Customer complaints on the rise at McDonald’s

DES MOINES, Iowa — McDonald’s Corp., which serves hundreds of millions of Happy Meals each year, also creates its share of less-than-happy patrons.

The company’s accounting of guest satisfaction for 2006 shows that during a year in which the fast-food chain improved its financial performance on several fronts, the number of customer complaints also grew. Complaints per 100,000 guests totaled 20.1 at company-operated stores, compared with 18.5 in 2005.

Restaurants run by franchisees did somewhat better. They had 12 complaints per 100,000 guests from 11 per 100,000 the year before. Complaints at both types of stores were up from 2004 levels.

Transaction accuracy — or the lack of it — accounted for about one-fourth of the more than 500,000 complaints logged by the company’s customer contact center last year.

“Wrong item included in order” and “product missing” led the service-errors reported list, followed by “incorrectly prepared product,” according to information e-mailed to franchisees.

Other accuracy issues at which customers chafed included “condiments missing,” “inadequate portion,” customer “shortchanged or overcharged,” and “napkins, straws or utensils missing.”

After accuracy problems, customers complained most about what they regarded as “rude or unprofessional” employees. Those gripes represented more than 15 percent of the logged complaints.

Speed of service was the third-largest cause of negative comment, accounting for about 7 percent.

Along with complaints, some customers called in to express what the report categorized as “praise.” Those calls accounted for 5 percent to 7 percent of the total.