McDonald's — Restaurant in Arcata

I would like to preface this review by stating upfront that it is in no way hyperbolic.

This is the best McDonald's in the entire universe.

I don't know if there are any other planets that have Mcdonald's, and I don't really want to think about that too much, but I can say without hesitation that the Arcata McDonald's is the best.

In the morning I am greeted with a very expedient crew who always gets my orders perfectly right and stacks them in the bag with consideration to the weight of things.

The sandwiches are always made like they are for a McDonald's-propaganda photo shoot. Whoever is running this place has them whipped very well into shape.

I'm also greeted frequently by a person on the microphone in the morning who speaks with an Australian accent sometimes. It's magic. People like him are helping this pandemic go by a little easier, adding some levity to the morning of folks who are willing to have it. It was just a subtle change of his accent before I engaged with him, and then it became a nice little exchange of impersonations within the natural gaps in the transaction.

When it comes to the night crew they are just as on fire if not more so. The sandwiches are always picture perfect, the people are always cordial, no matter the difficulties they may be having, and my food is always hot and fresh.

And when I speak of difficulties that they may be having I mean to say that at this particular location I have been here when there were 25 cars in the Drive-Thru at 2:00 a.m..

I have also been here when there were a number of police vehicles with their lights on in the hotel parking-lot immediately adjacent to the drive-in line and it was like some sort of SWAT team response.

Throughout that particular experience Employee Liza maintained the poise of a bomb unit technician, even through my frantic questioning as to what may be going on.

When it comes to covid-19 preparedness and/or mitigation strategies this McDonald's uses flawless techniques in their mask and glove employment.

The way the sandwiches are stacked so perfectly and the wrappers are folded so perfectly and it's stacked so perfectly in the bag I just get the impression that it's all completely sterile.

And that makes me feel really safe in this...

The only reason I go here is for the french fries for my son. There's very few things he will eat. But iv started making homemade french fries for him so hopefully now we won't have to go here anymore. Thank goodness because McDonald's is for some reason now charging restaurant prices for dollar store quality food. If anyone agrees please like this post and post one of your own. These greedy corporations need to hear this. These locations may be franchise owned but the prices and what they serve come from the corporate office is what I was told. The other thing that's been bothering me is the app they use. It is not a stable app at all. I have had my points saved up to over 7,000 3 times. It seems like every time I get over 7,000 points the app malfunctions and makes me sign in again. Every time that's happened I've lost every single point and I have to start over. I've asked what to do from the store as well as email. No points have been given back. Sometimes the app won't even open. Is McDonald's trying to rip people off? Because it sure seems that way sometimes with the app the ridiculous prices and the underwhelming quality...

Well, they just decide whenever they want to close up early here. Multiple times I have placed an online order within the last hour they are open (I work graveyard shift), and multiple times I have arrived and sat in the drive through. No one talks to you, no one talks through the speaker, nothing. I had a line form behind me from us waiting. Finally I drove up to the window (where I sat for another 6 minutes until a worker acknowledged that customers exist, and they told me at the window that they were already closed. An hour early? It's just McDonalds so I wouldn't get upset over not getting anything, but I am frustrated that everything shows that this location is OPEN, the app and online hours show it as OPEN, your drive through has you as OPEN, and not a single soul bothered to inform any of us waiting that they decided to close an hour early. I placed my order on the app, and the app does not allow refunds. So now I spent my money on food I was not given. Extremely unprofessional guys, you wasted mine and probably others work lunch, when all you had to do was stop ignoring the line and tell us you closed...