McDonald's Management

The McDonald’s Project definitely helped to implement the idea of a management process. From the way the cashier took the order to receiving the order, there were many people and actions involved. Let’s briefly look at some of these steps.
When I first approached the young cashier, she performed the usual meet and greet. “Hi, can I help you?” I proceeded to tell her my order and, immediately, she called over her manager for assistance. I first ordered the hamburger with 4 pickles, so she definitely needed help punching it in the computer. Her boss came over and read my order back to me. Next, the receipt printed out and I waited for my meal.
The next person to be involved in my order was from the grill area. They obviously needed to make the hamburger. Meanwhile, the individual on fries was preparing my order of well done with no salt. I also noticed that the same boss physically went over to the lady at the fry station to tell her my order orally. The sandwich workers in the grill area just read my order from their computer screen.
In total, the order took about 4 minutes to complete. I think it is an acceptable time frame for a fast food place. On the contrary, if it was Dunkin Donuts, I would want quicker service. The notion of donuts and coffee especially early in the morning makes me think of extreme punctuality. I went to McDonald’s around 2 pm so the wait was definitely bearable. I do think that the time of day and the type of fast food are two important factors about the waiting period.
Finally, the same cashier handed me my bag of food and said, “Have a great day.” Also, during my waiting period, she came over to me and said that the food will be coming up shortly. I thought that this was a good approach for workers to keep acknowledging that their customers are waiting.
Overall, I think that the manufacturing process was great. The wait was acceptable, and the service was polite and upbeat. Perhaps the cashier could have punched in the order herself without calling her boss for help. This would have saved at least half a minute of time. On the other hand, one might argue that this communication was necessary in order to process my order satisfactorily. It wouldn’t help if she quickly took the order and it came out incorrect. The asking may have, in this case, been more beneficial and efficient for both the store and the customer.
In terms of effectiveness and efficiency, I felt that the staff ranked high for both aspects. They fully utilized their resources, and their goals were achieved. I walked out a happy customer, and they received my business. Their labor was put to work, as the manager, cashier, fry person, and griller all contributed to my special meal. If I were brought in as a consultant, the only bit of advice I could give in regards to this situation was if the cashier could handle an order like this without the help of her boss. It would have definitely accelerated the process, albeit half a minute or so. Otherwise, this specific store was firing on all cylinders.
It is nice to see the different management processes at different places. McDonald’s is a great place to observe the process due to its high volume of customers and emphasis on customer satisfaction. I believe that the nature of the business has a tremendous impact on the style of management. In conclusion, McDonald’s did a fine job in preparing my order to the point where I might stop by again.

What's your vision?

This is definitely one of the points in the field of management which should be highly emphasized. Having a vision for the future is absolutely essential. It definitely gives a purpose to life, as it serves to be a reason to move forward. This vision can be a mix of both personal and professional, as are most.


Four of my most essential visions for post-Baruch life are (obviously all are overlapping and related to one another):
1. To Land a respectable position with a reputable accounting firm upon receiving my CPA
2. To help pay off my parents' home and send them on a vacation
3. To start a family of my own
4. To experience corporate life in the Middle East, preferably Dubai

Now, I think that most ambitious people have an abundance of goals or visions. Some are definitely more important than others. For instance, without finding a concrete position it would be very difficult to achieve the rest of my goals. Number 1 must be essential in some way, shape or form in order to achieve the rest.

As far as my fourth goal, this is something that I have been wanting to do for quite some time. If anyone is familiar with the Emirate of Dubai, they know what an amazing story it is. I haven't yet had the chance to visit, but its architecture and design is magnificent. They just recently opened up the official tallest building in the world (Burj Khalifa). The palm islands and tax free salaries are just some of the perks that Dubai has to offer. It is also a financial capital for much of the Middle East. Real estate and finance are still very much the driving force behind the city. Thus, many corporate positions are still in need. Hopefully, all of my goals will translate into my master vision that will bring forth happiness and gratification.

Everyone should have their own vision. There is truly not a day that goes by where I don't think about some of my goals and my vision. It is absolutely necessary to serve as a driving force of going to the top. For some, this may be a corporate ladder which translates to money and power. For others, it may be having a solid job with an even better family life. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to find that balance between career and family. For me, both are highly important, but family definitely has more value. In conclusion, every individual has the right to their own vision. Setting the bar high will push you even further to reach for those stretch goals and make them very much attainable.