Not accepting cards at McDonalds? UGH!
By maezee
@maezee (41997)
United States
October 8, 2010 6:37pm CST
Have you ever been to a big company or store like McDonalds where there check card or credit card machines were down? I ask because for the past couple of weeks, this has happened a couple of times at one of the McDonalds in my area. Now, I love my McD's iced coffees, I really do! And although I was lucky enough to have cash on hand both times, I'm wondering how they can really have credit cards down several times in the row without seriously hurting their business. BTW, it was not raining or extra windy - so I didn't understand what would have caused it.
I understand how it feels to not have credit card machines work when you're working behind the counter (this has happened to me a few times), but it's weird that McDonalds had this happen!
Have you ever gone to a big-box type company and their credit card machines were down? Do you ever get the feeling that maybe we are just a little too dependent on our plastic cards?
3 people like this
14 responses
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
9 Oct 10
Yeah and they are silly not to have some form of back up as so many of us really do not carry much cash these days and well it is the way of today and when my debit card cannot be accepted I miss out and so they do.
It angers me when this happens by the way. 
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
10 Oct 10
Right and then get a police man at my door, ha no one in this life time gives us anything for free even if we begged and expressed out need. Shame though that my smile and good nature does not account for much when it comes to money.
I know this first hand remember, my so called friends are not even caring enough to send me a hello as well they do know I have no money so goes to show that my smile and good nature is not worth much. 
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
15 Oct 10
Haha! I've just had the same experience yesterday! But I was at a Jack n the Box. I was already in the line up to the counter and already spent a good time standing when I realized that they did have a paper sign in front of the machine that they were only accepting cash at that time. Uggh!
Thankfully I had some cash too. But it wasn't enough to get the seasoned(curly) fries and the dessert that I wanted.
Yep, we're just a little too dependent on plastic cards.
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
9 Oct 10
Hi. maezee. I have been too several gas stations and their food card machine was down. I could not use my card then. I can't stand when this happens, especially when I really need something from this place to eat. I know that when I go to McDonald's at night, their milkshake machine seems to always be down. I wanted a milk shake so badly!
@danrunsfast614 (1396)
• United States
10 Oct 10
I definitely think we are too dependent on cards. That being said, I don't think it's really a problem to use cards for small things that we can definitely pay off. It's too bad the machines are down, but, well, that's technology for you.
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
9 Oct 10
Technology is something that can always have its problems. We rely on it so much throughout our daily lives. When something interferes with it, we are frustrated. it is wise to have a back up plan when we expect technology to never have a flaw.
@warvial (1146)
• Singapore
9 Oct 10
The McDonalds at your place accept credit cards? That's wonderful because around here, they only accept cash payment.
Back to your question, I have encounter situation when the dial line for the credit card company was down (causing credit cards payment to be not available). While some of the times we were informed by the staffs personally before payment, there were times where there weren't any notification and it was quite embarrassing for me because I don't have enough cash in hand for making payment.
Definitely I have grown very dependent on the cards because I seldom have much cash at hand because I will overspend without realizing it (until my cash are gone and that's when I will know).
@savypat (20216)
• United States
9 Oct 10
Yes it would be a total nightmare if all were down for extended period of time.
I don't know how the credit card machine companies can afford to allow one of their machines to be down repeatly at a place like McD's
@froggieslover (3069)
• United States
9 Oct 10
If their machines are down then they dont get my business because i do not carry cash on me but on a very rare occasion...I would just hope that there would be a sign of some sort posted before I went through the hassle of giving an order and trying to pay before they told me...
@kodukodu84 (1569)
• Malaysia
9 Oct 10
I've never been to any big company who their credit card machines were broken or down. Never with McDonald either. It is quite weird to have down and unfixed for many days. Sounds like none of them are going to get it fixed as soon as possible because there are some people who not just purposely want to use credit card but they really are out of cash maybe they are also far away from an ATM machine.
As for me I carry my debit card and have some cash in my wallet too everytime I go somewhere. Because there are many companies that I expect to have a card machines but turned to be not. Maybe they just can't be bothered to do all the banking necessity and prefer to just received cash all the time.
Happy mylotting and have a nice day
@Miner49r (568)
• United States
9 Oct 10
I usually try to keep a little cash stash both at home and in my car. This totally goes along with what I have been thinking and feeling. We are too dependent on our plastic, the internet, and computers in general.
What man kind can build, will have a cough or a glitch at some point in time or another. The larger it is built, the harder it comes crashing down. Now I don't mean to convey that the internet is going to come crashing down around us, although that is not without possibility.
A while back I read an article about what a high altitude EMP burst could do to computers and electronics on the ground. The other article that was an eye opener was the expected great solar flare of 2012. Since that time I try not to place all my eggs in one basket and rely totally on the internet, plastic, or let computers do all my thinking for me.
@jypsyjulia (912)
• United States
9 Oct 10
Oh, I think we are all DEFINITELY too dependent on credit cards and debit cards. I know I am. But it is a better alternative than having to use cash, because then we'd have to carry around a whole lot of cash... and I am just not a fan of that idea. And I think that not having the technology to run the cards would GREATLY affect McDonald's sales. It was probably really hard.
@pkdaftari (68)
• India
9 Oct 10
Life is a battle and one should always be prepared for the worst and unexpected.
Did anyone imagine that the twin towers of america could melt in a few seconds?
