As one of the world’s most famous fast-food chains, efficiency is a pillar of McDonald’s. The chain saves time through its extensive use of self-ordering kiosks and even uses location tracking to order food in advance for app users. In this convenient business model, the peculiarity of Golden Arches Cash caught customers off guard.
According to experiences described on Reddit, some McDonald’s locations in the U.S. will only accept cash payments for a period after midnight. “Every [24-hour] McDonald’s does this every night. we have to [close] wrote one commenter in the style of an assistant general manager. McDonald’s customers and self-identified employees have both reported the practice, although the specifics vary.
Transfer times vary at each location, with landings planned to be around midnight to 4am. There’s also no set duration; reports mention no-card breaks ranging from 20 minutes to 2 hours. Once you submit your paper bill, the chain still quickly places your order, making payment the only transaction barrier. So if you’re planning on doing a late-night Golden Arches run, bring some cash in your wallet.
Read more: 13 McDonald’s tips that will change the way you eat at the fast food chain
Why some McDonald’s stores switch to cash only at night
Digital McDonald’s cash register. – Sobies/Shutterstock
The policy frustrated some customers, and the schedule changes escalated the problem. Not to mention what happens late at night doesn’t help – when you’re trying to buy fresh McDonald’s food at night, having your payment declined is sure to fuel your displeasure. Subsequently, many questions were raised about this practice on the Internet. One Reddit user claimed: “I think they’re going to steal money one day.”
Still, McDonald’s employees were quick to offer a logistical explanation. Essentially, this practice amounts to an electronic reset, usually performed in an after-hours, non-24-hour location. “[The] The system must run a balancing program to function properly the next day,” a commenter on the same thread clarified. In the meantime, “the POS system receives [its] One user on another Reddit thread added, and another commenter pointed out that the contents of drawers during this time are also counted. Some consumers report that this policy can be circumvented by ordering via mobile phone — though apps often deny this possibility. Instead, it’s best to stick to cash and communicate politely with staff – there’s no need to lose your temper while eating the best McDonald’s burger.
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Read the original article about Food Republic.
