easier for the average person to order a #3 rather than a burger, fries and drink.  Technically it's ripping you off, but not if you pay attention.

One big problem with FF chains is that they always post prices exclusive of sales and meal taxes. This may be because of local law, because it allows them to make the meal seem cheaper than it really is, or a combination thereof.

NYC pizza slice joints usually include sales taxes on their signs. So, if a slice is $2.50 and a large soda is $1.50, 2 slices and two large sodas are $8.00. But, if they start to get cute and price the slice at $2.29 (before taxes) and the large soda at $1.39 (before taxes) and the sales tax is 8.875%, can you still do the math in your head?

And as you can see from these threads, if you complain about the Point of Sale (POS) system being incorrectly programmed, people laugh at you.

Our local BK often advertises the 2 for $3.oo Whoppers........but these are without cheese. So by the time you get cheese on them, it is more like $4.00.....rip off IMO......these should come with cheese, and you can order them without if you like.........

But the standard Whopper does not come with cheese, so why would they?

Wasn't aware that they didn't.......not a big Whopper fan!!  ") IMO a burger without cheese is like a day without sunlight!!!!!!!

Lindseyup67


Wasn't aware that they didn't.......not a big Whopper fan!!  ") IMO a burger without cheese is like a day without sunlight!!!!!!!

 
Interesting,  because for me a burger with cheese is like day without music, I'm strictly a burger man with or without ham, ditto for my wife

BK serves cheese on their "cheeseburgers"?    Since when?  

mjambro


BK serves cheese on their "cheeseburgers"?    Since when?  

Since they figured out they couldn't sell a cheesefood burger...