Coalition of Franchisee Associations

October 1, 2014

Dual-Point: You're Doing It Wrong



I recently had the opportunity to visit 10 McDonald’s stores owned by the
same Operator. Seven of the stores had dual-point ordering, three did not.
As stated before, I’m a big fan of Dual-Point even if all it does is to make
the customer feel better about the process.

Applying my decades of operations experience with my recent experience
as a QSR customer I can make no sense out of the change to only giving the
customer their drink cup when the food is available. Who thinks it’s a good
idea to force the customer to waste that 3 or 4 minutes they’ll wait for
their food? And then they have to carry their food over to the drink station
where there’s really no place to the set their tray or bag while drawing
their drinks?

Dual-Point has eliminated some confusion at the front counter but at the same
time created a bottle-neck at the drink station. Unfortunately the customer
bears the inconvenience and no one behind the counter or in Oak Brook is
concerned. Speaking as your customer, I hate waiting for my food and getting
my drink eats up some time. I’ve already paid for that cup and I want it now!

Can anyone offer a reason this makes sense in the kitchen? Because from my
side of the counter it makes no sense at all.

.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

The idea is that the customer wait, due to the customer disappearing or leaving the area and the space available for trays on the counter!
It does help to not be calling them over and over to get their order!

Richard Adams said...

Well, that’s not very customer friendly. I can see how the control-freaks in Oak Brook would want to herd McDonald’s customers like stupid cattle but that’s not going to them coming back for more. If a store has such poor production speed that customers have to sit down or wander around the restaurant that’s a symptom of bigger problems.

In any case, I still want my cup!

Richard Adams said...

I submit that letting the customer kill some time getting a drink will keep them closer to the counter. Unless, the self-service drink station is a long way away but that's probably pretty rare. In the many store I've been to the drinks are about three steps away.

Anonymous said...

Give the customer the cup! It frees one more body waiting in front of the counter at a busy lunch/dinner rush, so that another customer can freely walk up and order.

The Dual Point numbering will in essence then tell the customer with drink already in hand that their order is ready.

Anonymous said...

Under the new ROIP process, stores will be penalized for violating that procedure. Its a stupid rule.

Anonymous said...

Can't be bothered ordering coffee in McDonald's at the dual point you just stand there waiting while nothing happens then eventually someone makes the coffee an takes it to the dual point service area. I like the old system where you order a coffee , the person makes it and then gives to you.