Summer vacation kicked off for my son, and like many stay-at-home parents, I faced a dilemma:
- Keep my kid entertained every moment of every day.
- Enroll him in a bunch of overpriced classes that are poorly timed just so I can enjoy a few moments of peace without hearing, “MOM, I’M BORED! CAN WE GO TO THE POOL? HOW ABOUT THE PARK? CAN THAT KID YOU DON’T LIKE COME OVER FOR HOURS? CAN WE HAVE NUTELLA AND GET IT ALL OVER THE NEW CARPET? UGH! YOU’RE THE WORST MOM EVER! I’M GONNA PLAY VIDEO GAMES ALL DAY!”
Not quite a life-or-death decision, right? I usually opt for option #2, which is how my son ended up in soccer camp last summer. And because I love a challenge, I chose a camp that made me wake up at the same time I would for school, drive the same distance, and pack food as if I was preparing for a full school day—except the camp only lasted from 9 a.m. to noon. Terrific!
This timing meant I had to deal with lunch the moment I picked him up. Typically, I’d prepare something homemade, but one day, a trip to McDonald’s seemed like a fun change of pace. After all, nothing says summertime fun like a drive-thru burger binge, right?
However, our McDonald’s adventure didn’t unfold as I imagined. We rolled into a LONG drive-thru line at noon. I figured it was just the lunch rush. My son and I chitchatted about soccer camp while we waited. When I finally reached the speaker, I placed a simple order: a chicken nugget Happy Meal, two cheeseburgers, and a small fries.
After paying, I approached the food window, only to discover they weren’t ready with my order. No problem, I thought—just a small hiccup. They directed me to park in a space occupied by a blue car and a red car.
Me: “Uh, I can’t. Those cars are there already. There are no empty spots.”
Drive-Thru Lady (in a tone that suggested I was lacking in brain cells): “Please park where that blue car and red car are parked.”
Me (trying to be reasonable): “But there are NO SPOTS there!”
Drive-Thru Lady: *glare*
Me (feeling desperate): “I’m really sorry, but I don’t understand.”
Drive-Thru Lady: “PARK WHERE THAT BLUE CAR AND RED CAR ARE PARKED.”
Me (frustrated): “BUT I CAN’T! I LITERALLY CAN’T!”
Drive-Thru Lady (slowly): “THEN WAIT UNTIL THEY LEAVE. THEN PARK THERE.”
At this point, I was completely bewildered. I pulled out of line and parked a few vehicles down from the instructed area. Sure, I wasn’t technically parked where the blue and red cars were, but I figured it wouldn’t be hard for them to find me. My son and I sat, rolled down the windows, and waited.
And waited.
As I gazed into my rearview mirror, I watched other cars zip through the drive-thru, their drivers emerging with bags of food. My son, understandably confused, asked, “Why are they getting their food, and we’re still here?”
Good question, kiddo.
After about 10 or 12 minutes of waiting, we decided we had enough and headed into McDonald’s. Surprisingly, the inside was empty.
Girl at Counter: “Can I help you?”
Me: “Yes, we’ve been waiting in the parking lot for 10 minutes for our food.”
Girl at Counter: “Oh. I didn’t know there was anyone waiting. Did you park where the drive-thru lady told you?”
Me: “Interesting question. She told me to park in spots already occupied. So no, I didn’t. But I parked as close as I could.”
Girl at Counter: “That explains it. It looks like someone went out but couldn’t find you. Here’s your food.”
She handed me a bag of lukewarm nuggets and soggy fries. I was baffled. They couldn’t find me? I was practically 10 feet from the entrance, with my engine running and a 6-year-old loudly questioning the delay.
With a firm resolve, I declared we’d never return to that particular McDonald’s. My son chimed in, “We should’ve never trusted this McDonald’s,” and he was spot on.
This experience led me to reconsider my earlier dilemma: Maybe skipping the pricey summer activities isn’t such a bad idea after all. Perhaps it’s wiser to hit the public pool daily or pack our own lunches for the park instead of languishing in a hot parking lot waiting for McDonald’s to serve us.
You just can’t always count on McDonald’s. Just ask my son.
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Summary:
During a summer outing, a mother and her son visit McDonald’s after soccer camp, only to face a frustrating drive-thru experience that leaves them waiting for their food while others are served. This incident leads her to reconsider the value of summer activities and the reliability of fast food.
Keyphrase: McDonald’s drive-thru experience
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