That picture needs a frowny face.

:(

Anyone work at a Mcdonalds and can give a logical explanation as to how this could happen?

Epic Fail.

Sad.....but not surprising. The last 4 tirps I've made through the drive though (at various locations too), have all had items missing. The best strategy is to hold up the lineup and phyically go through all of your items to ensure you are getting what you order. Cheap food, and crappy service.

But didn't he notice there was nothing between the bread?

Can anyone explain how it is possible to leave the meat out of the burger?

Trust me man, this was the best thing for you. McDonald's leaving the mystery meat off your sandwich = proof that there is a God, and that He loves you very, very much.

Same thing happened to me at a Braums store. Even called the Customer Support number and it was disconnected. I guess it was my fault for not checking but hell, who checks to see if their hamburger has meat in it?

Same thing happened to me once, about 5 minutes outside of NYC city limits. I called to complain, 2-3 days later I got a call back from some regional manager or something to that effect apologizing and confirming my address, and about a week later I got a form letter apology and coupons for two extra value meals.

Considering it was McD's, I didn't exactly expect white glove service - so the form letter was right in line with what I was figuring I'd get. But the fact of the matter is that they did right by me.

Stuff like this happens, but at least McD's makes an effort to rectify things. :-)

...where's the beef.

"Plain" might have been mistaken as "vegetarian friendly", rather than "no condiments"

Happened to me too. I was told that a "cheeseburger plain" means just cheese and no "burger".

Should the picture be that old lady yelling "Where's the Beef?"

Well, what did he expect them to do? I guess writing the company to complain might get him some coupons, but what else is the actual property supposed to do except replace it? Did he expect them to deliver it?

It's always best practice to check your order before you leave.. In a place that has an assembly line process, they're bound to miss one once in a while...

Mcdonalds just sucks. If you don't have a employee over 20 including managers its just a problem waiting to happen. Up untill about 3 monthes ago I ate at the local Mcdonalds almost daily. They got the order right about half of the time. I could never understand how they screwed up so much with out me ever getting more out of the screw up. I became so disgusted when I watched a manager empty the trash can in front of me tie up the bag and toss it aside and then go scoop up my fries without washing her hands I asked for my money back right then and there. From her look of annoyance it was plain to me she did not think she had done anything wrong. This was a crowded store at lunch time and I saw at least 4 people leave without ordering after the exchange the manager and I had. I now take my lunch to work and have lost 10 lbs. Thanks Mcdonalds you found a way to save me money and lose weight to.

Had the very same thing happen to me several years ago. Went in the store to complain, and was told point blank, "its no big deal, we do it all the time" I was then told to "have a nice day" Havent been back to McDonalds since, and I took my purchases of about $500 a year in fast food to their competitors.

Maybe they have a different idea of what plain means?

Not to fault the poster, but giving $20.44 probably confounded everybody.

@xerotope: Okay, who honestly orders a vegetarian friendly BURGER at McDonalds?

You'd think they'd notice when they went to put the pickle on top of the burger and...

@Project_J187: Maybe b/c the receipt says Cheeseburger "plain". It's probably some kid who was on a different shift, and on his normal shift, when it says "plain" that means no meat or something like that. I doubt they singled him out. But if we look at the massive amount of orders McDonalds processes in a day, one messed up order is so insignificant that if we look at it in terms of statistics, this may not have even happened as it falls within the margin of error. OK, I kind of drifted towards the end there.

Looks like they did you a favor if you ask me :)

@CaptRavis: Well, we kind of know the answer to that. It's back at McDonald's, which is not in the "country". Of course, that doesn't "zing" like it should. ;)

Haha... I think it's funny that a bite was taken out before noticing the missing meat.

I never bite into a burger without checking out the insides first. You never know!

@Applekid: No, it needs "FAIL!!11!!ELEVENTYONE111!" in MS Paint text.

Had this happen to me at Wendy's once. Got it in the drive through and came into the store when I noticed. The beast thing was everyone just kept explaining to me how it wasn't their fault. It was my last fast food burger, and I've eliminated most other places by now.

@Suaveydavey: "What do you mean there are no coins involved in change? Coins ARE change!" *facepalm*

This is exactly what my friend Molly tried to order at a McDonald's on our way to a show--she's a vegetarian. Instead, what she was given was _only_ the burger: http://flickr.com/photos/platofunfactory/2431218939/

To be fair, it did say on the box "100% pure beef".

@Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->: I thought that "Plain" meant no pickle, ketchup, mustard, or onions, just "Bread Meat Bread", or in this case a slice of cheese as well.

My guess is that it just got missed in the shuffle because they're working really quickly back there and don't have time to double check everything. I once got a big mac with only one patty when I was about 15 years old. I was eating in, so I just walked up to the counter and had them make me a new one. No biggie.

Had this happen to me once. Unfortunately it was like 2AM, I was three sheets to the wind and I after my wife was nice enough to drive out there at 2AM, I wasn't going to ask her to drive me over there a second time, so I just ate the bread and the 99 cents. The bun is probably more crucial when you're drunk anyway.

I worked at Mickey D's for a while during college, and 'plain' meant 'no condiments, just meat and cheese'.

And yeah, you're better off without the meat..

A close relative of mine works at McDonald's corporate in the customer satisfaction department. If you call up the customer service number that can be found here ([www.mcdonalds.com]), and explain the situation and store you went to, they will almost certainly mail you some freebies.

Not only that, but if more than a couple complaints are filed about a specific location, the owner/operator will be required to do substantial re-training AND may lose out on some bonuses, etc. So DEFINITELY call the customer satisfaction line, because not only will it make up for this bad situation, it will likely make the next visit better as well.

Happened to me before as well, I was going through the Drive-Thru and I said, "Can I get a double cheeseburger with just cheese, pickles, and onions on it." I got home and looked and all they gave me was two buns with cheese, pickles and onions on it.

From now on, I tell them, "Can I get a double cheeseburger with just cheese, pickles, onions, AND TWO BEEF PATTIES on it."

@Suaveydavey: That's pretty standard, though (to pay an odd amount in order to get just bills back), and it seemed like that part of the transaction was handled just fine. The computer makes the change pretty clear even if the employee doesn't grasp it.

There was a Panera here that was inclined to screw up but won my heart when they actually sent an employee over to my office (okay, it's all of a block and it was a nice day, but still) to bring me the cookie I'd paid for and they'd forgotten to include.

I'd just like to point out how nice it is that the strictly enforced comment code, scares away the would-be commenters who would litter this thread with admonishments for the OP eating at McDonalds in the first place.

Additionally, I wonder if both burgers were minus meat.

I wonder if they picked up the wrong order? This isn't just missing the meat, it's got all that junk on there (onions, catsup, pickles) that don't belong on a "plain" cheeseburger. Plain means bread, meat and cheese.

@winstonthorne: Oh, I don't know. Every so often, I find myself craving one of these meat-flavored sandwiches. ;)

@crouton976: What? No, it's not.

Giant death star brought down by chain reaction from exhaust port? Epic Fail. Economy brought down by unhindered greed and financial sorcery? Epic fail.

$.45 cheesburger without patty? forgetful teenage stoner making 50 cheesburgers at once and fucking one up. NOT epic.

@Project_J187: Your mistake is trying to apply logic to this situation. Underpaid staff don't care. News at 11!

And now, your moment of Zen:

It's very sad that, as consumers, we expect so little from our cheeseburgers that while casually handling the flat two-piece of bread concoction that we don't stop and think to ourselves "hey, this flat pathetic looking thing is missing something."

No, we merrily chomp away only to find that our burger has been de-burgerfied, or non burgerfied actually.

Someone needs to start a website, something like makeitlooklikethepicture-dammit.com.

@Coolmatt49: just tell them no mustard or ketchup. I always order mine without pickels and I've never had a problem.

@Project_J187: Imagine this:

You're 19, with no education and no future. You're stoned off your ass working at a fast food joint and thinking about how you might have gotten laid last night if you just didn't puke steel reserve and McNuggets all over her dress.

someone says "2 cheesburgers" up! you get out all of the stuff, and, in the midst of wondering whether or not you should try to call her back anyway, you forget to put the meat on one of them.

My god, how could this happen?

@m4ximusprim3: Your post made me laugh out loud.

@Coolmatt49: I'm glad you were able to realize you own culpability in the error.

One must be specific. Should mention the wrapping, too, next time.

@hexychick: A vegetarian!

@MissPeacock: Meh... it all comes from some part of a cow so I'm fine with that.

Plus, I think double cheeseburgers are the best thing in the history of the universe.

I once went through a McD drive-thru, ordered a cheeseburger "with just cheese and mayo", and got a bun with cheese and mayo on it. After driving back around and getting the same thing, I went inside to ask the manager about it. He seemed to think that "cheeseburger with just cheese and mayo" meant JUST cheese and mayo. After asking him why I'd order a cheeseburger without a burger, I took my food and left...

@Coolmatt49: You could also say "with no ketchup and mustard"

I CAN HAS BURGER PART OF CHEEZBURGER?