Is this really an acceptable way to speak to customers?

I think that is appalling and not acceptable. Those of you saying that you get what you pay for? Manners cost NOTHING. That attitude: "oh he doesn't get paid very much", what, so - he has to be rude? I earn minumum wage at my job and I am still courteous to all of my customers. There is no excuse for it. If they don't care about their job, they shouldn't be working there because there are plenty of people who would take it. It isn't the customers' fault that you chose a low paying job.

I see where he is coming from and I am glad he is not white because if he was the roof would fall on him from the PC crowd. I notice the article is in the Guardian. If this happened a little more often I think we would see a great reduction in certain people playing the "me no spika da inklish game" I have every sympathy for those in a strange country and society not being able to speak any English when they get here but i do expect that to rectify itself as they live here. I feel the same way about Brits who go to live in Fance Italy or Spain who mix only in ex-pat circles

I disagree with the answers that say you get what you pay for. We have become too complacent as a society with what are basic bad manners. I would call the location and ask someone in management how their employees are supposed to refer to customers (I would hope Sir or Ma'am are at the top of the list). Then I would describe your experience and see how they respond. If you are not happy with that or if you are treated in a similar fashion on your next visit, I would contact the store owner, as most McD's are franchised. Let the owner know about your experience and that you have already talked to the store level management. That's about the best you can do besides correcting the employee right there at the counter while it is happening.

Wow, what happened to customer service training?

I don't think McDonald's wants to be represented in this way. The fellow wasn't rude, he was a little too casual. There is a way to be friendly and professional at the same time.

Call the manager of that place and, if you need to, write a letter of complaint to the district office of McD.'s so that there is a record of the incident and that it does not get shoved under the rug. Of course, you don't want the fellow to lose his job; you just thought his manner was inappropriate.

Refuse to get used to it. Good manners and courtesy never go out of style.

*****

Right on, Deppy. Manners cost NOTHING and do not depend on your rate of pay.

Write or speak to the manager and bring your letter (above). Ask if this is the way he was trained.

Also, could he have been speaking to your granddaughter? I am from the US and I'm not sure a female would be considered a "mate". Here, we think of it as a masculine term.

My initial reaction to the server is that he was unprofessionally familiar with a woman who I believe is my age. I'm an ex-hippie and baby boomer, but I'm a published biologist now, so I've matured in my attitude.

Or maybe I'm just an old fogey...

This happens many times. The other day, I went to McD's and ordered a chocolate milkshake. The assistant kept on asking me again and ended up giving me a banana milkshake, NOT what I wanted.

Also, in another shop, the assistant kept on staring at some girls behind me, and did not take of the alarm tag thing attatched to the clothes. I ended up having to get it removed elsewhere, as he was distracted by some girls.

People just talk like this constantly nowadays and do not say please and thank you.

I think the guy was doing his best. You said you didn't get his full attention - well, he works at McDonalds. He's probably busy and getting paid a pittance. I work behind a till for £5.85 an hour and to be honest, I don't really care that much. I say please and thank you and I make small talk and pack their bags, but if they don't like me I couldn't care less.

Unfortunately, this type of behavior seems to have become universal. The same thing happens to me here in the U.S. When I confronted a McDonald's employee about giving me the wrong change, his response was "My bad." Whatever happened to "excuse me" or "I apologize?" Also, I frequently have to repeat my order in order to get it right. I've even been asked at the drive-through: "Will that be for here or to go?"

Sadly, this IS a sign of the times, but I refuse to accept it, and I hope you do too.

When you make as little as those people do you tend to not be so polite

Like someone said before it's McDonalds you get what you pay for

Also times have changed and you might want to get use to it. What that guy did wasn't rude by todays standards... but he should have at least thanked you

Hey if you think that's bad you should hear them in the US

Not really, no. But you should get used to it. This is McDonald's, not the Ritz Carlton.

If he was being friendly I don't see what the problem was. I've had fast food workers call me "dude" or "man" all the time and so long as their friendly, they've exceeded my expectations. When I go for fast food I go for hot, fast food and not to have my rear end smooched.