Slept in a little bit today thanks to a noon check out at the Graduate. Michael went to Iron Works - the coffee shop at our hotel - for breakfast and came back with a yogurt parfait, and some kind of breakfast sandwich that was a heart attack wrapped in foil. It was so freaking good.Google wanted us to go to Nashville via Atlanta, but Michael wanted to go nowhere near Atlanta, so we ended up taking a very scenic route that took us through the south Appalachians. Talk about a beautiful drive! While we were driving through these quaint, mountain towns we hit a thunderstorm. It rained so hard our windshield wipers couldn't keep up and we had to pull over into a parking lot to wait it out. It was crazy. The lightning flashes and the thunder are fun when I think about it now, but it was a bit hairy while we were in the thick of it.
Needing a bit of a break, we stopped in Murphy, North Carolina at a McDonald's there. While I was in the lavatory, Michael grabbed something to eat and drink so I said I would meet him at the car after I grabbed a coffee. I pulled what I thought was a five dollar bill out of my wallet and bought my coffee, but the guy behind the till gave me change from a ten. I said that no, I had paid with a five and he said that he was very sure that it had, in fact, been a ten. Not wanting to draw this out, I said whatever, just give me the change from a five, but he wasn't comfortable with that and said that he would get someone to reconcile his till with his receipts.
Honestly, I was like WTF: this is going to take forever. But I didn't want him to give me change for a ten if I had only given him a five since he'd be on the hook for the difference, and he was really adamant that he wanted to do things properly.
At this point, Michael was waiting for me by the van so I told the guy that I needed to let my husband know it was going to be a bit longer than he was anticipating and he got upset and asked if my husband was going to be mad. He half jokingly asked if my husband was going to come in and beat him up and I assured him that was not the case. Then he said "because he looks like a pretty strong guy" as he saw Michael walking towards the door. It was kind of funny. He then went over to Michael and apologized for the delay (like, really: stuff like this would NEVER happen in Vancouver) and Michael was like "it's all good".Anyways, ten or fifteen minutes after this whole thing began, the lady that reconciled the till came out and lo: I had in fact paid with a ten. I couldn't believe. I was so, so sure it had been a fiver. Gregory (our server) was so relieved and I got my $9 in change back. I gave him a high five because he had really wanted to be right and he was. And I emailed the McDonald's in Murphy to say what exceptional customer service I'd had, and that they were lucky to have him on their staff and within ten minutes the owner responded and agreed, so I hope he gets some positive feedback when he shows up for his next shift.
I've pointed it out before, but another big difference between the US and Canada is the lack of a social safety net. Michael overheard the manager of the McD's talking about having to let someone go after four shifts and I know Gregory was working hard to keep his job at McD's. You don't see that level of customer service (or fear of losing one's job) back at home.
It was a super long day and drive (and mad props to Michael for doing all the work), but we finally made it to Nashville. It was around 6:30 by the time we got here (and we gained an hour thanks to Central time), so we haven't seen anything except for PM, where we had an amazing meal of Vietnamese spring rolls, BBQ pork buns, and veggie and mushroom Moo Shu.
Looking forward to checking Nashville out tomorrow!
Ahhh the South.... where folks (don't you love that word) are so honest and open. McD's is right up there with WalMart on my DO NOT go to list. Glad you had a positive visit.
ReplyDeleteSeriously Judith? It was one of the weirdest customer experiences I have ever had. We're not huge McD's fans, but it's a good place to pull in to be able to use a their washroom without having to buy something, and re-fill your water. And they do have good coffee, oddly.
ReplyDeleteIt just was a strange scene. He had been helping the girl in front of me and having a hard time getting the order right and he would say "Thank you for correcting me" when she would point out there was something wrong with the order when he read it back. You could tell he was trying so hard and needed this job. That just doesn't happen in Vancouver. I have had severe attitude from Starbucks servers (not that I am a huge Sbux fan), when politely ordering an exceedingly overpriced coffee.
I think if y'all ever come to Vancouver you'll be shocked by the customer service here, like I was when I went down South. And up here, we tip like you wouldn't believe... and for what??
I hope if I ever pass through Murphy's McDonald's again, Gregory's running the joint!
Aww that's so sweet, I do hope he doesn't get bummed out by cranky customers. Hopefully if food service is what he wants to do, he'll go far. Most of the McD's I've been to have piss poor service. Years ago my sister and I witnessed two homeless men being kicked out of a McDonald's. We were in the drive through. It was freezing cold, like -10 wind chill and they wouldn't let them come in for coffee. We got our sausage and biscuit from the window went around to meet the guys in the parking lot and escorted them in and bought them the full breakfast and dared the manager to kick us out. I flat told the guy, 'you kick us out, I'm calling channel 7 news. They are going to eat their breakfast and drink their coffee and go to the bathroom then leave." We didn't stay to see what happened but there was an elderly couple that were eating there and they agreed with us. I guess they stayed to make sure everything went ok. Very seldom do we have good tippers here. Only if your kids or if you yourself worked for tips will you be a good tipper. Jody and I are good tippers, bc of Jolea. Once Jody tipped a waitress $20 extra (we'd already tipped her for our meal) just because the guy at the next table was being a dick to her. Jody handed her the 20 while he was berating her and said "here, this asshole isn't going to tip you and you deserve this for putting up with him." We are the kindest of assholes.
ReplyDeleteBoth of those stories are the best. Man: that is so cool that you brought the homeless people in and gave them some respect and dignity. And I'm sure Jolea has stories about unruly customers that would make my hair stand on end. I couldn't do it, and yet so many people do it every day and with a smile.
DeleteYou and Jody are awesome. :)