Customer’s Clash With McDonald's Manager Over Cold Fries Goes Viral

There was a continuous back and forth in 2023 on whether or not fries should be given without salt due to customer requests. As a result, workers had to constantly prepare fresh fries. The problem with fresh fries persists even in 2024, albeit in a different way. A woman recently confronted a McDonald's employee (@sarah_conner1) to voice her dissatisfaction with cold fries and to record the exchange. Then, she insisted on seeing the manager who showed up right away. She stated that she had ordered the wrong burger and that her fries had turned cold, which had upset her more.

“I would not recommend you record me,” the manager begins. “I don’t care what you recommend. I’m going to record because that’s my right,” the woman responds. “You come in every single day complaining about something,” the manager says. She appears tired of dealing with the customer and eventually gives her the small bag of fries she requested. “I have to go through this, ’cause normally I’m pleasant with you every day,” the customer says. “But it’s my fault that they got something wrong. Unbelievable. I have to record for them to get something right and for them to do what they’re supposed to do. It’s unbelievable,” she continues.

Social media response

After the video was shared on TikTok, it quickly gained almost half a million views within a few days. Many viewers were taken aback by the customer's behavior, questioning why she returned to the restaurant despite her complaints. "Why do you keep going back then?" one person asked. Another one, "Why wouldn't you just eat your fries while waiting for your corrected burger? Seriously. "One viewer first agreed with the customer, but after hearing the clerk mention her regular visits, they had second thoughts. "At first, I thought the lady was right until the cashier said, 'you come here every day,'" they wrote.

The thought of being able to afford to eat at the restaurant every day perplexed some "Every day? How can you afford that every day!?" one person wondered.

Others recommended that the consumer just need to treat the employees more politely to avoid these kinds of problems. "Try using 'please' – you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar," they advised.

Here's how you can manage customer expectations in challenging times

Be direct and honest: Managing consumer expectations requires open communication. Inform your clients of any changes or problems as quickly as you can even if you don't have all the answers. Openness fosters trust and establishes reasonable expectations right away.

Change communication approach: Adapt your communication approach to provide direction and encouragement when things get tough. Take a customer-focused stance, answering questions and offering assurances right away. Communicate with clients kindly, empathetically and tactfully.

Prepare your customer service team: Provide your customer service staff with the resources and knowledge they need to respond to questions efficiently. Inform them of the circumstances to prevent misunderstandings. To keep service quality high, spend money on support technologies and training.

Listen to customer feedback: Actively listen to customer feedback to understand their concerns and expectations. Monitor reviews and online conversations to identify areas for improvement. Use customer insights to enhance the overall experience and effectively adapt to changing expectations.