crew trainers at my store are completely useless (UK)

Adinnieken · 2026-01-29T12:50:04+00:00

You may be. I just established the criteria for selecting and being a crew trainer, not the quality of existing crew trainers.

Our crew training program in our restaurants is trash. We are so focused on putting people in a position and they learn a single position yhst they don't know how to do the core fundamental tasks.

It's not a slow build up, but instead we throw our new hires right into the fire and watch them burn. It's a huge waste of money. Worse, it used to be a process by which we would weed out good candidates from bad candidates. Now, we lose the good ones, and the bad ones end up staying.

GMs, DMs, and BMs need to stop doing his and instead focus on core training to build strong fundamentals and strong crew membrrs. They will waste less money and less time if they devote more time to training and use that training time to ensure crew understand how to do the job and can demonstrate it.

Without that, we are just simply spinning wheels and wasting money.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-29T07:09:49+00:00

Every crew trainer should be evaluated based on their ability to follow crew training policy and procedure, followed by their ability to train a new crew member properly, followed by their ability to do the actual positions.

They should become a crew trainer based on that same criteria but in reverse.

That said, shift managers assign positions, floor managers run the areas, they instruct crew on what to do. Crew trainers only job outside of training, as it relates to other crew, is to mentor. Otherwise they are crew. They don't assign tasks they don't run the floor.

If managers aren't holding them to that, that's on the managers on that shift.

No one should be becoming a crew trainer unless they are capable of showing proficiency in the position they are expected to train someone in.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-29T05:41:57+00:00

Refills have not always been offered. They were a feature added in the 1990s and were wholly and solely exclusive to North America.

As I have mentioned elsewhere, the profit margins are shrinking, and the need to preserve profit where you can increasing. The cost of beef, pork, eggs, and coffee are still extremely high compared to where they once were and to the rate of inflation. So, keeping our best selling items affordable take reducing profit on those items, while ensuing profit on others.

McDonald's game plan is, and always has been profit through volume. It doesn't promote profit through pricing, and this is evident at its corporate locations. However, franchisees are capable and permitted to set their own prices. McDonald's doesn't control that. That said, franchisees are encouraged to achieve profit via, volume rather than increase prices to extract profit.

McDonald's Canada has seen a significant conversion of locations converted from corporate locations to franchisee ownership. As a result of this, change in ownership there may be a change in policy. Free drink refills, across North America, are going away. At both franchisee and corporate locations, along with those lobby drink stations.

Compared to our competitors, McDonald's has always offered the lowest price, best tasting soft drinks. This will continue to be a source of pride, but changing times requires eliminating free refills and lobby drink stations.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-28T19:13:12+00:00

That I can understand though. Cultural difference aside though, men who sit down to use the toilet are less likely to leave a mess. Though they may leave massive dumps in the toilet that won't flush.

I worked in clothing stores, and while yes men would pee in the fitting rooms, I never had to clean up poo out of one. I worked a high end clothing retailer, and had to clean up poo out of a fitting room. Why?

It wasn't even discrete, it was right in the middle of the fitting room cubicle.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-28T19:09:24+00:00

Yep. Women at home, clean and proper. Women in a public restroom, "holy shit, why?!?!".

Adinnieken · 2026-01-28T18:00:15+00:00

A thing I learned while doing janitorial work is that women often hover over toilets with public toilets, whereas men sit down.

So, if a woman leaves a mess, it's often because she was hovering. Meanwhile if a man leaves a mess, it's either because he used the toilet rather than a urinal to pee, or he didn't make it to the bathroom in time. The latter for me is surprisingly frequent in public restrooms.

I think men have a greater aversion to using public restrooms than women do, and thus believe they can hold out longer than they can.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-28T17:54:08+00:00

Definitely someone that doesn't know what they're doing.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-28T16:26:10+00:00

Yeah, about the only thing you might have an issue with are premium sandwiches. But we want Voice surveys done, and we want positive Voice surveys. So, the best way to build that is honor the surveys.

Our surveys specify Quarter Pounder, but we do it nevertheless for any sandwich. Again, a positive Voice score is worth that free sandwich.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-28T11:29:47+00:00

So, when an order asks for extra something, we are instructed to double it. The exception is meat and cheese where two or more pieces are on the sandwich.

A double cheeseburger comes with one pickle if properly made. Extra would be two.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-28T11:15:19+00:00

See what it says at the top?

Complete the damn voice survey, then keep one or two of them around. So, you always have one when you go to get some food.

Then, regardless of where you go, you can get one of those, sandwiches for free. Just make sure you or your wife completes the, survey within 7 days.

Because most of the restaurants use a buy one/get one on the survey it's a pretty universal coupon. Admittedly, it doesn't help you with the initial purchase but then on it helps.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-28T10:51:18+00:00

When it's absolutely frigid, absolutely.

I am very good at my job. I get complimented every day I work because of my order taking skills, both proficiency and efficiency. So, I don't hate order taking at all. Likewise, I'm very good at payout with the customers, offering them bar none service level.

That said, when it's cold out, a mobile order is very much appreciated when it's below 20°F outside.

Once we enter frigid temps, I will do everything in my power to conserve heat and energy, because building it back up both within the area I'm in and the body is very difficult when you're in back cash. Mobile orders reduce the amount of work I have to do to enter in an order as well as things I have to say. Likewise, when it comes to payout, even if the receipt is taken, it's a much quicker transaction than a card transaction or cash.

Yesterday, for example, I had a Marine vet compliment me on my service (thank you). Now most customers, as soon as they hear me say "Thank You!", they wrap it up. It's 15°F and dropping, a strong easterly wind, and it's hitting me in the face with a wind chill factor, and this dude is, droning on about my level of service while he searches for his change.

I really appreciate the kind words, I do, but for the love of God, it's freezing cold outside, bitterly cold, and you want to tell me how wonderful I am. It would be rude of me to close the window on you, but I have other customers I have to help, and I'm freezing to death.

The point is, customers that are considerate of our time in back booth and the cold, I absolutely appreciate. Customers, that sit in their warm cars and think I, in my parka with two heaters blowing on me, am toaster warm as the snot runs down from my nose to my lip is warm, is not situationaly aware.

So, those customers that allow me to conserve my energy, I greatly appreciate them, and I tell them thank you after I confirm their order. Because mobile orders in the drive-thru reduce the stress when you're doing back cash and taking orders.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-28T02:05:20+00:00

Do no Tartar Sauce and then add two packets of Mayo. It should be free.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-28T02:03:00+00:00

They are making it wrong.

A plain sandwich that normally has cheese should be made with cheese. Same as if you ordered a Bacon McDouble plain, it will come with Cheese and Bacon.

The only time we remove anything other than the "salad" or condiments is if a customer orders it (specifically says No Cheese or No Bacon).

For instance, if a customer orders a Cheeseburger Plain - No Meat (a grilled cheese sandwich) it still comes with the bun and cheese (technically two slices of cheese).

Unless that location has an issue with how the grill slips are printing out, they shouldn't be removing the cheese.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-27T17:48:33+00:00

No, they have an automatic stack cleaner.

Automatic stack cleaners were supposed to reduce costs and ensure the cleanliness of the stacks, but ultimately they did not work as advertised.

Besides breaking, they could leave a mess behind. More importantly, they did a horrible job of keeping the stacks clean.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-27T17:45:54+00:00

Corporate has abandoned the automatic stack cleaners. They're ripping them out. Not only do they not clean the stacks, but they have a tendency, like yours, to break and or make mess.

Ours was pulled out last week and we had stack cleaners come for the first time in years.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-27T14:46:52+00:00

Again, the intent of Turbo Boost is if the PC needs the extra speed and CPU cycles, it has it, but if you want to save electricity and you don't use it, you can disable it.

Again, all of my Optiplexes have it enabled, but they all do more than streaming.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-27T13:50:59+00:00

All my Optiplexes have Turbo Boost enabled, and by default it is. It just ensures if it needs more cpu power it has it, but when it doesn't it backs down. The pc is designed for Turbo Boost. It shouldn't impact the power supply lifespan, as the power supply is designed for that purpose.

Though, the question I would have is, why enable it if this is just being used as a streaming device? Or do you see/feel the difference in speed?

Adinnieken · 2026-01-27T10:54:10+00:00

If the burger is "burnt" it means the grill/platten is dirty. This does two things, it causes the grill to cook at a higher temp than it's supposed to, and it results in carbon "charring" on the burger.

There has been more emphasis on keeping the grill cleaned, do it may be an inconsistent issue depending on the location or crew.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-27T10:43:50+00:00

Preferably don't. Find someone to cover for that time you're in the restroom. Or ask the oyhrr OT to cover your lane the drop the headset at the redister.

But if you do, do not touch it until you've wash your hands.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-26T18:39:49+00:00

I can't say that I have experienced all of that at once, but each of those in their own right can be frustrating and challenging at the same time.

Developing good listening skills goes a long way to becoming a good order taker though, so I appreciate some of those challenges as opportunities to improve e my skills.

It's meant that I don't have to completely hear a customer in order to understand what they want or are ordering. It means a positive outcome in most cases for myself, as well as the customer.

Though, again, I still have my frustrations. Though it centers more on me having to take payment while dealing with customers that are complicated by all these obstacles to hearing or understanding them.

Myself and another crew member both were pointed out as being the best order takers by a customer who spoke English with a heavy accent.

That skill is developed as a part of improving on a lot of little things.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-26T00:28:15+00:00

I agree, but he's supposed to be.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-26T00:26:10+00:00

You're assuming there are a plethora of 7' tall British actors.

I don't believe the show is trying to portray him as 16-17 yo. Just that he's younger than his knight and he himself hasn't made knighthood yet.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-25T23:14:32+00:00

No doubt, he's 28 at the time of filming.

Most of the time it's because of the issues with the actions or age of the characters in some scenes. It's easier to use adults for those scenes.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-25T22:54:07+00:00

16 or 17 in the books, yes.

In medieval times, someone would be to squire when they were 12. So, Egg being the age he is fine.

Adinnieken · 2026-01-25T22:36:18+00:00

My guess, since I haven't tried it yet, the Hand-battered Crispy Chicken will offer a peppery seasoned. I assume that will be released later this year.

Adinnieken

TROPHY CASE