Day 315 | McDonalds Sucks... Usually
Day 315 | McDonalds Sucks... Usually
Now I love a good McChicken burger, don’t get me wrong. But I know the food is mass produced and a lot of the time isn’t great for you. Every so often it’s a convenience thing, a quick transaction when you’re short on time. That’s their business model and it works. Speed and convenience. It’s made them billions.
I don’t love the mass produced model for a few reasons but mostly because it feels impersonal. It feels a bit forced. You know the ‘have a nice day’ at the end that doesn’t feel super genuine, and the quick half-smile as you get handed your bag of treats. But the other day I was shocked.
Every now and again you get an awesome person on the window or behind the counter. And if I get someone great, I’m a big one for using their name to say thank you as I go. They don’t expect it, and I think it shows them that in that moment they are valued.
Last Thursday, however it wasn’t the service that stole my attention. For me it was a quick in and out while I got Simone a hot chocolate at 7am. It wasn’t until I put the drink into the cup holder that I saw the hand written note. ‘You rock’. Wow. Those who know me understand that I say that a lot. It’s my go-to saying for those around me that are the coolest. Yes, it was a lucky coincidence that I got this note but it put a smile straight on my face.
That small gesture (that was probably still mass produced) made my day, and there’s a reason. It felt personal. Not because it was something that I say, but because someone took the time to write it. Remember when we used to get Christmas cards and put them on the mantle at home? You’d get 30 of them in years gone by. These days not so much. We’ve lost that little piece of contact.
So this weeks challenge for everyone is to write a few hand-written notes. One to your kids, one to your parents, one to your workmates, it doesn’t matter who. And it doesn’t matter if it’s on a whiteboard, a bathroom mirror, a sticky note or even in chalk on your driveway. Just do it, make their day and watch the smile you get afterwards.