McDonalds Frappe Cups Not Filled Perrysburg, Ohio

This morning I received a call from someone in McDonald's management.  I believe he is in charge of more than one McDonalds.  He told me he had investigated my complaint (probably the one I sent them several days ago, before this latest experience).

He said he had determined that the Frappe machine at this location was indeed malfunctioning, and was not giving the amount of Frappe it was designed to give.  He said he had worked on the machine for about 2 hours today, and he believes the problem is now corrected.  He also told me that language in the employee training materials is confusing, and he will try and get it changed.  Some instructions refer to a "fill line", and some to a "cap seat".  He said that with Frappes, the cup should be filled to the "cap seat" rather than the "fill line".  I understand the "cap seat" is the area at the top of the cup where the plastic changes shape and the lid seats on the cup.

This person who called me offered his apologies, and I think this is a reasonable conclusion to my complaint.  This being a holiday (Memorial Day), I was impressed he was even working today.

I work in Illinois and we have to fill our frappe cups to the fill line which is a centimeter or so below the top. This is to control waste and to leave room for the whip cream. The shakes are the same way; they stop about an inch from the top of the cup to make room for the whip and to portion product. I feel kind of bad when someone orders without whip but company policy is company policy. No mc'ds I've been to around here (and there's about 8 around my area) fill past the fill line. We get points off if we go above it. Even the fries have to be filled a certain way. Even the ice in cups, the soda in cups, the amount of lettuce, etc. It's all portioned. Even the parfaits are like 50 percent smaller as are the fillets but that changed about 5+ years back.

Every restaurant has portions and if the employees go over that, they're going to cost the company a LOT of money in food shortages.  I hate that they only fill so far. But it's horrifying how much a missed inch of fill costs.

I worked for McDonald's for roughly five years as an assistant manager. When you purchase an item from the menu you are entitled to the amount of product the company deems correct. If the company charges $3.29 for a 16oz. (medium) frappe which is what I believe you ordered. You are entitled to 16oz. of product.

Now if the cup that holds the frappe is 16.5oz or 17oz. you don't get that extra little bit. Most of the containers at McDonald's are a little bigger than the amount of product that is served. The reason for this is to leave room for toppings or to help prevent spilling. So next time you feel like you were shorted make sure you were. And yes they may have dumped out what was left in the other container instead of giving it to you. But you didn't pay for what was left in the container. So, it was no concern of yours what was done with it.

And as to the manager or supervisor that responded to you complaint he was probably lying in order to make you happy. The machines that make the frappes and smoothies rarely need work done. And when it does need to be adjusted its done but a trained maintenance person not an employee of the company. When ever I received a complaint like yours I would tell the customer to make sure you know what and how much product you are purchasing before you pay. So that way there aren't any surprises.