Macker's

Down here in Aussie-land, McDonald’s is fondly known as Macker’s (and the “r” is hardly pronounced).  I’ve only seen one since I’ve been here, and I told myself that I wouldn’t ever go in there because we have it at home and there are so many other great places to eat.  However, after dinner last night, I really, really wanted ice cream.  I was planning on going to Cacao Green, the international branch of Red Mango (one of the many froyo places around Stanford).  I went in there, and I found that the smallest size, without anything on it, was $4.50.  Again with the prices…I should just get used to it, but I can’t.  So, I turned around, went outside, and as much as I hate to admit it, I found myself getting a $0.50 cone from Macker’s instead.  $0.50 definitely suits my budget better and I’d like to think that I got more for my money. 

After coming to terms with what I had just done, I went to upstairs (yep, this Macker’s is two stories) with my book and decided to eat and read instead of eat and walk.  When I got up there, I was surprised to see a couple of the employees bustling around cleaning up all the tables.  After watching everything that was going on over the next couple of minutes, I came to the realization that people would just get up and leave without taking their stuff to the trash.  They would leave everything on the table, for someone else to clean up.  I was so surprised!  I mean, it seemed like this was normal, because as soon as someone would get up, one of the workers was right there to get the table ready for the next person.  I am totally used to seeing this at a restaurant, but not a fast food joint.  When I was done eating, I had my napkin and the little piece of paper they wrap around the cone sitting on the table.  I looked at it, glanced around me, and decided that as I left I just couldn’t leave it sitting there.  The “rubbish bin” was on the way out and it was calling my name.  I probably should have let the workers do their jobs, but part of me didn’t want to have to consider putting Macker’s in the restaurant category, with bus boys and people who actually tend to you.