McDonald's — Restaurant in Lake Zurich

On the evening of March 28th, 2025, I visited the McDonald’s drive-thru in Lake Zurich. What should have been a simple trip for food turned into a disheartening experience—one I feel is worth sharing, not to criticize, but to highlight an opportunity for growth and understanding in customer service.

While placing our order, I politely asked for a moment. My 15-year-old brother, who is on the autism spectrum and has a speech impediment, was trying to communicate his order. Naturally, this took a bit more time, and I was supporting him through the process with patience and encouragement.

Roughly two minutes in, the employee on the speaker—described as a shorter woman with a boyish haircut and I believe a facial piercing—cut in to ask if we were ready, followed by a pointed comment that there were cars waiting behind us. There was one vehicle behind us and an entirely open lane beside us. In other words, there was no rush, and certainly no need to pressure or rush our interaction.

When I pulled up to the window, I calmly asked to speak with a manager. The team member handling payments was respectful and quick to call someone over. However, when I explained what happened, the manager immediately said he had been listening and didn’t hear the comment I was referring to. This defensiveness was disappointing and disheartening. I wasn’t there to cause a scene—I was offering feedback that could genuinely help the team grow.

To his credit, once I explained the situation fully and emphasized that I don’t typically complain—and that I certainly wouldn’t raise a concern unless it truly warranted attention—he acknowledged that perhaps he had missed it and assured me he would speak to the employee. I appreciated his shift in tone and willingness to listen.

This is not about one employee’s tone or even the initial comment. It’s about fostering an environment where every customer—especially those with different abilities—feels seen, respected, and included. A little empathy would have gone a long way in this situation.

To the McDonald’s team: I understand the demands of fast food service. But sometimes, slowing down for just a moment can leave a lasting impression on a customer who needed that grace. Please take this as an invitation to reflect and do...

I regularly stop at Lake Zurich McDonald’s, usually just after they open, and it’s consistently a great experience. I place my order through the McDonald’s mobile app, and it is always ready right as I arrive. My go-to breakfast includes an egg and cheese biscuit with extra cheese, a small strawberry banana smoothie, and a hash brown—and this location never disappoints!

From the moment I pull up to the window, I’m greeted with a warm “Good morning” and a friendly smile. The service is consistently fast, courteous, and accurate. I always leave with a cheerful, “Thank you. Have a great day,” and my order is spot-on every time.

The food is just as impressive. The biscuit has that perfect balance: slightly crumbly on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, with extra cheese melted beautifully over the edges. The hash brown is always golden, crispy, and piping hot. And the strawberry banana smoothie is the perfect blend of sweet and tart and especially refreshing.

I highly recommend stopping by this McDonald’s in Lake Zurich, particularly to visit the morning crew. The team here truly knows how to start your...

Ahh McDonald's. It's so bad it's not even funny. Okay but props to them for not discriminating and being an inclusive workspace community. I've seen workers with Autism, I've seen African Americans, Mexican Americans, Chinese Americans, but I guess it's because it's McDonald's, ain't that hard to get a job there. But the food. C'mon there's no way we're being real with the food. The nuggets are horrible and if you like them you're 6 or your taste buds were lost in a horrible cooking accident. This is more of a real estate company than a fast food service but that's okay, we love capitalism. The play place is so unsanitary and I've heard horror stories but hey, rumors are rumors. The place is so unclean, no matter what table you look at there's crumbs, at this point it's a matter of "do I want to sit in a big mac or a filet o fish". Honestly it's America no matter what I say y'all still going here, so do with this information...