McDonald's - slow food?

Yesterday at lunchtime I had to go sign something for the new flat. As we were rushing and didn't have time for lunch, we decided to drive by past a McDonald's on the way back to work. This is supposed to be a fast way of getting food.

I've been to many countries and I've tried McDonald's in many of these places. And there is always one constant - it is indeed fast food. In Indonesia they have a timer and if they don't manage to get your food out before the timer ends (I think it was 90 seconds), you get free fries. Other countries as well, they serve fast. As it is supposed to be fast food.

But here in Switzerland they are so goddamn slow. I have waited for 10 minutes at a McDonald's counter waiting for my Big Mac menu. And yesterday was worse.

We ordered at the first bit of the drive-through. Ordering was a bit of a challenge as the women didn't understand what I was saying. But we managed to order something simple (a Filet-O-Fish Menu, a McChicken and a Beef Rustico) in the end. I drove around the corner and was waiting in line behind a white car. After more than 5 minutes the person in the white car got his food (which was only one bag - so it wasn't that much). I drove to the window to claim my food and was joking to the missus that I would say sarcastically "fast food indeed". The women then looked at our order (only then!) and started to fill the bag. Then she said "Can you drive a bit forward as it will take 5 minutes for your McChicken." Hearing that I lost it and said "Just give me what you have. Quick. I've been waiting here for 10 minutes and now I have to wait more? Just give me what you have. Yeah a cheeseburger will do. Whatever."

At this point I was expecting her to have a sense of urgency, but nooo, she kept waddling around in her booth and making no effort to speed things up, nor to apologise. I was so pissed off I could have thrown the Coke back at her, but it was my missus' Coke not mine. Even paying took ages. When she handed me the change I just drove off, but at the same time the car behind me started beeping. Which is fair enough as the poor chap behind me was waiting for a while as well and he still had to deal with that slow waiter.

Now, how difficult is it to get this right? You get the order and if you don't have it scream to the kitchen to have it made right away. It is supposed to be fast food! I sometimes wish they have that timer thing here. Because if they had it (at any McDonald's) I would be eating free fries all the time. All the time.

Moral of the story: Don't expect McDonald's to be of the same standard here in Switzerland.