McDonald's Stole My Money, Refuses Refund

I am enclosing a copy of the latest email I sent to McDonalds. I'm having a problem getting them to refund an overcharge. The amount is not significant, it's the principal, but it's become even more of a moral situation since they refuse to address the issue properly.

I was overcharged by 60% for a chicken sandwich. The Lisle, IL McDonalds where I purchased the sandwich will not answer the phone. I've contacted the McDonalds corporation through their website only to be told they are forwarding the complaint to the franchisee, who took 12 days to contact me and still hasn't refunded the difference. Yesterday a woman called and left a message on my answering machine, and basically gave me the 'dog ate my homework' excuse by saying she was on vacation, as if nobody else at the location can refund $1.82. I tried calling her back at the number she left and there is no answer. I shouldn't have to jump through hoops to get a simple refund.

I understand mistakes happen, but this location never gives receipts and often doesn't give a total when they take payment. The customer service has become increasingly rude with most times the employees never saying anything and practically throwing the bag at the drive thru customers. I've seen employees on cell phones taking personal phone calls while running the drive thru window. I've complained before to McDonald's about them not giving receipts and after a short while they go right back to it.

Having personally grown up working in retail, in a company that stressed customer service, I'm very much annoyed by horrible service, and this McDonald's is the poster child for bad service. I stuck with that McDonald's much longer than I would have tolerated similar service anywhere else because it is the McDonald's of my youth. I have a lot of memories involving that restaurant. When I was a little boy my parents rarely took us to McDonald's. About once a year (or less) it was a treat, otherwise we had home cooked meals. Through junior high and high school that was a meeting place for friends and fellow students. If the restaurant had just opened and treated customers like that I wouldn't have cut them any slack, but having a history there I kept going. However, after repeated problems, I don't want them to offer me some 'make-good' coupons or gift cards to visit a company I've decided doesn't want my business. I simply want the refund. Is it that difficult for a company the size of McDonald's to refund $1.82?

The latest email I sent McDonalds is below.


"This is the fifth time I have had to contact McDonalds in an effort to fix the overcharge you made. Please see ref#:5072956 and ref#:5093328. On April 24th at 1pm I was overcharged for a southern chicken sandwich. My total was 3.10 but I was charged 4.92. I called the restaurant when I got home after I saw the overcharge on my online debit card statement. I was told the total was 3.10 at the drive thru speaker, but was not told a total at the payment window and was not given a receipt. The Lisle location is notoriously bad for not providing receipts or telling the customer the total. I've received email replies from McDonalds saying it was forwarded to that location since it is a franchisee. It took 12 days for the franchisee to call. Someone named Theresa left a message on my answering machine on May 5th saying she had been on vacation, which is no excuse for not doing a simple refund. She said she would call back today, but also left her phone number, 630-963-5573. After no call from her today, I tried calling her back at 3:14pm, after the lunch rush. There is no answer after 20+ rings. This is the same problem I had when I called that location on April 24th, nobody answers. What kind of horrible customer service is this? As I've said before, I have been a loyal customer for over 30 years at that location. Until this incident I visited that location 3-4 times per week. I have not visited since and will never visit that location again. Furthermore, since McDonalds stole my money and is refusing to give me a refund, I will never visit another McDonalds. There are many fast food choices in the area, I do not need to subject myself to being robbed by a multi-billion dollar corporation and then told to go jump in a lake when I ask for my money back. The amount of money is not of consequence, it is how McDonalds has repeatedly refused to fix this situation. A customer was overcharged, they should get the difference back, not forced to contact you 5 times and still not have a solution."

UPDATE:
After contacting McDonald's 3 times through their corporate website, and waiting 13 days with no resolution, I was contacted within 5 hours of posting this story online. A friendly district manager named Paul called me last night. He didn't seem pleased by the management at that store not getting this fixed quickly. Paul said the management at that store claimed they had called me 4 times, which isn't true. They called once and left a brief, under 1 minute message as described above. I have phone records to prove they only called once, so not only are the management at that store either incompetent or they just don't care, they also apparently lie to their boss. Paul said someone would call me from that store today and do a refund. This afternoon I did get a call from that store and they are mailing me a refund, so thank you, Paul.

I worked in retail for almost 20 years, most of it for a company that stressed good customer service. I told Paul that if I were running a store with customer service like that McDonald's restaurant, I would have been fired a long time ago. I'm not out to get anyone fired, but that is horrible customer service.

And that begs another question. Why has good customer service become so rare? Instead of noticing when someone is rude or treats a customer poorly, it's the opposite that stands out. When I get good service, I'm also shocked. Businesses need to realize that simply being nice to customers helps their bottom line. I'm not saying give things away for free at at discounts. In my situation I was simply overcharged and wanted the charge corrected. I was happy to pay for the southern chicken sandwich (which btw, is the best item on McDonald's menu in years). But it shouldn't have taken 14 days to get it done.

The company I used to work for, a now defunct chain of pet stores, once did a customer survey and simply greeting a customer as they entered the store made a huge impact. If the customer was greeted, they said the store was clean, the employees were friendly, and the products they were looking for were in stock and at a fair price. Overall a very good impression, just from a simple greeting. If the customer was not greeted, however, the survey showed the customer felt the store was dirty, the employees were rude or not helpful, the products they were shopping for were either out of stock or overpriced. It even went so far as to change the customer's impression of the parking lot and outside appearance of the store. The parking lot lights were often listed as being out, there were too many shopping carts in the parking lot. The outside of the store wasn't inviting. The exact opposite impression of the entire shopping experience, just depending if the customer was greeted or not.

As the economy continues to go in the tank, simply saying 'hi' to your customers and being friendly would go a long way towards keeping your business open and give businesses an edge over their competition. And if you overcharge a customer, simply apologize and refund the difference. Don't bury your head in the sand, refuse to answer the telephone, then lie to your boss. That kind of behavior costs customers, and it certainly cost McDonald's this one. I don't know how much they made off myself and my family over the past 30+ years, but it wasn't worth alienating a loyal customer over something so stupid.