McDONALD’S Franchise Complaints
McDonald’s franchise owners are getting increasingly frustrated, according to a relatively small but telling franchisee survey by Janney Capital Markets.
Are you a McDonald’s franchise owner or McDonald’s employee? Please share your thoughts with a comment below.
According to Crain’s Chicago Business, The McDonald’s franchisee survey respondents “characterized their relationship with corporate as 1.93 on a scale where 5 would be excellent and 0 awful.”
A chief complaint among McDonald’s franchisees continues to be continuing emphasis on the Dollar Menu and price promotions.
The Chicago Tribune cites one complaint of “couponing like there’s no tomorrow.”
Another respondent complained: "Every quarter we sell a smaller percentage of our menu at a full (and profitable) price."
Another McDonald’s franchisee complaint is new product introductions that have caused an “operational nightmare.”
According to a franchisee quoted in Crain’s:
"We have more complicated items, with more elements coming from the (distribution center), more equipment coming from suppliers so everyone else is making more money sending us more ‘stuff’ and we are expected to deliver a product that takes 55 seconds on the best day in less than that, do it consistently and with a smile on our face…There’s little to smile about."
The battle between McDonald’s franchisees and corporate is one that is inherent in the franchise relationship, especially with publicly traded franchisor’s.
The franchisor is concerned with increasing sales and driving its stock price.
The franchisee is most concerned with profitability, not sales, as well as operational efficiency.
…because McDonald’s is beholden to its investors, monthly sales performance is key, said John Gordon, founder and principal of Pacific Management Consulting Group, a San Diego, Calif.-based chain restaurant consulting group.
"That’s where the real rub comes in with franchisees — same-store sales," he said.
After nine years of ever-higher sales at restaurants open for at least a year, the traditional measure of retail success, the streak snapped in October.
"The good news is that the chain has had a lot of success in the last four to five years," said Jack Russo, an analyst at Edward Jones & Co. in St. Louis. "Unfortunately for owner-operators, it is bad news because the bar has been raised. (Corporate) is trying to do everything it can to get sales up."
When the priorities of franchisees and franchisors diverge, sparks fly and the the franchise industry’s characterization of franchisees being “in business for themselves but not by themselves” seems debatable, at best.
ARE YOU A McDONALD’S FRANCHISE OWNER, EMPLOYEE OR SUPPLIER? WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.
TAGS: McDonald’s Corp, McDonald’s franchise owners, McDonald’s franchisees, McDonald’s Corp., McDonald’s complaints, McDonald’s franchise complaints, McDonald’s franchisee complaints, McDonald’s Dollar Menu
I work fora McDonalds and our AC has been mess up for almost two weeks in the back its gets so hot where you start to sweet and piss off, its goes up to almost 80 degrees and with you running around. The DM she keep saying they are trying to fix it and no onhas came out thati seen they need to fix it, its not working condition at all and not for a pregnant women.
Southeast Texas’ Legal Journal
Thursday, May 1, 2014 Last Update: 04/30/14 04:33 pm
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McDONALD’S Sued!
McDonald’s sued after employee allegedly harassed over sexual orientation
February 17, 2014 6:12 PM
By Annie Cosby
A Jefferson County man is suing over claims he was harassed about his sexual orientation while employed by McDonald’s. mcdonalds_golden arches 200×200
Huey P. Walters filed a lawsuit Feb. 13 in the U.S. Court for the Eastern District of Texas Beaumont Division against BG Foods Inc., operating as McDonald’s, citing sexual harassment.
According to the complaint, Walters was hired by McDonald’s No. 4727, at 190 Interstate Highway 10 North, on Feb. 28, 2012, and he alleges he was continually questioned and harassed about his sexuality.
Walters claims that when he notified the manager, the harassment grew worse, with colleagues using derogatory terms to address him.
According to the lawsuit, in March 2012, Walters was falsely accused of theft and his employment was terminated.
Walters filed charges against the defendant with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Aug. 25, 2012, and a right to sue was issued Nov. 21, 2013.
The case has been assigned to District Judge Ron Clark and referred to Magistrate Judge Keith Giblin.
Walters filed the complaint pro se.
Eastern Texas District Court Case No. 1: 14-cv-00096
We got to the McDonalds on hwy 105 Beaumont Texas they are so slow I was in the drive threw for almost 20 minutes I stop to get a shake at least three times a week machine is always broke maybe they need to take machine out or get someone in there that knows what they are doing .Anytime you go threw drive thru you are there for at least 5 to 7 minutes. My husband and I go there at least 3 to 4 times a week we are fixing to start going some where else it is so convenient because it right around the corner from where we live. Thanks so much
I am a resident of Tamworth NH 03886. For many years I have been going to the McDonalds on route 16 in West Ossipee. I have watched this store slowly degrade into a disorganized business. Poor staffing has led to employees doing more talking among themselves and not focusing on the customer . Flies are all over the store and I can’t seem to enjoy a morning paper without them in everything. I understand that some insect controls have been dis-abled. Perhaps we should be reminded that flies defecate as they eat. So that fly on your fries is taking a poop. The level of employee conversation rivals that of the locale bar on game night. I don’t need to hear the Valley Girl Speak taking place at the back of the store. They almost never open on time. Why post hours if they are ignored. I
some times wish that a Burger King was handy.
To whom it may concern. Me and my coworkers work the second and midnight shifts. We go to McDonald’s restaurants in Rockymount n.c. we have order breakfast. If you advertised breakfast all day our only lunch break we ask for something from the breakfast menu and your crew at this particular restaurant says ( we are not ready we are changing over can we come back in a few minutes), Really you guys we were on our lunch break. You didn’t have anything ready. Wow unprofessional really.
It would be so sad if all these are true, love to eat from McDonald`s!
Sunday Nov. 17, 2019 pm
Yes, at least for the recent past month’s, this McDs has kept the public men’s, ladies’ restroom closed until 8am, and closed it earlier at 8pm before closing. They are open at 4am, and close at 12 mid night. This practice of keeping the restroom closed until later during the morning, also closing it earlier in the evening has deterred the wondering homeless from abusing, making both restroom’s dirty. But?, is this in any way a violation of a department of health law/rule. Also, the outside patio has been closed, gated up so nobody can use it at all. Then why have it, since the homeless has abused this area in the past. This is in regard’s to the McDs #33360, in Hilo, HI 96720, address 255 kinoole St.
Tel # [redacted]
My MCD in Boubonnais Ill is great love everbody and great service from Guadulipe M.
I live off the value menu.
Alain P Sterk
I was an employee at McDonald’s in Centreville, Va and all I can say is how unprofessional this franchise store is. When I applied and hired I was not given an tax forms nor was I put into their system. I worked there for about a week till I quit because I was still not put into their system and I didn’t feel right working under those conditions. I left about a week ago and still have not received my pay for those hours. I have contacted the store manager and owner and they seem to not care at all.
MacDonald Malaysia used MacDonald brand of US playing a big religion bully in Malaysia.
Birthday celebration used to be allowed with customers bringing their own cake. However, the muslim boss in Macdonald Malaysia used their franchise privilege to impose their faith into the lives of their non muslim patron by imposing rules that cake need to be certified halal. Which is not possible as bakery do not certify the cake being cakes were never using any pork as ingredients. That deprived all races of different religion the right to celebrate with MacDonald.
MacDonald born in a free country, Free religion and free racism. We strongly believed that MacDonald vision are not about a particular religion, nor race. But the whole human kind. If you cannot carry the brand, give it to the non-Muslims.