You Want Fries with that Shake? – Chapter 1
I have come to realize that I am the proud holder of a magic McDonald’s coupon. It is either that or that McDonald’s employees are 1) not at all attentive, b) not at all intelligent, or III) neither attentive nor intelligent. I will tell you now about my magic coupon. At a local university’s home basketball games, if the opposing team was held to less than 70 points, spectators were all rewarded with a seemingly gratuitous coupon for a free Big Mac, with a purchase of any item. This coupon is due to expire on May 31st 2004. I actually have several because I went to several games. At first I did not realize it, but soon it became evident that this coupon was a loophole in the drive-thru process at the local McDonald’s. You know, magic.
What I mean is that upon driving up to the ordering microphone, I would announce that I had a coupon for a free Big Mac. Less that 5% of the time the employee would tell me that I had to purchase something. Soon I realized that I did NOT have to purchase something and that I could just get a FREE Big Mac. Then I realized something even better. After I ordered, let’s say a Big Mac and a McValue Fry ($1), I would drive to the payment window (usually the first one). Literally 99% of the time the employee NEVER asked me for the coupon. Hence, free Big Mac and I get to reuse the coupon.
Now today, oh my, I found out that the coupon is magic. I ordered the usual, a Big Mac and McValue Fry, and because the employee had to figure out how to enter the freeness of the Big Mac, determined that the entire order was free. So she said, “Well it is all free so drive to the next window.” Man that was the weirdest feeling of all: driving through McDonald’s drive through, hitting all three stops, picking up free food, and driving on. Too bad their shake machine was broken.
I want to try some new experiments:
1) Drive through after May 31st.
2) Drive through in another county (it is only supposed to be valid in the local stores)
3) Drive through in another state.
4) Drive through with no coupon at all. (“Oh I’m sorry, I must have misplaced it.”)
5) Drive through Burger King and order a free Whopper. (“Will you honor your competitor’s deal?”)
6) Drive through Burger King and order a free Whopper. (“Oh, I’m sorry, I thought I was at McDonald’s.”)
7) Make my own coupon, but not try to counterfeit one that exists. (“My daughter finger-painted and gave me this and I thought I would see if it works.”)
8) See if they will give me the “value” of the coupon. (“It says here this coupon is worth not more than 2 cents, I want 2 cents please.”)
9) Drive through and say I have a coupon for 10 free Big Macs.
10) Go inside and try all of the above (except the driving through part).
