I write regarding the refurbishment of the Holbeach Road branch of McDonald’s.
Having visited the restaurant last week, I have to say that I found the experience depressing and the waiting time unacceptable.
It was 8.50am on a Thursday, which could hardly be regarded as a peak time.
I didn’t want to use the new kiosks, and always pay with cash anyway (the kiosks only accept cards), so I went to the counter. Nobody was there.
A member of staff did call out that someone would be with me as soon as possible.
An assistant duly arrived and took my order. I got a till receipt with an order number at the top.
There is a screen (similar to those in Argos) displaying which orders are being processed.
The new-fangled approach is to prepare each meal individually, which rather goes against the concept of fast food.
The staff, fewer in number than before, were rushed off their feet coping with drive-through requests, with four windows now in operation.
Finally, my food was brought up to the counter to collect ... eight minutes after I placed my order.
While I was waiting, I observed other customers who had sat down to wait. All of them waited inordinately long for their meals to arrive.
In short, the refurbishment is a retrograde step. It takes far longer to get your meal than before.
By the time I left 20 minutes later, there were 15 people in the queue, some with kiosk orders, some having ordered or about to at the counter.
You could tell that the staff were completely overwhelmed.
Now, this particular restaurant usually gets very busy towards midday, and especially in the summer or when schools are out.
It just isn’t going to cope with the typical customer footfall one normally sees.
Whatever happen to if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.