McDonald's Taradale — Restaurant in Napier

For many years, the Taradale McDonald's held a special place in the hearts of both locals and visitors. It was a beacon of joy, offering not only the delicious fast-food menu but also the freedom to customize your drink just the way you wanted it. Unfortunately, those days of self-serve drink stations have come to an end, leaving patrons with a less flavorful experience.

The self-serve drink station at Taradale McDonald's was, in many ways, a symbol of choice and freedom. It allowed customers to mix and match their drink flavors to suit their individual tastes, from classic sodas to endless combinations of refreshing beverages. It was a DIY paradise for those who appreciated the simple joy of crafting their perfect drink.

The removal of the self-serve drink station feels like a departure from the principles of choice and customization that have become synonymous with the fast-food industry. It's as if a small but significant piece of culinary democracy has been stripped away. In the age of personalization and options, the move is disappointing.

While the change may have been motivated by practical reasons, such as sanitation concerns or logistical challenges, it's hard not to feel a sense of loss. The new system, where employees prepare drinks, may be more efficient, but it lacks the personal touch and variety that the self-serve station once provided.

However, it's worth noting that the Taradale McDonald's remains a beloved establishment. The core menu items continue to be consistent in quality, and the friendly staff still strive to provide excellent service. The familiar comfort of McDonald's is still there; it's just that the experience of creating your own unique beverage has been diminished.

In the end, while it's hard to bid farewell to the self-serve drink station at the Taradale McDonald's, we can appreciate the many fond memories it provided over the years. McDonald's is, after all, known for its adaptability and customer-centric approach, so who knows what the future holds. For now, we can only hope that the spirit of choice and democracy in our drink selections will one day make a triumphant return to the...

This is a really beautiful building and I feel proud to live in Taradale with just 2 min walk to McDonald's. I don't often visit this place as I don't eat McDonald's but like to have a hot or cold drink from there. On my walk home today I decided a cold drink would be nice and refreshing so I stopped in and sat down to enjoy my drink and the surroundings. Sadly there were a group of youngsters right outside the entrance flipping boards and bikes were lying in the entrance way. I often see this a lot as I walk into Taradale I have to say that I will not take my Grand-kids into McDonald's when they come to visit me. The kids love to walk down to the shops but I won't take them into McD's because of the grouping of youngsters outside. It is very off putting and I would rather drive them into Napiers McD's than go to my own local. No staff came out to move them on, and the floor manager walked right past the skate boarder flipping and making a noise. It caused the automatic door to stop closing and hot air was coming in. I went there to enjoy a drink and take advantage of air conditioning. I am very disappointed and will never return.. Shame to see this lovely building as just a hub for lay-abouts and groups of nuisance kids...

Absolutely disgusting service tonight. Took staff ages to clean up a spilt drink they were told about, slow to get food out. The dining area was so filthy and disgusting that we left and went to the park instead, only to find they had forgotten the birthday girls happy meal. The chips were cold and chewy. And when I went back to get the forgotten meal, I walked up to the counter and not a single staff member even looked up, not even the one who seemed to be randomly moving drinks back and forth on the counter. When I handed her my receipt and told her we were missing a meal, she had no idea what to do about it, despite the missing meal sitting directly behind her... No apology was offered for the mistake. There wasn't that many people there, and seemed to be plenty of staff, so not sure what the excuse was... Taradale McDonald's used to be the best one around, but now we will make the longer trip to go to Napier instead. Absolutely...