It's been almost 5 weeks, what's two more hours? Crazy queues at McDonald's and KFC restaurants snake out onto the road as they wait to get served on the first day of opening after lockdown. Video / Brett Phibbs / Jordan Perry
McDonald's has apologised to customers who have complained about a lack of ingredients as the fast-food franchise continues to manage the influx of consumers under alert level 3.
Since McDonald's opened its restaurants on Tuesday, it has already suffered a lettuce and Big Mac shortage. Three branches also had to close in Rotorua yesterday after they were "eaten out of stock".
Cars were also logjammed back onto the road at McDonald's in Belmont in the North Shore. Photo / Brett Phibbs
However, customers on social media have complained about other ingredients missing in their burgers that they claim they were not told about and were still being charged full price.
"No lettuce, no cheese no onions lucky if we got any sauce in the burgers too and very hot fizzy drinks. That was across all the items we got today. Clendon McDonald's is useless. Shut it down if you're going to serve people this and charge full price," one person wrote.
Another said: "No lettuce, onion or pickle on a Big Mac, what do you call that? I call it theft and deception. Have your staff let people know if you're out of ingredients."
Another added: "I got a Big Mac and it had no salads or sauce I just got burger and bun."
Yesterday, Aucklander Tereza Luzki told the Herald that her 15-year-old son was disappointed after he ordered a McDonald's McChicken burger via Uber Eats, only for it to arrive with just the buns.
"It's bizarre, who would send a burger without the chicken? I could understand if they got the order wrong, but this one had nothing in it," she said.
Tereza's son was looking forward to his McChicken. Then this arrived. Photo / Supplied
However, McDonald's has apologised for any errors it has made and that employees are working as hard as they can to meet the demands under alert level 3.
"We've served close to one million customers since reopening. Our restaurants are working hard under the new alert level 3 conditions to help people get their Macca's fix, and we apologise if we've got it wrong on some occasions.
"Due to demand restaurants have been running low on certain items, and occasionally run out. They are letting customers know when this happens and offering alternatives."
The spokesperson said that branches have been making customers aware of ingredient shortages on their digital menus and have been removing items that are not available at the time.
"If customers order a product impacted by the shortage, they should be alerted and asked if they want to change their order, or they can still order without lettuce if they wish.
"As with other businesses operating under alert level 3 and 4 we're having to adapt and change and we thank our staff for their hard work, and our customers for being patient."
Some people also took to social media to complain about price increases, which McDonald's said have not gone up since early March.
"Prices vary between McDonald's restaurants, but there has been no across the board increase in prices during the alert level 4 lockdown, or since we reopened under alert level 3," the spokesperson said.
"Like any business, McDonald's reviews prices several times a year, looking at increased costs to the business. We take any increase in prices seriously, and continue to offer great value across our menu.
"The last time prices were reviewed was in early March, before the alert level 4 lockdown as announced."
