Thread: McDonald's and Spanish in Dallas

To the trolls that will take this as racism I would like to point out my views on the spanish v english in restaurants. This is not a racist view as I believe Arabic, African, Asian, Hispanic, European, Russian, Indian workers etc... should practice this at work.

1. it causes communication failure and screws up orders which could cause disasterous problems for people allergic to certain foods.
2. it intimidates non-spanish speaking employees into quiting or never applying for these jobs.
3. it could cause health issues if health regulations are conveyed by a person who speaks a different dialect of spanish. not all latin americans speak the same version and many things are lost in translation, which is bad because food preparation is not very well practiced in C and S America.
4. american citizens are required to learn english, english is displayed on the workers monitors in the kitchen so if they are working to be citizens or are citizens then they already have a grasp of the language. this leaves little reason for them to speak in a native tongue and by asking them to speak english will only help them learn the language and assimilate quicker.
5. It reduces workplace diversity by focusing staffing onto one ethnicity which is in violation of the civil rights of other ethnicities present in the area.

The other day I went to McD's to get some burgers for my staff as we were pulling a late shift. When I made my order the girl taking it seemed to have very few english skills. I paid and pulled forward and the girl at the next window had great english and sounded as if she had grown up here. I took the bag and thanked her and went to work.

After arriving I started handing out burgers only realize that mine was missing completely.... This was the fourth time I had gone to this restaurnat and now the fourth time they had messed my order up, it has gone from coincidnce, to occasional to a problem.

Upset I called the company that owns that McD's and complained on their voice mail. Feeling satisfied with my vent I called and notified the store of the mixed up order and agreed to arrive a few hours later to get my sandwhich.

So after going all day with having a few pieces of chocolate from a co-worker I headed to the restaurant at around 10:30pm to get my food. I got to the store's drive through and explained why I was there, the girl asked that I pull forward.

At the window there was much conversation (in english) about what I needed. Finally a girl told me that they would have my food in a few minutes, welcome news to my rumbly tumbly. Then horror.

The manager who had very little english skills turned to her mostly hispanic staff that had just been conversing in English and began barking orders in Spanish. Confused and slightly horrified I suddenly realized why my order was always mixed up.

"Lost in Translation" not every thing carries over and how about the poor non-spanish speaking teens out there? is McD's demanding them to learn english? All of these thoughts rushing through my head as the girl kindly smiled and handed me my meal (as a point the staff was very courteous and frankly I have no complaints about them). By the way the girl with few english skills was the manager on duty.

My order was correct and they tossed in a drink, some fries and a coupon as an apology. But food could not quell the anger boiling as I reflected on my own fast food work experience. That job is hard enough without having to learn a second language or what is now known as "kitchen spanish".

Angry I called the company's voicemail again to let them know I discovered the problem with their restaurant.

The next day, without warning, the McD's regional manager called me at work (where I had placed the call from) to talk to me about the incident. Talk about angering someone, I never once gave them my work number or asked to be called back. As polite as I could muster I explained to her that I did not care to speak with her about his and that my intent was to speak with the companies investors and controllers... not the managers who have little power.

Then today another phone call from the companies area manager. He called me at work, after specifically asking to not be called at work, and asked if there was a way he could help me. It was early in the morning and I started to tell him that I was unable to talk to him, but then I just started in.

I explained to him my experiences at this particular store and another one owned by the same company. I told him the only common denominator was a poor grasp of english and that after getting ill at a restaurant I was very wary of where I was eating.

Then to my surprise he agreed with me on all of my points and in an attempt to assure me he said "it's supposed to be an english only zone in front of customers and the public" to which I replied "that is just hiding it, you should focus on getting your employees comfortable in speaking english.. it's obvious they can read it because it's on the computer monitors in back that tell them what to make.

He informed me that immigrant employees were encouraged to attend english courses to better communicate and even told me that he too worried about non-english speaking employees struggling with work and said that it has become a problem that he thinks needs fixed.

He then tried to buy me off with coupons, but I told him all I wanted was his staff to communicate in one language and hopefully that he picked english and that he could not buy me off with coupons. I finished the phone call by telling him I would call the company in my free time to explain my position again.

Contact info:
http://www.baibrook.com/

They screw up the order when everyone speaks English.

With two languages, it just multiplies. Around here the mexicans are usually in the back. The retired baby boomers are in front and at the windows. Rarely do I see an American teenager. (white or black)

Wendy's almost never gets it wrong. Service is much quicker. Food is better. Not too many teens working here either ?

Originally Posted by magyart

They screw up the order when everyone speaks English.

With two languages, it just multiplies. Around here the mexicans are usually in the back. The retired baby boomers are in front and at the windows. Rarely do I see an American teenager. (white or black)

Wendy's almost never gets it wrong. Service is much quicker. Food is better. Not too many teens working here either ?

it isn't will. Many teens I have spoken with have said they were turned away due to lack of Spanish proficiency.

back home (kansas) half the people I know cook at fast food or other restaurants. here in dallas it appears to be a dangerous trend.

I remember my mom bragging about the fact that my cousin was appointed manager of a McD's in Merrit Island when he was 17! This was back in 1968--no joke. Teenagers don't have any opportunity like that today. At least my 17 year old was recently hired at the local bowling alley, which I am terribly greatful for.

There's a Buger King on SW Sunset Drive and 107 Ave in Miami . I went in there one evening several years ago and I kid you not, all workers were hispanic adults. To me, THAT'S DISCRIMINATION!

I hope Dragon5 follows through with the next phone call and really lets them have it.

dragons5,

I recently complained about a company because the staff wanted to point at everything instead of speak and they jibber jabbered, in front of the customers. Speaking Spanish in front of the customers is as rude as whispering. I've become very outspoken about it. Of course after I've gotten my food. I don't care if it upsets them. They have come into my country and inconvenience me, with their inability or lack of desire to learn the language. My fast food experiences were much better before non-English speakers came along and took the jobs from American teens.

Dixie

I encourage everyone of you to look at the list of restaurants on their website and see if they are near by you. If you happen to eat at them and notice the same thing I noticed please call and complain. It is this companies policy that employees speak english where customers can hear.

5 complaints can go a long way.

The problem in the United States Food and Restaurant trade is universal. This type of shoddy customer service, screwed up food, and lack of managerial decision making is not limited to McDonalds. I have found it at Wendy's, Burger King, Denny's, Church's and Bennigan's!

You know the solution---STOP GOING TO THESE PLACES, PERIOD! That's what I finally did. I no longer subject myself to garbage disguised as food, nor ignorant Spanish speakers disguised as employees. I no longer support these corporations who franchise their nonsense to owner/operators, and have ZERO control over said franchisees!

I do not take their "free products", "extra meals", "free deserts", or any other worthless crap to make up for their ignorance, lack of compliance, or inability to serve English speaking customers! Tell management to take their burnt offerings elsewhere!

Over the last 5 years I have eliminated the above mentioned Corporate Culprits from my consumer life, and have felt much better every time I drive past without stopping!

AGAIN: You know the solution---STOP GOING TO THESE PLACES, PERIOD!

AGAIN: You know the solution---STOP GOING TO THESE PLACES, PERIOD!

I agree about not patronizing these places, but here in southern CA, my list of places I won't go into is getting longer every day... here's the short list:
Home Depot, Ross Stores, WalMart, K-Mart, McDonalds, Jack In the Box, Carls Jr, Sears, Wells Fargo, Lowes, Dollar Stores, Big Lots, Denny's, Pizza Hut. It's getting extremely frustrating!

dragons,

After all the mix-up and your complaint about getting shorted a burger, I would have gone back for my money, but not for the burger. You never know what they did to it before they wrapped it up for you.
I never go to fast foods anymore. They never speak good enough English for me to understand. They can sometimes get the orders right, but only because of the pictures.
The last time I went to McD's was about 2 years ago and I asked for a "Big Breakfast", which was scrambled eggs, sausage and an English muffin. She looked really puzzzled and started stammering out loud "no eggs, no eggs". Well, everyone else around me were getting eggs. I knew who the manager was and told him what happened. He acted annoyed with ME, so I just walked out. I'll never go back again.

I agree 100% that we need to complain as much and as often as is warranted. These people need to get an earfull from fed up Americans in order to realize what they're up against in terms of lost business. I always stipulate to the phone rep that my rant isn't directed at them personally but 'tell your superiors .....'.

Let these compainies sell ONLY to mexicans (and OTM's) and watch their bottom line drop like a stone.

I have many McD's around me that have only illegals working there and I have called them to complain many times. I also never go back.

I have another situation that I'm trying to resolve which is finding a good place to workout. Almost all of the bally's HC's in the chicago area have been overrun by cowboy boots and hats and are now intolerable for Americans in their filth and lack of american culture inside the clubs I have an offer to renew my memership and there is only ONE possible club that may be American in the entire suburban system but I have to check it out first. Americans have to go to these other clubs at off peak times to avoid the disease, filth and mexican culture permeating their club. It's no wonder they can't find someone to buy them? Maybe mexico will?