* XM’s play list between noon and 14:30 Eastern yesterday. I found myself constantly changing channels while driving from Salem to Charlottesville, because I couldn’t find anything I liked.
* McDonald’s. I pulled into the parking lot of the McDonald’s on Pantops Mountain in Charlottesville at around 20:50 last night planning to pick up some supper. The drive-through was backed up around the building, so I decided to not wait. I could wait until I got to Fishersville, and I’d pick up something at the McDonald’s there.
I stopped at the McDonald’s in Fishersville between 21:15 and 21:30. I pulled up to the drive-through order point, but I never could get anyone to take my order. I pulled around and looked inside the restaurant. The lights and sign were on, but the only people inside were 2 people mopping the floor. Apparently, it was closed.
At 21:45, I stopped at the McDonald’s in Fairfield to get a large cup of coffee. When the manager who was working the drive-through window gave me the coffee, I noticed that the cup was only 3/4 full, and I asked why. He said there was a line on the cup, and the coffee came up to the line. I explained that I had bought coffee from McDonald’s before, and the cup was always full, not 3/4. He took the cup, went into the kitchen, and returned with a full cup. He said I’m sorry about that and be careful, because it’s hot. I said Thank You and pulled away.
After merging into traffic, I took a sip of the coffee, and I though I was going to puke. This was the worst tasting coffee I think I’ve ever had. It was even worse than the coffee at work or the stuff they’d serve in the field when I was in the Army. I took the lid off the cup, turned the dome light on, and looked inside the cup. It looked like coffee. I took another sip, and it was horrible. I don’t know if the coffee had been sitting on the burner for hours or it was topped off with hot water or what, but it sucked. I threw it out when I got gas at the Lakeside Kroger in Salem.
I’ve had problems at the Fairfield McDonald’s before. One morning last summer, my 7-year old daughter decided to go to work with me. She didn’t get hungry until we were past Lexington, so we stopped at the Fairfield McDonald’s to get her some breakfast and me some coffee. She wanted orange juice to drink, and that’s what I ordered. After I paid, I was told that the restaurant did not have any orange juice, but they did have milk, both white and chocolate. My daughter said she’d take chocolate.
The employee working the drive-through window gave me the coffee and the food, but no milk. When asked about the milk, she looked in the cooler and said they didn’t have any milk. I replied that if you don’t have chocolate milk, white milk is okay. She looked in the cooler again and then stated that they didn’t have any white milk either. I then asked what my 7-year old daughter was supposed to drink with her breakfast – coffee?
The employee gave me an irritated look like she wished I would just go away, but I wasn’t finished. I grabbed the coffee and food she’d given me earlier, pushed it through the drive-through window opening, and asked for a refund. She replied that she would need to get the manager.
When the manager arrived, she asked what the problem was. I asked her the same question I asked her employee, *what is my 7-year old daughter supposed to drink with her breakfast – coffee?* The response was, “I don’t know. Let me find the receipt so I can give you a refund.” She gave me a refund, but when I counted the money, I realized she shorted me some money. I banged on the drive-through window, and after she opened it, I explained that the refund wasn’t correct, and I wanted it fixed. After fumbling with the receipt and the cash register, she shoved the money at me. I counted the money, and it was correct this time.
Neither the employee nor the manager ever said “I’m sorry”, and I was getting ticked off, so we left. We stopped at the Hardee’s in Fishersville and ordered breakfast for my daughter and coffee for me. They had everything we ordered, including orange juice, and they were polite. I also asked if they had milk, and the nice lady working the window at Hardee’s said, “Of course, it’s breakfast time.”
* Wendy’s. After striking out at the McDonald’s in Fishersville last night, I noticed there was a new Wendy’s several blocks away, and the sign was on. When I pulled into the parking lot, I saw that all of the lights inside the restaurant were off, and it was closed. If you’re closed, turn off your sign.
* Kroger. Kroger’s grocery card is supposed to save me money when I buy gas from them. When I bought gas last night, I noticed that the Kroger Card price was only *1 cent* less than the Exxon across the street. What kind of savings is that?
* A 2% yearly increase. When did a 2% yearly increase become the norm? What happened to the 5% increases?
* 29 North. I hate driving 29 North between Charlottesville and Madison in the evenings. Yesterday, as usual, the traffic was heavy, some people were driving too fast, and some were driving too slow in the *left lane*. I am so glad that I no longer have to make that drive every day.
* OfficeMax. I bought a JumpDrive Tuesday, and it had a $10 rebate. I filled out the rebate form, enclosed the UPC code, and mailed it. When I got home last night, I had an e-mail from OfficeMax that said I could check the status of my rebate. When I checked, it said the rebate was invalid, *because I did not include the UPC code*. Next time, I’ll include the entire package.