Reader Greg had his first run in with the notorious “no ice” fee, something we’ve been hearing about more and more lately. This time the culprit was McDonald’s and they got around the “Ok, fine. I’ll just have one cube of ice” tactic with a sign that specified a “FULL” cup of ice. Clever, McDonald’s. Very. Clever.
Greg says:
So I decided on my lunch break from work I wanted some Mc Donald’s…. I went into this new store for the first time and well…. here’s my email to Mc Donald’s corporate….
I visited this store for the first time. I placed my regular order and when I said “and a Sweet Tea with no ice” I got met with resistance from the cashier and manager. The cashier called over her manager and they spoke in spanish, not english like I was speaking. The manager then said it was $1.69 for the sweet tea even though right above her head it say $1. She claimed it was because I didn’t want ice. I stated at every other restaurant I have never been charged 69 cents for “having it my way” without ice. She then pointed to a sign hung on the wall that stated ” $1 Sweet Tea with ice only otherwise regular price”. First, I never knew Sweet Tea had any other price than $1 and the big sign behind didn’t show that. So I then said “Ok, I’ll take ice in my drink, 1 ice cube will be enough.” She then said it has to be totally full of ice, and then pointed to a different sign that said “$1 Sweet Tea with FULL cup of ice only. Otherwise regular price. No Refills.”
For as long as I have been buying food at Mc Donald’s I have never been charged for not taking ice. Thats like charging me 50 cents because I don’t want mustard on my burger.
Is this normal practice? Is this a new rule about sweet tea? If so I am very disappointed in Mc Donald’s and your marketing strategies.PS. I also do have photos of the two signs they used as proof to try to charge me more money.
I am yet to hear back from Mc Donald’s and doubt they will say or do anything in regards to this, but I think its getting a little outrageous how these companies can just start adding fees and surcharges for something as simple as no ice…. Its not like an employee has to stand there with two forks and manually grab the ice out of my cup, just don’t put it in to begin with…. shouldn’t they give me a discount for not having to spend the time to put the ice in the cup…?
Oh, no, Greg. Don’t you see? You’re not paying the fee for “convenience,” you’re just a dirty scammer who was trying to get a tiny amount of “Sweet Tea” for free. McDonald’s is on to your little game. You’ll take your ice and like it! Oh, wait. Have you tried asking for your ice “on the side?”
In any case, Greg says that the two signs were tucked away in non-obvious locations. He says the one pictured here was “behind the work area of the employees on a side wall at about 7 feet high” nowhere near the menu. Sneaky.
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I ordered a burger and I wanted mayonnaise instead of ketchup and was
charged .$25 cents for the mayo. Think I’ll be staying away from Micky
D’s.
Also, has anybody else noticed that both Burger King and McDonalds are
cutting back on the amount of syrup mix in their sodas. I drink Dr.
Pepper and it tastes nothing like what you get in the bottle. Both Burger
King and Mcdonald’s claim that they have an outside company set the mixture
of soda syrup to carbonated water (probably to their own specs).
Damn it, Consumerist is disemvoweling comments now? Guys, this is an extremely bad idea.
@AngrySicilian: All the Starbucks here in Seattle could care less if someone wants a luke warm iced drink that has no ice. Employees at Starbucks are expected to remake a drink if the customer is not happy with it. That has to cost way more than a little extra milk in a few drinks.
Those signs look like they were made in word or notepad on someone’s PC, no way those are official corporate instructions. If they were meant for customers to see and follow then they would have been from the company like all the other signs and such are. This is probably a way this specific store owner thinks he can save a little money. That is lame as hell and reminds me of the way a lot of Subway stores handle cheese.
Why not just have a disclaimer that if you order a drink without ice the cup won’t be completely full? Companies should be honest with their customers. I hope this guy goes out of his way to shop at a different store and gets better service.
I also agree with a lot of people above me. Ice and ice machines are not free. I hate ice in drinks since I tend to wonder off and forget about it thus letting it melt. Ew, I don’t want a watered down beverage.
@Nerys:
I completely agree with your point about choosing not to do business with any establishment who’s policies you don’t agree with. I do the same thing.
But consider this. The ice is not a luxury. Sure, it’s an option, but it’s a standard option for the restaurant industry.
The sign is saying, “tea, with ice, $1.” I have no problem with that.
By saying “no ice”, you are in essence asking for more tea. It is the equivalent of ordering a drink, but asking for more of it for the same price.
Ice comes in drinks at restaurants. That’s what the pricing is based on.
If I order a vodka on the rocks, I get an ounce of vodka in ice, that almost fills my highball glass.
If I order a vodka neat, I get one ounce of vodka that doesn’t come close to the top of my glass.
Now, in most cases, restaurants will give you your soda without ice. In these days of free refills and self-serve fountains, they have set their prices accordingly.
In the case of this tea, you don’t get free refills, and the price is for an amount of tea, in a cup, with ice. Don’t like it? Don’t buy it.
I too get annoyed going to a fast food place, getting a soda, and seeing if filled to the brim with ice. Now, I go inside to make my own. If I don’t have that option, I go elsewhere.
I was charged extra at the Mickey D’s in Kings Mountain NC because I wanted EXTRA ice!
I tried to point out they were making more money because I wanted the extra – that ice was cheaper than sugar but they never did get it!
I am a Manager at a McDonald’s in Seattle. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS!! Here’s why they are able to do this to you.
There are two types of McDonald’s in the US, corporate owned and owner-operated. While the corporate stores have stringent policies and fixed rates, I’m guessing you encountered a privately owned McDonald’s where anything goes.
The rule (w/o amendments) is $1 for any size Iced-Tea with refills while you are in the store. The food cost for the tea is not that much, so I’m surprised this was such an issue.
Here’s the important thing to remember, you can’t be upset with the employee or the manager. The person to be angry at is the Owner of that McDonald’s. They are the ones that create the modified rules and enforce them. Without much surprise, people’s jobs are more important to them than customer satisfaction. It’s the owner you have to go after, and that contact information shouldn’t be hard to obtain with a phony-friendly phone call to the store during the day (while the manager is working).