McDonald's -> Management

Jobstr.com Q&A

2012-12-19T10:53:00.002-07:00

While this blog has been a dead project for quite some time, and my career with McDonald's is over (for now, who knows about the future), I was approached by the good people at Jobstr.com to provide a Q&A on their site about being a McDonald's Manager. Feel free to check it out, ask questions, and get more info about this part of my life. Jobstr.com Q&A - McDonald's Manager Update: I had one of last week's highest rated comments!

FIRST TIME READERS!

2010-02-11T20:32:00.002-07:00

Please start at the bottom. Hit end, because it takes a while to scroll down.

Because.

2008-07-02T17:30:00.002-07:00

This has become a closed project. It will reopen if (when?) I return to management with McDonald's. I'll be in the Chicago suburban market if anyone would like to offer me top-tier pay and a position.

Working Hard.

2008-05-27T20:14:00.003-07:00

Today, my whole team worked hard.

First of all, I showed up over two hours later. The reason is unimportant, the fact that it occurred sucks. The reason was, in fact, stupidity. I did not know my schedule for today.

So I showed up late, just in time to arrive before the Store Owner. Each of the organization level employees (there are three) has chosen one or two of the stores to be their focus. The owner chose my store. Our focuses are on inventory control including ordering the right products, get waste under control and other factors to food stat loss controlled, there are in fact a whole list of focuses listed out in a commitment we all signed last week Wednesday at our manager's meeting.

So today P. was at our store for 4 hours or so and he lately has been been at our store for at least 3 hours every day. It was a day of working hard but we all worked well together. There were rough moments and such, but it was still a relatively good day.

Myself and M., the only other manager I really respect as a professional, were discussing how well we each were doing with one another, how respectful we've been of each other and how hard we've been working for each other. I felt great to have someone I have a respect for tell me about their respect for me. That's why I work every day.

Short Operations Review - Breakfast Day Part

2008-05-22T00:34:00.003-07:00

Last Saturday morning we had our first visit from a McDonald's representative (I'm honestly not sure of his title), who gave our store a S.O.R., partly based on the execution of Breakfast Optimization - which we started just two days before. Yes, two days before, which was also free Southern Style tasting day. That was fun! I got out of it due to a previously mentioned recovery from a norovirus experience.

Which means I arrived to my first shift after ASM training, which was also the day of an S.O.R., to learn the Breakfast Optimization system - breakfast really isn't my strong point (it's an opportunity in fact, specifically breakfast grill). So it was a slightly stressful day.

Also, the Director of Operations threw a ton of negative at us, in many small ways. I don't know if it was his own expression of his stress, but he really was sharp tongued about quite a few things. It was pretty unnerving, I try not to subject myself to negativity, and I think he was being a bit unfair on most of it. We scored a 92.5% on the S.O.R. We missed a few procedural points, some really dumb shit that no one really even knew was a procedure, like using rubber trivets under the aluminum thermal pots, UHC liner paper in the Burrito drawer of the UHC, 3 or 4 really stupid little details like that.

On Service, which I completely ran and owned nearly all the time the S.O.R. went on, service scored a 99%, and I was written up for doing an "exceptional" job running the store by our Rep, B. and for how I filled the role of an Ambassador of Hospitality. My service team has got it's stuff down. I owned that store, and made sure I used my lot and lobby person (we had so many people floating around) for the store's benefit that it too was mentioned by B. in his S.O.R. review. My Presenter E. rocks. He pwns the Drive Thru. I think there was a swing manager at Front Cash, someone who did a passable job throughout. They all rock, my maintenance guy the most.

I like praise, and it was three days later that I learned of what the review said. It was the only positive feed back that I had heard, well after the fact. Pretty good stuff, considering I thought from the way the D.O. was carrying on a non-stop stream of negative feedback during that day. We got a 92.5% not bad when all we lost points on was some details (and dry scrambled eggs).

What's Up?

2008-05-19T18:52:00.002-07:00

It's been a while since I wrote because I've been incredibly busy, like stupid busy, for about 3 weeks, basically since that post called "Long Day".

I spent two weeks working ridiculously long hours, 6 days a week, about 46 hours each week. Basically, just getting a taste of the Assistant Manager position and the amount of dependency my store really has on my input in the role of an Assistant Manager. I also developed quite a few new responsibilities.

For about 4 months that I was doing what I thought was a pretty good job of taking care of many of the responsibilities that an Assistant Manager has, including schedules and training crew and trying to have input on hiring crew, and especially dealing with volatile crew relationships and interactions. Trying to solve problems involving crew and management egos, emotions and senses of esteem is like trying to carry a couch made of something.. well I tried to think of some object to use as an analogy but I just can't. It's like trying to carry something that is heavy and delicate at the same time - a difficult task.

I got even more of that put into my responsibilities when I actually got the "promotion" of being Assistant Manager. Also, at the same time, my store lost one manager who worked there for 6 years, and another that worked there two months and no managers were created to fill their positions.

Back to topic - last week I worked like 30 hours in my store, and spent 20 hours over 3 days in ASM (Advanced Shift Management) training. I took alot out of that, in knowledge, how to gather knowledge, some McDonald's operational systems, and quite a bit more. We had an S.O.R. (Short Operations Review) of our Breakfast day-part. I'll talk all about that S.O.R. and some things I've begun to understand from it. Last week was especially rough because my whole family (along with like 5 other people from my neighborhood) got a foodborne illness from a Mexican place that just opened up (the food was really good at least). I spent 3 days (thankfully during my training) suffering from a norovirus - stomach cramping and all the rest that goes along with it. So I finished ASM. I'm working on my Post Class Action Plan with the manager who went to training with me, J.L. It's been a great week so far since Sunday. W00t!

Time Off.

2008-05-06T06:47:00.001-07:00

I've been ridiculously busy with life, work and home. I've got to take a little time off (if you haven't noticed, by the dirth of posts).

I'll be writing again sooner or later.

Wednesday.

2008-05-01T02:09:00.002-07:00

Today was quite the long day (in fact, it was yesterday, because it is well into tomorrow (today) already). It was also incredibly productive, and it was my first full shift working absolutely away from the customers. I helped one single, $1.08 customer today.

I worked for about 3 hours doing next weeks schedules. It's really an involved process doing the schedule through the ISP. It's also frustrating and difficult to balance everyone's needs and desires, for hours and availability, against the store's needs, what the business needs to remain profitable.

Then, for about an hour and a half I did a truck, with two other guys for the first time - normally it's two people for 3 hours. We had some unique receiving to do. My store's freezer has been out a few days, and we have a GSF trailer parked in our back parking lot, and it's where all our frozen product is currently located. What a pain in the ass! However, it's a great solution to the problem we're having.

After that, I counted a full, end of month inventory (so should you!) with the store manager. By hand. Our TelXon hand-held device is being repaired and we won't get it back for a few days. So, I did a phenomenal amount of hand writing today.

Lastly, I had to hand-enter those items into the ISP, then double-check it all. I got out at almost 1:00 AM.

All in all, a productive day. Now, sleep.

Long Week.

2008-04-25T16:52:00.000-07:00

A 13 hour day mostly spent in Production, followed by a 9 hour day mostly spent in Production, followed by today, a rough morning and a long 8 hour day. I am beat.

Career Growth.

2008-04-22T08:53:00.003-07:00

I have taken strong ownership of my store, and all that happens within it, being a professional manager, while learning how to fulfill my commitments to my store and my position and my people within the McDonald's system and structure.

I model the behaviors of a McDonald's Assistant Manager by offering as much lead-by-example role modeling that I am capable of. I give my all to my store nearly all the time.

I am constantly learning new tasks, practicing the ones I've already learned, and trying to pass along knowledge to the managers in training when they're receptive.

I have started, completed and maintained organization and anti-clutter projects in my store, as well as implemented (amid much skepticism and resistance) comprehensive procedures.

Customers come first, last and always. Good customer service is my primary goal when I'm working and I try to follow the 5 Hospitality Cues all the time. I have some solid skills with customer recovery, turning potential McHaters into loyal customers nearly every day by following the 6 Steps.

I arrive on time, nearly always do everything I need to do (Saturday night's close I left two under-counter drink station trashes overflowing. I didn't even look to see if they needed changing). I'm the man with the plan (Pre-shift plan that is!) and am able to communicate effectively with my team, even when they don't speak the same language as me.

I am able to diagnose problems and find the best-fit solution to them more often than not with a minimum of collaboration or help.

When I am frustrated or confused or unable to find the answer, I have no problem opening up communication to my store manager, my operations manager, the training coordinator or the owner to discuss my difficulty or my problem with them, seeking solutions.

I am doing the very best I can, and giving all my focus while I'm at work (and often when I'm at home and should be focused on my family).

I was just told yesterday that my promotion to Assistant Manager, which was supposed to occur immediately after the current A.M. moves to the newly acquired store (the changeover occurs this Thursday), will be held off until my Advanced Shift Management course, at least - which is mid-May.

I'm trying to decide whether or not my effort is delivering the result expected, and I'm getting damn little information with which to make that decision. If it's not, then ... well, I'm not capable of not delivering full effort, but I'm damn sure not able to allow myself to get the short end of the stick.

Roll Call.

2008-04-21T00:16:00.004-07:00

There's about 40-50 people who read this blog about once every three or four days, and another set of random visitors totaling about 10 people a day. My peak daily visit count was 62 visitors in one day on a day recently when I didn't even make a post.

So, who are you visitors? You know a bunch about me, and I'd like to know a little about you, beyond what your favorite Dollar Menu item is or an estimate of your "regular" order.

Take a few minutes and tell me your name, where you're from, your role in your McDonald's (if you have one), and if you feel like giving me appreciative or constructive feedback, by all means, please do so.

Thanks.

An Easy Friday Night.

2008-04-19T02:57:00.002-07:00

I did nothing special, or extra tonight. I worked 7-close, which is 11 PM for Dining Room, 1 AM Drive-Thru.

I came in about 6:15, did my Pre-Shift work, breezing through all of it without extra focus or my typical level of attention. I worked in Service with J. with one guy, C., in Production for a half-hour when my other Production crew was on break. Later, I worked in Service with C. and the other J. in Production when J. was on break. It was pretty hectic, and at that time I ended up telling people my Dining Room is closed for the night about 15 minutes early (I was just too deep in Drive Thru). All in all, for those bursts of customers, we held KVS times of about 65 seconds and Drive Thru times of 190. Nothing great and well outside the goals, but before the closing team decided to become stronger (I believe I inspired this), those numbers would have been considered a pretty good night, if that was every hour's times. Our day ended about 110 in Drive Thru and under 50 in KVS times.

My last customer we screwed up her order, and only made her a 10 piece nugget instead of the 20 she ordered, and she was the last customer. So she waited until well after our closing time, getting her last nuggets.

After everything, we ended up getting out 50 minutes after closing. Our goal is 30 minutes, but a realistic goal for Friday and Saturday, in my eyes (not from the Store Manager's viewpoint) is 45 minutes.

So, nothing special, we passed some goals, as far as time is concerned, but we did about 40% more sales this week than we did over the last 3 weeks. I know, I checked the DSRs.

A Conversation.

2008-04-18T12:23:00.005-07:00

My week has been almost interminable. It's been a great week, to be honest. I did quite a bit of thinking and problem solving this week, spurred by conversations.

The first effective conversation I had this week was called by two other managers, both right around a year into their first career in management. Both are female, hispanic managers, and I'm only pointing it out because it is so. Both seem to feel that I speak to them poorly or am disrespectful to them. They addressed this with S., who is upper-management in my organization. She basically called a meeting between these two managers, my store manager B., and me.

The two women were offered an opportunity to open communication with me, they feel there's a problem with me. They apparently told S. they did not like the way I spoke to them. However, what they addressed at this meeting was that I take control of a shift when I'm in the store. One specific complaint that was voiced was regarding a day earlier this week when I came on the floor at about 8:10 and there was no positioning guide completed, no Pre-shift work at all. In fact it was being so poorly managed that it spurred a previous post entitled GROWTH.

So I came in and took over, by doing the Pre-shift planning that should have already been done. I positioned everyone and started giving out breaks, and signed our Accountability Sheet, which basically is a manager's signature that they have done a customer-visibility travel path (where the customer can see) and made sure everything was right.

This incident was mentioned. However, let's take a flashback one week prior to the manager's meeting held the previous week. These same two managers complained that no one else filled out the Accountability Sheet (which may actually be true) so we all agreed, at their urging, to take a more active hand in getting that particular item taken care of.

Now, within the course of a week, their specific complaint became the direct opposite of what it was originally, regarding a specific task. I felt attacked unjustly, but I was able to keep my cool. This doesn't always happen, but I did it.

I voiced the switch in bitching they were making, and pointed out how silly it is. Further, they claim I'm off the floor for hours at a time, patent bullshit. However, I addressed that very well also.

I asked them to think for a moment about 3 months past, how they saw their job and responsibilities, and if they thought then about most of the things they do now. Both of them were honest and said, well, no, not really. So I asked them to imagine 3 months from now, can they really see all the new responsibilities they may take on, and the new details of their jobs? Both agreed, no. Meanwhile, B. is nodding his head off. Then, this is when I had their attention. (This is the first direct quote I've made on this blog.) "Now, Ladies," said I, "I'm seriously a few years further along that responsibility path than you. Do you even want to try to imagine all the details I've got delegated to me, to take care of during the times I'm on the clock?"

I further explained that it's necessary, when possible to dip off the floor for 5-10 minutes at a time, taking care of the store and running things.

I think I got through to them. However, S. was completely focused on how they didn't like how I communicated with them. The problem is, apparently, that I'm brisk with words, I'm a very big and handsome guy, I've got a deep bellowing voice, and I'm commanding. (Picture Zaff Branigan from Futurama, with pants.) I can't help any of those things.

Not the Best Day Ever, Still a Great Day to Be Alive!

2008-04-15T18:06:00.004-07:00

So, my day was off to an odd start from the beginning. My alarm didn't wake me up this morning, and I woke up at 5:30 AM instead of 4:00 AM. I should've taken the 5:45 bus, but that wasn't happening. I would've arrived at about 6:20 AM, enough time to eat and pre-shift. I didn't start my day off early like I should have. Then, the 6:22 bus arrived at 6:16 while I was still across the street from it.

Now I was really late. So I got to work late, didn't get to pre-shift much at all and didn't have any breakfast. I was definitely not the best role model when I showed up to work, but I finished my pre-shift within my first 30 or 40 minutes and even got the positioning guide done.

But while I was running around, and working, one of the managers who was working Front Counter position, J., was leaning against the counter, holding that sucker up for all he was worth. I asked for his attention for a moment and explained to him that whoever is working Front Counter is responsible for cleaning everything from HERE to HERE, including the HLZ, the runner's station, the OJ machine, the Iced Coffee Station, and the shake machine and the McFlurry Station. If they've got a free moment and that's done, they are responsible for keeping the Drink Station clean as well. It's really not that much, and a good Front Counter crew member like T. or the other T. or even E. could keep those areas clean. Maybe the last part was over-stepping the bounds, because he got all pissy with me. He claims to be so good at what he does, and gets defensive of his actions when his behavior gets corrected. It's just that there are many behaviors to correct in the store and damn if that is my fault and damn it if my job isn't to correct behaviors.

We ran a good lunch, if a little tense, then I was off to work on schedules. I stayed an extra 3 hours doing schedules. Now, an hour blogging while listening to music. Today has been pretty cool so far, in general.

Growth.

2008-04-14T20:44:00.005-07:00

So in around a week or so I will be the Assistant Manager at my store. I really do feel I've done the job of Assistant Manager for the past few months or so.

In fact, I came into my store doing a better job at being a Shift Manager, more wholly exhibiting the behaviors of a role model, maybe having been short-tempered a few times, and willing to apologize for it (people seem to think I'm too high strung) when I've been wrong. Usually, though, I do feel that if I've increased the volume of my communication to a direct and absolutely clear, resounding level, it's usually been an appropriate reaction in the situation.

In any case, I'm not too high-strung. I'm just exactly high strung enough to be me.

I take care of quite a few areas and particular systems, because it just feels like no one else is following up on them. It's difficult sometimes because even such a basic, simple system as PRE-SHIFT PLANNING gets left behind by nearly all the managers. I am glad to come in and assess the store, check things out and find out about the day. I like communicating with my staff and fellow managers and checking sales projections versus actual sales and taking a guess at how my store will perform that day.

I absolutely revel in setting realistic, achievable goals for the day and for our peak hours. The best part of my day is my first real people travel path when I communicate those goals to each employee.

Really, I can't understand how any manager can not travel around the store, checking the restaurant and equipment and people and product to .. I mean, fuck, PLAN THEIR DAY! I work with many managers who want the store to run itself, and crew to develop themselves and for teams to grow themselves with as little interaction as possible. I on the other hand have a passion to watch all those things, but to help create successes in my store, on my team, and with my crew.

Pedantic as it may sound, I see every satisfied customer as a success for the Brand, and the success of the Brand is something I want to be a part of. It's been an opportunity for men, some greater and some lesser than I, to become successful.

Why McDonald's is Successful.

2008-04-04T10:33:00.003-07:00

It's not hamburgers. It's not the commercials. It's not massive corporate contracts with Disney and Coke. It's systems.

McDonald's has some phenomenal systems in place, developed and proven by the input of Billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of man-hours worth of research. The systems they offer are effective, or they would not be in place - and when the systems and procedures that are not effective are proven ineffective, they're changed.

Any unsuccessful McDonald's - whether unsuccessful from the customer's point of view (poor quality, slow service, dirty restaurant) or unsuccessful from the employees' point of view (drama, bickering, lack of teamwork) or from the O/O's point of view (unprofitable) - can be grown into being a successful McDonald's restaurant by implementing and vigilantly following up on the systems and processes and procedures that the McDonald's system offers.

The most important thing that leads to McDonald's success is managers willing to do what it takes to follow procedures and implement policies that ensure employees follow procedures, not to mention riding crew and other managers' asses in regards to training those procedures and following up with them on the procedures, all the time!

It's a heavy responsibility for a manager who wants to do the best they can everyday, because it's pretty likely most of the people around you do not wake up and set out to excel every day. The majority of crew and managers in any McDonald's are just people showing up collecting a paycheck, looking to finish their shift and get away as fast as possible! So if you are "that manager" who wants the best for your store, your crew and your own career, you'll have many obstacles in the way - but the obstacles are only people.

It's nearly always possible to motivate any person, no matter how difficult the personality is. Honestly, if what you want is your crew and managers to follow procedures, the easiest way to - I'll be blunt here - manipulate those human beings to do what you want them to do, is to show them how it benefits them and how their actions can affect others.

Production crew? Explain to them the severity of following Food Safety procedures - How would they feel if their child/loved one/spouse/parent were to come in to the store on a day that Food Safety procedures weren't being followed, they get E. coli and, if they survive it, they may have to live on dialysis for the rest of their life.

Service crew? Ask them about a situation where they got poor customer service, and how they felt about it. Get them to describe the whole situation. Help them to realize for themselves that when they aren't smiling, when they aren't pleasant, when they aren't providing and instant greeting, and fast, accurate service, they make someone else feel exactly how they felt in their poor customer service experience.

Managers? Well, honestly, I have a hard spot for managers who don't want to do their best. I know that it's really no different than crew, but I really, really get angry over some "managers" who chooses to be lazy, inaccurate, or fail to follow proper procedures. I work hard, so hard, to treat lazy, work-avoiding, procedure-skipping managers the way I would crew, and counsel them and coach them and give them new skills to work on, and follow-up on them often with constructive and appreciative feedback. It's difficult though, and it's my own area of opportunity to work on. The most difficult thing about these type of situations is that the manager who needs to improve is likely to be a peer or even a superior. How does one enforce behaviors on someone who you can't provide consequences to?

In short, systems are great. There are some amazingly simple systems in the McDonald's program, and for just about every situation you do encounter, there is a system in place to help you win in that situation, efficiently. Use the resources provided to you (MDP materials, Operations and Training Manuals, SOCs, e-Learning, and the experience that your peers and colleagues can offer) and remember - BE HERE NOW.

New Iced Coffee Flavors.

2008-04-02T07:20:00.003-07:00

OMFG. Caramel Iced Coffee. HOLY SHIT is it good.

Career Growth.

2008-04-02T07:06:00.002-07:00

I was unofficially officially told I would be staying at my current store, instead of moving to the new store my O/O is purchasing. I am a little disappointed because I'm not headed to the newest store, and being a part of the powerhouse team that is going to be managing that store. Mostly, though, I'm really excited about being promoted into an Assistant Manager position. I've been doing the job of Assistant Manager for a few months, and my Store Manager B. and I have got a solid rapport and we both have a similar vision for where our store needs to go for us to grow. It's going to be nice to be paid at Assistant Manager scale for Assistant Manager work.

Hard Work.

2008-03-31T18:02:00.002-07:00

My day today was the perfect example of why McDonald's is so damn great a place to be working.

My day was nothing like I expected it to be yesterday. (See previous post.)

First of all, K., my manager-in-training, no-call-no-showed me for the training. Also, he didn't return my phone call. I'm a little disappointed.

But that's fine, I gave our shake/ice-cream machine a professional, expert cleaning today. I even fixed some issues we were having with our syrup dispensing system - something I am damn proud of having figured out on my own. After that, I worked in the Production Area for basically the rest of my day. I ran lunch on Assembly, as the Production Manager. It was a slow lunch, but we still made some money, and kept the kitchen running at a bit higher than normal (62 instead of our 40 second goal) for the first half hour, then got our speed up to right in sniffing distance of 40 seconds.

The tail of my day was working in Service for about 45 minutes, half at Front Counter, half in Drive Thru Order Taker. I had my normal sun-shiney attitude and our customer got the best Customer Service they're likely to get for the next week, anywhere.

All in all, it was a great day at work. Nothing like I expected it to be, but I stepped into the roles I was needed in when I was needed in them and "Be Here Now"'d all day long. Awesome.

Teaching.

2008-03-30T22:21:00.003-07:00

Tomorrow, very early, I am training K., a manager-in-training who happens to be the O/O's relation. He's a hell of an individual, and seems to be able to hang in many situations. I've not seen him giving direction to anyone yet, but he and I have discussed accountability together.

In fact, I created a situation that was almost a way of testing his behaviors - I sat down and ate right as he was getting a rush through Drive Thru. I waited till he had 3 orders on screen, then got up and helped - and told him that I was examining his behaviors - I sat down and ate to see how he'd react. He didn't communicate what was going on where he was, he saw the situation but did not make a reaction to it (the situation being, I was sitting down with someone on break when I should have been helping him with orders). I felt like a dick, but he really did seem to, at the least, look at a likely and frequent scenario with a different perspective.

Tomorrow, it's straight teaching and showing for our shake machine training. Like every day, it's going to be a great day.

Opportunities.

2008-03-27T22:05:00.002-07:00

I'm currently being considered for an opportunity with a new store that my O/O is purchasing soon. It changes hands next month, and either myself or a current colleague of mine will become First Assistant Manager at the new store, and the other person will be First Assistant Manager at my current store.

Honestly, I feel that my "competition" is in no way competition to me. I can boast readily of several areas of responsibility I've gotten to function regularly and with all proper procedures in effect. Not every area I've taken on have I been successful with, but I can honestly say at least 10 functionally important procedure-sets were put into place solely because of my direct action and involvement in them.

As far as I know, my competitor has one functionally important responsibility, and is unwilling to do a great job with it. I firmly believe this person is capable of doing a great job at many things, and they are experienced - something like 6 years. She has willingly chosen to perform at an average level and at an average pace for ... well nearly all the time I've seen her in action.

But I have decided that the opportunity I have in the store I'm in is a great opportunity and has a ton of growth left in it! I've got a great team that I'm helping to build, I own my store damnit! I can help improve it a hundredfold over the growth we as a team have already made.

So, tomorrow, I'm telling the owner I want to stay at my current store and that I don't really want to be considered for the position. Although, I truly do want to go to a store with more vocal and communicative managers who are confident in situations. The two other managers who I am certain are going to that store are phenomenal people, and I would love to work on a team with all three of us - it'd be a powerhouse team.

I have alot of growth to go where I am and I intend to experience it.

Arizona Smart Choice.

2008-03-25T14:33:00.002-07:00

Yesterday, all Arizona McDonald's restaurants officially were participating in the Arizona Smart Choices Program. Basically, it's a program that identifies meals or foods that are healthy - and yes, McDonald's has a bunch of meals designated as smart choices by the Arizona Department of Public Health. A few other chains are participating as well. Arizona Daily Star website - A full story can be found there.

I tried to find a time on Saturday to get the signage up, which consists of a window stick-on and a menu-board sign on double-sided foam tape, and put some brochures out but couldn't find the brochure holder and did not make the time to put the signs up. First of all, no one had directed me to do so - and POP is one item I always do after direction. Secondly, I wasn't sure where to put it or when the program started.

Today, I was directed to hang the signs up, and immediately did. Before I finished washing my hands after the task, a gentleman who looked familiar was in line, and I walked up to the counter in time to introduce himself to me, he was P., who is apparently the local head honcho. I believe he was strongly involved in McDonald's of Arizona participating in the program, to judge by his enthusiasm for the project. I smiled big and gave vague, but very positive and supportive, answers to his questions. He and I had actually met but not introduced at the ball game I mentioned a couple weekends ago.

After he left, I ran to the office, got the Store Manager to find the brochures, read one, then gave one to all my service crew and told them there'd be a test later.

The important facts that I remember are these -

The meal must have 700 or less calories, 0.5 grams of saturated fats, no added or modification to the content of saturated fats, and less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium.

The meals that McDonald's offer that are Smart Choices include - Hamburger and Cheeseburger Happy Meals with Apple Dippers and Apple Juice. Awesome! Further, a Hamburger or Cheeseburger, Fruit n' Yogurt Parfait and Apple Dippers work for an adult. Also, there's the Grilled Chicken Asian Salad and a bottle of Dasani water - which actually rocks for lunch, and it's pretty filling. The only catch with the salad is, you can only use half a packet of the Ginger Vinaigrette dressing.

So, overall, I think it's a great way for any chain to improve the value of the experience. As it applies to McDonald's, I'm going to start offering information to people who look like they would appreciate it. It's also a great time and way to open up a good customer interview.

A Very Long Week.

2008-03-22T18:47:00.003-07:00

My store manager B. was out of town this week. Scroll down to the posts from when my store manager was out of town the last time. All the same drama and problems we had that week, we're having again this week.

It seems that even though I'm being held accountable for the store and what goes on inside it, from inventory management to staff issues to staffing and schedules (even though I don't have control over all of it, or in some cases (like schedules) any of it), I'm also being told in the same breath that because I don't have responsibility for those same situations, I should back off and ease up a bit.

It's very frustrating to be told I have to be accountable for things I don't have control over. It's even more frustrating that when I try to hold accountable those who do have control over things when problems arise, that I am stepping over my bounds.

Some specifics:

The assistant manager does schedules. She makes mistakes all the time, like with today's schedule - she had a minor scheduled to work two different shifts the same day, for over 14 hours. First, she would not respond to my phone calls at all - then when I got 3 other people to call her and tell her she needed to respond to me, she asked for a manager who wasn't even there, and said she did not want to talk to me about it. Hello, I'm the manager who's working right now, I'm in the middle of the shitstorm she caused and she doesn't want to discuss it with me. What a worthless fool she is. I tried to tell her she had to solve it, and she wanted no part of it - until I told her she would have to come work the illegally-scheduled shift herself. Then she was all about finding someone who would not be working overtime to fill the shift. Bah.

Another situation. One of our managers is responsible for counting most of the morning shift drawers, as she is our 5-days-a-week opener. She can't count. This poses an issue. I assume it's through basic ignorance, but E. could also be dipping into the honey-pot, for all I know. The other day, of 5 cash registers and the safe, only one drawer was accurately counted - a drawer with $15.50 worth of transactions. The others were all wrong, the money was all mixed up, it was 40 minutes of counting and recounting to figure out just what the hell she did to fuck up the money that bad. When I discussed it with her, her response was to get angry at me for going back and checking her work. Well, when the $1000 of backup we have in the safe is $1076 and $2200 worth of counted cash ready for deposit is only $2085 and there's miscellaneous cash over in two other drawers, yes, well... I'm going to recount the money!

I think the real problem is there's very little accountability with my entire management team. "Mistakes" are overlooked, repeatedly, instead of used as learning tools. Carelessness is the standard. Sloppy and incomplete are regularly acceptable. BUT NOT TO ME DAMNIT! And there's bound to be some resentment on the part of those who wish to go about without paying attention, without doing the best they can, barely skating by, when I'm saying "That's not acceptable!" But, really, seriously, deep down inside, I feel, FUCK THEM. I should not lower my standards to match someone else's and I look upon the lazy with contempt, especially when it's such an easy job.

Sunday.

2008-03-16T11:34:00.002-07:00

My boss invited me to a baseball game today, White Sox vs. Diamondbacks. I've got three tickets for the suite he's got so I'm taking my son and father. Gonna be a good time. Meanwhile, my wife is working and my daughter is spending the day with Grandma.

I may soon be able to share some news about my career growth. I'm damn excited!

BSM, Day 2

2008-03-14T08:37:00.004-07:00

So, I came to terms with the lack of knowledge I would be gaining from the Basic Shift Management class. I realize it's entirely due to the work I did before class, reading my MDP1 book 2 times in full, and focusing on some parts 3 or 4 times.

Our second day consisted mostly of a store visit, to a McOpCo store, where the standards are set, not just met. The purpose of the store visit is to help develop the critical eye that a manager needs to ensure they are maintaining the standards of QSC&V for our customers. The store we went to was decorated phenomenally, looking like the inside of some rich guy's library with chocolate brown leather seats, dark wood paneling, glass-doored bookcases, a couple sitting areas with nice chairs and round tables. Then we got to the front counter.

Everything behind the counter looked disorganized, sloppy, and unclean. There was clutter all over the place, every behind-the-counter trashcan was overflowing and apparently the crew there have bad aim - there was trash around the trashcans as well as in them. I saw at least 5 different areas where they stocked sauces and other condiments and all of them were sloppy, unstocked and needed a good wash. That's just the impression I got in 30 seconds of approaching the front counter. Once I went behind the counter I was appalled.

The day was focused on timing Front Counter service, Production, and Drive Thru service as well as performing a travel path throughout the store and prioritizing tasks based on McDonald's Prioritizing system which we had done some review of in the very first part of the day. It was a good exercise but again, I did not really leave with any new knowledge or tools that I did not arrive with.

The only real benefit I felt out of the classes was to get an opportunity to discuss with others the systems and concepts I had until then I had only discussed in internal dialogues. I know however, that many other participants will go back to their stores armed to become the best managers they can be.

As for the Golden Hat award I spoke of earlier, there was solid competition between myself and my O/O's sister-in-law, B., who is an assistant manager at another store in our organization. She won by a single vote, and she definitely deserved it - she really did participate a bit more than I did. However, as the facilitators were reading out statements made by participants who voted for her (before announcing she was the winner), repeatedly the comments were "This person is very knowledgeable" or "This person has a really great attitude!". Because she thought it was me, she spoke up with, "Wow this person must be really intelligent and have a sparkling personality!" while staring at me. Then they announced it was her. Good times.