How to Order McDonald’s Using the Click & Collect App

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Did you know that, thanks to the McDonald’s Click and Collect app, you can order McDonald’s in advance direct from your mobile phone and collect your freshly cooked food within minutes of arriving at the store?

McDonald’s launched the Click & Collect app in 2017 to improve and enhance the restaurant experience by enabling customers to order when and where they want, at their own pace and without queuing. You can even redeem a voucher through the app if you need to, and you’ll be the first to know about any menu changes.

Although I’d heard of the Click & Collect app before, I’d never used it myself until now and I didn’t really understand how it worked. So, when McDonald’s invited me along to their Capitol Shopping Centre branch in Leckwith Retail Park, Cardiff back in 2018 to see the McDonald’s app in action, I jumped at the opportunity. If you read my blog regularly, you’ll know that I recently took part in a litter pick with McDonald’s Cardiff and Keep Wales Tidy at Caerau Ely F.C (just around the corner from where I grew up), so it was lovely to catch-up with some of the team members I met that day!

Order McDonald’s in advance

There are lots of different benefits to using the McDonald’s Click & Collect app. Here are just a few examples of when it could come in handy:

• Helping you to abide by social distancing rules. As UK lockdown restrictions are eased, we’re being asked to maintain a 2m distance between ourselves and others. Using the McDonald’s Click & Collect App can help you to maintain a safe distance from others when ordering and collecting your McDonald’s order.
  
• Placing a group order. There’s nothing worse than being the person in charge of placing an office McDonald’s order, frantically scribbling down notes onto pieces of paper as your colleagues bombard you with requests, knowing that no matter how hard you concentrate, you’re going to end up forgetting someone’s order. Well, you’ll be pleased to know that those days are now long gone. McDonald’s Click & Collect app enables you to process and pay for your order directly from your phone, so you can be sure you haven’t missed anyone out.
  
• If you’re short on time, using the Click & Collect app to pre-order McDonald’s will mean that you don’t need to queue to place your order once you arrive in store. Your meal will still be just as fresh and tasty as it would’ve been if you’d ordered it in-store and waited for it, as the restaurant will start preparing your meal as soon as you arrive. What’s more, as Click & Collect is available to both walk-in and drive-thru customers, you don’t need to worry about wasting precious time parking up your car and going inside to place your order – it can all be done from the comfort of your own car!
  
• Counting calories or trying to reduce your salt intake? When you order via the Click and Collect app, you can access full nutritional information for every item on the McDonald’s menu, helping you to make healthier choices when you order McDonald’s.
  
• Eating out with the kids? Order McDonald’s at your own pace, with plenty of time to check what they want to eat, so you don’t have to rush them or put them on the spot when you arrive at the restaurant.

How to order McDonald’s using the Click & Collect app

Now that I’ve convinced you that the McDonald’s Click & Collect app is worth knowing about, let’s take a look at how to order McDonald’s via the app.

Just follow these five easy steps to get started:

1) Download the McDonald’s Click & Collect app to your phone, register (it only takes one minute, I promise!) and sign-in.

2) Select your closest store by asking the app to use your location, or selecting a store from the list.

To speed up the ordering process for next time, you can choose a default store nearest your home and/or your workplace, besides the option to add a default store as ‘My Favourite McDonald’s’.

3) Select ‘Ordering’ to begin your order, and scroll through the McDonald’s menu to see what takes your fancy.

Any items you choose will be added to your virtual basket, ready for when you check-out. Is there something on the menu that you really love? Add it to your favourites, so you can easily find it again in future.

It was interesting to discover that McDonald’s now offer a selection of meals containing no more than 400 or 600 calories respectively, with shaker salads, veg and fruit bags available in place of fries, and a bottle of water rather than a soft drink.

4) Pay for your order as you get nearer to the store

Once you get nearer to the store (within 100m), you’ll be asked to pay for your order and select your preferred collection method. Your order number will be confirmed, your receipt will be emailed to you and the team will begin preparing your order. Everything is cooked fresh to order, so you don’t need to worry about your food going cold.

You can either choose to collect your order at the counter for takeaway, or let a team member escort you to a table and give you a Table Marker. Your meal will then be bought to you by a McDonald’s team member.

5) Arrive at your chosen McDonald’s store and collect your order from Drive-Thru

Upon arrival, collect your order from the Drive-Thru, informing the team that you’ve placed an app order and quoting your order number.

Normally, you’d also be able to collect your order in-store by clicking on the ‘I’m here’ button on the McDonald’s Click & Collect app to inform the team that you’ve arrived. However, this collection method is currently unavailable due to social distancing restrictions.

Now, all that’s left to do is to wash your hands and tuck-in – enjoy!

Meet the McDonald’s team

NB. I visited this McDonald’s branch in 2018, prior to the COVID-19 outbreak and the introduction of social distancing guidelines.

I met with Business Manager, Lucy and Customer Care Representatives, Alison and Aggie to find out what they think about the new digital changes at McDonald’s.

Aggie began her career with McDonald’s as a Crew Member in London almost 12 years ago and since then, she has been a Manager and a Crew Trainer before progressing into her current role as a part-time Lobby Hostess. This new role created by local franchisee, Ralph Parker sees Aggie spend most of her time on the restaurant floor, assisting and advising customers. When asked what she values the most about her job, Aggie explained that her working hours are very flexible, so she can fit her career around her family commitments.

“When I had my son, I really wanted to go back to work but it was hard because most employers weren’t very flexible,” she said. “My son was four months old when I started working and I was having extra breaks due to breast-feeding, and McDonald’s were so flexible. I know that if I received a call telling me that my son had fallen over at school and they needed me to attend, if I told my boss, she would just tell me to go and see to my son. It really is amazing how much they [McDonald’s] look after you as an employee.

“I’m studying at university again now, and I’m basically just working whenever I want. It’s really, really good because in some instances, my modules and days of study change throughout the year, so I might go from working Monday and Tuesday, to only working Saturdays, and then perhaps only Friday morning. It’s never a problem because there are so many of us, and the training is so good at McDonald’s that we can cover for each other. Even though I’m a Lobby Hostess, if you ask me to go and work in the kitchen or serve on the till, I can do it – I just put the hat on.”

When asked about the new digital changes at McDonald’s, Aggie explained “We have a lot more customers coming through now, especially younger people – they love the apps and the kiosks. With the Click & Collect app, it’s much easier because you can just order on the go, scan the code by the door and you’re ready to go.”

Meanwhile, Lucy revealed that it was her first day in a new role as a full-time Business Manager at McDonald’s Capitol Shopping Centre, having moved from the Western Avenue, Cardiff store just a few days ago. Her career with McDonald’s started as far back as 2004, when she joined as a Crew Member and, within the space of a year, progressed to Crew Trainer. From here, she went on to become a Shift Manager and then in 2008, she was promoted to a Second Assistant. After falling pregnant with her daughter, Lucy took some time out before returning to McDonald’s and working her way up to the First Assistant role.

She had wanted to become a Business Manager for some time, encouraged by her husband, who is a Business Manager in McDonald’s Cardiff Bay, but she put it off until current franchisee, Ralph Parker took over the Capitol Shopping Centre store and offered her the role.

Last but not least, Alison told us that she has worked for McDonald’s for two and a half years after she chose to change jobs due to stress, adding “I’ve been a customer for at least 20 years!”

Lucy confirmed that Alison was a very loyal customer of McDonald’s: “When I worked at the Culverhouse Cross branch, I would see Alison and her husband and children in the store literally all the time! She even came in on New Year’s Eve once.”

From meeting Lucy, Alison and Aggie, it’s clear to see a career at McDonald’s can appeal to people of all generations and at all stages of life, from those looking for their first taste of work, to parents and later-life workers looking to return to the workplace. It’s refreshing to see how flexible a career at McDonald’s can be, and it’s clear to see that Aggie clearly values the work/life balance that her career gives her.

Did you enjoy learning how to order McDonald’s using the Click & Collect app? Why not check out my post about some of the other recent digital changes at McDonald’s?

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