McDonald's — Restaurant in England

I never thought I'd write a review of McDonald's - they're so ubiquitous that you just sort of go to one every now and then, when you want something fast and cheap, don't expect too much, and don't think about it again.

But THIS McDonald's is outstanding in a way I didn't realize a McDonald's could still be.

For one, it's clean. Really clean. Tables are cleared as soon as someone leaves, properly wiped down, and ready for the next people to enjoy. The floors are clean. The bathrooms are clean and stocked!

Second, the staff are so friendly and welcoming. Andy and Rebecca, specifically, seem to really take pride in their customer service. Recently, I saw Andy open the door for two older ladies and reassure them that they could order at the counter if they didn't want to use the machines. He noticed that they were coming in, anticipated a challenge they might have, and solved it in an unpatronizing way.

Even the younger staff are friendly and engaging. Having been a teenager who worked in food service myself, I can tell you that's no easy task, yet they manage to do it.

The food is the McDonald's food we all know, but unlike other places, the condiments are applied neatly instead of thrown on, it's always fresh and hot, and you always get exactly what you've ordered.

But (and this might just be an American thing), the best part is that they always have ICE. The number of times I've ordered a drink at a McDonald's in the UK only to have it arrive with no ice is baffling. When I've then asked for ice, I've been given one or two cubes, or told that their ice machine is broken. This happens almost every time I go to a McDonald's - but never at Wincanton. It's a small thing - the soda comes out of the fountain cold, but it's just not the same without ice.

And, afterall, a good dining experience (any good customer service experience) is about the little things. The people who run this McDonald's understand that in a time and place where most people running most things seem to have forgotten.

I don't go to McDonald's on a regular basis, and I don't live in Wincanton, but when I want some fresh fries, a fountain Coke with ice, and a nice chat with lovely Andy, I'll go out of my way to visit...

The Wincanton McDonalds is a dream for anyone who loves everything on the McDonald's menu, can't decide what to order or just loves a surprise.

Uniquely, to me at least, the Wincanton McDonald's team have created a fabulous 'lucky dip' vibe with their brilliant drive-thru experience. It goes like this:

place your order in the normal way. be sure to point out what you think are mistakes on the screen e.g. 'please make sure all the Happy Meal hamburgers are plain' acknowledge the confidence of the employee that it ABSOLUTELY IS a plain burger on all 3 Happy Meals, even though only 2 say 'Plain' Pay Move to the next window, collect your order and check all the 'plain' hamburgers, wait for them to realise you haven't driven off so they open the window again and say 'sorry, this one isn't plain' - they'll quickly sort you out with a plain burger - but CHECK IT AGAIN! Feel good that you had the sense to check, thus avoiding your seven year old having a total meltdown - drive home Confidently dish out everyone's food telling everyone how they got the order wrong for the 8th time in a row (seriously) but that this time you checked! grab everyone's stone cold fries and microwave them. Sit down. Get up again, because your wife's quarter pounder is a bit cold as well Sit back down, feeling good that everyone has the right stuff for once Unwrap your Chicken Mayo and discover that it's a BACON DOUBLE...

Ordered food from in screen at 21.55 ish to sit in the restaurant after a 3hour drive. Announcement Came over the tannoy asking customers to leave after we placed our order. Food came on the tray as normal, asked the server if it’s still ok to eat inside if not we are happy to take with us, he politely said yes not a problem, had two/three chips, and unwrapping all the food, we were then ordered to leave? Explaining the situation to a very Immature naive attendant that we had to leave straight away because of insurance requirements argued our point. She explained that the team member had given us false information. Well if that’s the case was the reply I am going to phone the police and you are going to be arrested. Asked for a refund and was refused, waited outside for 20 minutes for the police to arrive( they never attended) find this restaurant to be the worst managed establishment I have ever seen in my life. We are in the hospitality trade ourselves and thought we had seen it all until tonight 08/10/22 can’t believe the low standard of management. So £17 spent on three chips and a home lot of attitude. Shame...