McDonald's — Restaurant in Reigate and Banstead

It had been a long tiring day surrounded by incompetence at a relatively nearby theme park and McDonalds was a promised treat to my partner in unfair judgement of teenage workers. She had not eaten McDonalds in 2 years! (Out of principle because they wouldn't serve her at the drive-thru on an electric scooter). The staff were friendly but somewhere along the chain, communication was about to fail. We asked for no pickles on the burger, some ketchup for the fries and I replaced the drink on one of the meals with my absolute favourite; a strawberry milkshake. I love strawberry milkshakes so much, I keep a large metal straw in the car just for strawberry milkshakes because the paper straws are so terrible at achieving the required suction. So fast-forward to our food being brought out to the car (because there was some kind of delay for everyone, not just us) and I shall begin my review: Firstly, pickles. I suspect you, dear reader, saw this one coming. Secondly, no ketchup. The McSpicy had plenty of spice but was perhaps lacking in the Mc area, it was thin and chewy and nothing like the picture. I suppose the Colonel still holds the crown here. The cherry on top of the black forest gateau of disappointment was my milkshake. As so often seems to happen, the strawberry flavouring was ... lacking. I debated whether perhaps this was just another cost saving assault from the office of the great clown himself, but decided to ask at the collection window. The staff member there was very helpful and explained that the flavouring was indeed automatically measured and added by the machine but he would be quite happy to replace it. It was at this point in my twisting tale of deception and woe that we discovered the strawberry flavouring had run out! Validation! I had not imagined this perceived reduction in strawberryness! Anyway, to cut a long story short they swapped it for a chocolate one instead.

Would I go back? Perhaps ... perhaps. But a heart needs time to heal and I've been hurt so many times before. Maybe if they bring back the...

As McDonald's goes, this one is up there with best. There's plenty of parking, nice and wide car park spaces off a fairly busy main road. The road on the property is newly tarred.

Lots of seating areas inside & outside the restaurant on hard seats. There were some soft seats on long tables, but they were like bar stools.

The service was fast and cheerful. They have lots of touch screens for ordering food. Fast payment or touchless payment on all the screens.

The food was expensive though, gone are the days when a McDonald's is a cheap alternative to going to a full blown restaurant. £22 for a McChicken sandwich meal and a chicken burger meal with 5 chicken strips.

They also have a drive through, which appears to get service preference.

The wait time after the ordering was roughly 5 minutes.

The tables were clean'ish, and there was a wireless charging point on the very left of the table. That's a clever idea for a quick charge while eating, although I doubt it gets used, because everyone I saw in the restaurant was eating and scrolling at the same time.

There is also a QR code menu on every table. Again McDonald's are doing everything right, to stay in that fast food modern lifestyle.

It was also surprising to see the manager sweeping the floors, cleaning up the throwaway areas. It's always good to see managers leading by example.

Overall one of the better McDonald experiences, beating London in my opinion, and it wasn't too full when...

I recently visited the McDonald's restaurant in Earlswood and found it to be a pleasant dining experience. While it doesn't differ significantly from other McDonald's restaurants in the region, it has received some recent improvements that enhance the overall atmosphere.

One aspect that stood out to me was the good family atmosphere inside the restaurant. It provided a welcoming environment for families and individuals alike. The staff members were consistently nice and attentive during all of my visits, whether I was dining inside or using the drive-in service. Their friendly and efficient service added to the positive experience.

However, I cannot give this McDonald's (or any other in England) a five-star rating due to the lack of options and seasonal changes in the menu. Compared to McDonald's in other European countries, the offerings in England remain quite similar to the original menu. As someone with a European perspective, I'm accustomed to seeing different types of breads, soups, and other variations on the menu. It's a pity that such variety is not as common in England. Nevertheless, I did find it interesting that in Scotland it offers some of these variations, especially for breakfast.

In conclusion, the McDonald's in Earlswood is a decent restaurant with a good family atmosphere and friendly staff. While it falls short in terms of menu variety compared to other European countries, it provides a consistent and enjoyable...