McDonald’s 60-second campaign a bit much for staff

I had a feeling this would happen. What a ridiculous campaign.

I'm sorry, but this:

This prompt, courteous service, along with a clean store interior and food that actually looks like how it does on the menu, are what Japanese customers can and do expect when they walk into a McDonald’s — and any other fast food chain for that matter.

Is an outright lie. The food resembles the picture on the menu, but "actually looks like how it does on the menu", is just a lie.

While a flat Bacon Cheeseburger a wrinkled bags might not seem like terrible offenses to international readers, they’re unforgivable to Japanese customers, especially when you can walk down the street and get a picture-perfect Whopper for the same price.

Who wrote this?!? "unforgivable to Japanese customers,"? Did you go to the wapanese school of journalism? And I love Whoppers, but, I've yet to eat a "picture-perfect" one. Also, I'm pretty sure a Whopper is more expensive than a bacon cheeseburger.

I say, pull it off. Or face 2 face on the high court

Who ever thought of this idea needs his/her head examined. Staff that is already overworked have to work faster, food that needs time to be prepared f.e meat.

I rather wait an extra minute.

And people who complain about how the food looks, please get real when did food ever look the same in picturesand the real stuff you get. At least at macdo

And people who complain about how the food looks, please get real when did food ever look the same in picturesand the real stuff you get. At least at macdo

Exactly. That is why this article is full of garbage about people expecting it to look like it does in the promo photograph. Nobody actually expects that.

If I were a staff member at McDonald's I'd work at a reasonable pace. For such low wages why would anyone work so hard for so little reward? Having pride in your work is fine and should be encouraged, however when companies make unreasonable demands of its employees, those employees should start sending a message back to management. The staff at the bigger shops must be completely exhausted after each shift.

What's the company's response? Didn't any of the 'journalists' bother to contact McD's HO for a few words of corporate spin?

I think these kind of poorly thought out campaigns also discourages people from applying to work at McDonald's.

I wish corporations would treat their workers with a little more respect and forethought.

@Probie While your points are sound, the issue here is not on the consumer side but the shameless exploitation of labour, which, along with externalizing social and environmental costs, is how McD had made so profit over the years.

When I spent time in Japan I was astounded by the quality. Burger King, KFC, and Mcdonalds were all great. I wouldn't say picture quality. The standard is leaps and bounds above Canada. Service depends though.

I never get a Big Mac that doesn't have more lettuce on then off. A egg mcmuffin with more cheese on the wrapper then the egg. There was also a 60 second challenge a few years back for the drive thru here. After you paid 60 seconds to get the food from next window. The employees would just hold you up at the pay window. So in fact it took longer. Even though the timer said 60 seconds.

Take your business to Burger King? Yeah, sure you will. And then walk back out when you see the difference in price and the lack of pokemons.

@warispeace

I know, but I'm complaining about the bad/untruthful writing of this awful article.

If I ate McDs, I would go to one at lunch and just tell them to not do the 60 second challenge for me. I would ask them to take their time and not to worry such a stupid limit put on them by their boss/company.

This sort of reminds me of that old Dominoes Pizza deal of "30 minutes or less or it's free" which caused delivery drivers to get tickets, get into accidents, etc.

Poor planning by management. Maybe they should have tried it in a couple of stores first? Classic example of what happens when upper management has never worked on the line.

Perhaps the campaign has a greater purpose than what we are lead to believe.

First, this is for a limited time only.

Second, these employees need to remember how McDonalds was founded. It's all based on FAST food. Yes, Japan prides itself on taking extra time to prepare food that's presentable. When did you forget that fact that McDonalds does NOT belong to Japan. If they can't maintain the franchise image then they need a swift kick in the butt.

It's very simple. If they don't get it right take it back up to the counter. Who said working at McDonalds is supposed to be at the employees pace. Every corporation on this planet knows that it has to squeeze and maximize output from it's human resources. That's just the way it is.

IMO, Japanese employess are getting lazier day by day. Don't want to go to far off topic but "sanitation engineers" are a perfect example. We're doing all the their work for them these days. They receive a ridiculous salary.

Of course, that example is not entirely accurate since that service belongs to Japan. McDonalds...well...that comes from America and you had better keep true to our formula.

If anything, these 2 weeks will refresh McDonalds managers and it's employees that it's out about speed. It's edible and it's fast. Anyone talking about quality is in the wrong place. You want gourmet? Go to MosBurger. If you are a blue collar worker with a weak 30 minute lunch break go to McDonalds.

The working class need a quick meal. In this fast paced society where most salespeople are driving from point A to point B all day long, a quick meal and a break are gold.

I'd say extend the campaign for a couple more weeks to get staff across the nation up to speed. It's lunchtime. 60 seconds.....get to work.

McDonald's Japan's menus are terrible at the best of times with limited range, no healthy choice menu etc etc. the only thing they had going for them was the presentation, now this has dropped off due to this promotion. Not your best move mcd Japan

Figured this would happen. Was a bad idea to begin with. I feel sorry for the staff, and mildly sorry for the customers who get lousy service as a result. Entirely the fault of the corporation.

"... especially when you can walk down the street and get a picture-perfect Whopper for the same price."

Where? To my knowledge there aren't a lot of BKs in Japan, and certainly none in my area. No Wendy's, either. In a way I agree with Probie that some of the generalizations in this article are a bit heavy handed.

There are Burger Kings popping up everywhere these days. Check out this link. You'd be surprised at how many there are :

http://www.burgerkingjapan.co.jp/stores/index.html

You can bet the McSuits who dreamed up this stupidity wont be helping in the kitchen the dumb a$$es!

The Japanese are used to, and even pride themselves on spending a little extra time and money for better quality food (yes, even fast food). Most people don’t mind waiting an extra 20-30 seconds if it means a more appetizing meal. If this were true, they would not eat at Mac at all.

The next one will be 30 seconds where they just throw the food at customers

I've stopped going to McD's even for coffee until this 60 second BS is stopped.

Why do we need fast food and convenience stores? It is not for the sake of the customers, but rather for the sake of corporations that squeeze every drop of time and energy out of our days at lower and lower pay so we have fewer moments to sit down and enjoy a meal or go to a market, pick up fresher produce and cook at home. It's a slippery slope we are sliding down.

There are people like (FPSRussia, see post above) who buy into the neo-liberal rhetoric that workers are lazy, yet the evidence of productivity increases while wages stagnate or decline and longer hours just don't support such claims.

We have been trained through marketing and entertainment shows to see ourselves as consumers first and producers or workers after, even though most of our waking hours are spend working. There are many shows for shoppers or tourists, etc., and shows for investors, but how many shows are there examining working conditions or reporting on work trends? This article is a rare case of mild critique of a business practice. We need more of these to raise awareness.

Just to share my experience this morning at McD ... even before reading this article.

I ordered an Egg Sausage Muffin set to go (with medium coffee and hash brown), and gave the cashier a 5,000 yen bill. After getting my receipt, the medium coffee was being packed, and several seconds later, the hash brown and muffin were being put in a bag as well. I was amazed by the speed.

But when I unpacked in the office's kyuukeishitsu, I noticed the food was different. I opened up a Sausage Muffin (no egg) ... so I guess in their rush to complete the order, they mistakenly packed my order. I checked the receipt, and it does state my order correctly.

Tomorrow, they're going to hear my thoughts on this.

Just more reasons to avoid all fast food places from the USA. Junk food. Sorry for the staff. Too much sorrow with the food.

Whatever you say about Mc Donalds, the service they offer here in Japan is amazing. It's really unfair to be pushing their staff this way when they are already doing their best. Who cares about 60 seconds, it's already fast enough... in fact I'm glad when I need to wait, as it means something's being freshly cooked.

so basically, japan mcdonalds is just like every other mcdonalds around the world now.

McDonalds in America is doing a "30 seconds to lunch" promotion, but only when you use their drive-thrus. During the lunch hours you're guaranteed to get your order within 30 seconds of PAYING at the first window. There's no guarantee how long it will take you to wait in line to get to the speaker where you order the food, or get from the speaker where you order the food to the window where you pay, however.

So I treat it like those airlines that advertise the really low rate because they charge extra for EVERYTHING on the plane - water, peanuts, seat belts (OK, just kidding about the seatbelts). McDonalds America is only guaranteeing one PART of your lunch ordering process will take 30 seconds or less. The rest of the process could take five minutes.

@Teachmeteachyou

it means something's being freshly cooked

Sorry, but nothing is "freshly" cooked at McD. Have you been watching too many of their CMs? It is all highly processed food with just some heating and assembling at the restaurant.

Of all the countries I've visited, US included, McDonalds Japan actually has the best service already and food which looks most similar to what you see on the menu boards. If it ain't broke...

i knew this was a ridiculous idea. poor stressed out workers having to slap on a fake smile. they need to go back to regular service. FOOD is more important then being served quick i think -_- geez

Food is junk Express junk food is more worse

Food is junk Express junk food is more worse

Food is junk? Perhaps you could eliminate all junk from your life? ;-) I'm going to assume that was a "Google Translate" gem - especially with the "more worse" ending.

Great Restaurant but 60 second plan is a bit over the top. I think Ray Kroc would agree.

Sorry, but nothing is "freshly" cooked at McD. Have you been watching too many of their CMs? It is all highly processed food with just some heating and assembling at the restaurant.

The food is all cooked in the store, the question as to whether it's "fresh" or not depends on when you get to the store. If you show up during the lunch rush, you're likely to get a patty that was on the grill a half-hour before and has been in the warmer since then. If you show up during the off-peak hours, you're likely to get one off the grill as they don't keep a bunch in the warmers when things are slow. While a McNugget or McRib IS a processed food, it also IS cooked in the store. Again, when you get there is going to determine how freshly they've been cooked. Back in the day before they used the warmers, I could guarantee a fresh-off-the-grill burger by ordering a special order. Now with the warmers, that guarantee no longer exists.

Hahahahaha, so now the food looks like it does in North America where it takes them up to 10 minutes sometimes to get it wrong but now they are smashing your food into a bag in less than 60 seconds in Japan. Wow, Mc D's kiss your customers bye-bye as they will be gone in 60 seconds with this stupid new "camp pain".

No need to be too quick, just make it cheaper!

I think Australias Macdonalds ran the same lunch promo 25-30 years ago, but that was when they actually had pre-cooked burgers and fries and all they had to do was put them on a tray in front of you, still it was a lot of fun watching people run around and the staff seemed to enjoy it too. back in those days the kids were all working for 3 bucks an hour which they thought was good money. if it doesn't work they will just have to stop it. But it has got plenty of media attention hasn't it ?

When are foreign chains going to realise that Japan isn't America... Japanese people are not Americans, they have different expectations and standards of service. Next they'll introduce a time limit on the customers... eat your burger in 60 seconds or pay for another.

Among the First Things that astonished me in Japan - was that people RUN when working, its not unusual to see people rocketting about, as if they take the 'human race' as far as it'll go. Im in france, It occasionally occurs to me to cough, ahem ahem, when a cashier goes into her third story about a relative, with the person in the queue in front of me, but I dont like to upset anyone. Its just the way things are. l guess that the 60 second thing fits in with Japanese willingness to serve everyone well, but MacDs would be on a sure loser to try it in france. Yikes. Nationwide strikes would begin at the thought of it..

Junk food just became "Junkier"

Why would you want a minute burger?? Make it nice I ll wait.

I haven't been to a Japanese McDonalds, but if the place gets crowded at lunch, then the 60 second deal may be just to reduce the lines in front of the counter. Turnover is key and someone standing in line cannot buy anything until they get to the front of the line. If a register is ringing up a sale every 60 seconds, that's more income for the store than if the register is ringing up a sale every 180 seconds.

This is obviously "fast food taken too fast." People need to boycott McDonalds and the chairperson of this campaign should apologize, resign or step down. They are damaging the crappy image of fast food everywhere if they decide to continue.

Maybe only 1 or two counters should be 60sec or less. =let the customer decide.

Japan needs more completion to McDonalds! Say In and Out burgers, Quiznos, better Mexican fast food too but not crap like Taco Bell!