McDonald's — Restaurant in Newberry

“Welcome to McNope’s – Where the Ice Cream Machine Works Harder Than the Staff”

Let me regale you about my recent McStruggle through the seventh circle of hell, also known as the 36 Dusty Rd. Newberry, SC McDonald's drive thru. I don't know what black magic you need to summon an actual employee at this little speaker box, but I must’ve missed the ritual.

I pull up, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 7:07 AM, just a humble citizen in search of a hashbrown. You know, one of the best breakfast foods God's ever bestowed upon us mere mortals and the only reason most of us tolerate being awake before noon. I sit... I wait... I stare longingly at the speaker.

Nothing...

Silence...

Not even a "Hi, welcome to McDonald's." Just the ambient buzz of a broken dream. I say "hello?" like I'm gently knocking on the neighbor’s door just to tell them that I splattered their dog in the middle of the road. No response. "HELLOOO?" Still nothing. I'm convinced I've died and this is purgatory. I check my phone to make sure I didn't accidentally time-travel to a dimension where customer service is illegal.

Finally, I pulled up to the window, and she sticks her head out looking like she had just woken up from a nap she started in 2003. I ask, very politely, "Can I get a hashbrown?" And I kid you not, there's a long pause, followed by an exhale so deep I felt it in my soul. Then the employee hits me with a "We don't have any right now." No apology. No explanation. Just deadpan rejection. I asked, "Isn't this breakfast time?" and she scoffed. Like I was the idiot for assuming McDonald's would serve BREAKFAST during BREAKFAST HOURS. I ask, "What exactly do you serve for breakfast—crushed dreams and air?" I continue, "I’m not asking for filet mignon. I’m not trying to order a unicorn Frappuccino. I’m asking for a sad little potato frisbee you toss into a sleeve."

Ultimately, I drove off, hashbrown-less and humbled, dignity in shambles, stomach empty, spirit broken, and wondering if I was actually the lazy one for expecting service at a fast-food place. I passed a squirrel on the way to work, and I swear he looked at me with pity.

If you’re looking for food, fast service, or even just a basic human interaction that doesn’t feel like you're ruining someone's life, might I suggest... literally anywhere else. Or maybe just screaming into the void at home. It'll be faster and you'll be treated with...

Absolutely worst McDonald's I have ever been too. I purchased some burgers for the kids and the husband and I purchased our usual lunch meal consisting of 2 m chickens, 2 cheeseburgers and some fries and 2 caramel frappes. They made me pull up with the worst unwelcoming and unprofessional attitude and spoke so fast I could barely understand her. So I did and was informed that it will take some time to make, all while speaking in an snarky toned voice. The girl as well as her manager made me feel like I was deliberately causing her so much trouble by ordering 2 large caramel frappes with extra caramel. All this in front of my children. Well siting in my truck in window 3for 15 mins. 4 vehicles behind me had come and gone, they bring my frappes finally! Minus the extra $.68 caramel. I wasn't rude asking them to just give me a cup and put caramel around the cup and I will pour it in. She said no I'll remake it and proceeds to argue with me giving me the impression that had I done so my drink would have been sabotaged. After refusing, the manager proceeds bring me a dirty watered down dish water looking cup of caramel. At this point my food is cold, my kids are hot in the truck we are traveling from the Marine boot camp in South Carolina to pick up my son and my husband has to ba at work in Indiana in the morning. So I was just over it. Needless to say we just sucked it up and dealt with it stopping at rest stops along the way eating turkey sandwiches. That was just the topping on a horrible trip.... I will never be going back. And advise everyone to do the same. At least to McDonald's in Waltersboro South Carolina. I felt like the crew was so quick to respond as horribly as they did is a testimony to a long-term 1st shift crew of bad attitudes and horrible service. They need work ethic and some customer service training or maybe a crew...

Kiosk was down, with a sign on it, so I had to go to the counter.(I mention the sign because if they knew they should have had someone on or watching the register). Nope, had to flag down a person in the back because no one was on register and the employee that was like ten feet from the counter, assembling meals, refused to keep an eye on the register.

30 minute wait and all I ordered was the quarter pounder meal, which also had too much mayo on the burger. Maybe six customers, all waiting about the same amount of time. I guarantee my wait would have been longer but when I saw the guy that was #298 get his meal, and I was #295 I realized something was wrong and got up to check. They hadn't even started mine yet. I still had an hour drive left from that point, which was why I was getting fast food.

All that waiting time drew my attention to how dirty the floor and tables were, which started to get me concerned about the cleanliness of the people touching the food I would be consuming. There was even a busted ketchup packet right in front of the open spot of counter where employees get from the front to the back.

Also, this is not the first time I've been to this one and had a bad experience. I've gave them multiple chances, but at this point if you don't want to run the place right just shut it down and let some other franchise...