At McDonald’s:

NO CALLS, NO SHOWS AND BALLOON BOTHERERS

About a month ago, I drove through the spanking new, very attractive McDonald's on W. Michigan Avenue.  It was about 6 a.m., but cars soon backed up from the street curb to the window waiting for service.

At the window, finally, was the shift manager, who handed me my lukewarm coffee and stale breakfast burrito with the exclamation: "TWO NO CALLS!  NO SHOWS!” which I took as a reference to new employee problems and excuse for the service delay.

Being who I am -- never lost for words or views or sharing them -- I later went to the McDonald's Internet site, completed a customer questionnaire, adding the postscript: "Empathized with her new store blues, but customers don't want to hear excuses for poor service." 

I got a nice letter and phone call from McDonald's regional supervisor and the store manager. Then a $5 McDonald's gift coupon in the mail.

A few minutes ago, I drive again through the McDonalds.  A nice cool morning, and I'm thinking we'll have a great balloon launch with sunrise. 

I pull up to the window, smile, and say small talkin to the same shift manager: "Busy with the Balloon Festival people?"

She frowns like I'd asked about an invasion of Nazi Storm Troopers, and said: “What a mess."

Now, I'm not going to write McDonald's again.

But seems to me we should all be happy with and appreciative for the crowds of Balloon Festival visitors in our gas stations, restaurants and convenience stores this weekend. 

I'm not gonna fill out any more McDonald's Internet surveys and don't want any more $5 gift coupons.

But they still got some staff training to do at the new place on Michigan Avenue.