Mcdonald's - Ames

This McDonald's has a surprisingly modern appearance, with interior decor that's more stylish than you'd typically expect from a fast-food chain. However, despite the updated look, the drinks are still served from those old-fashioned dispensers. The food is exactly what you’d expect—it’s classic McDonald's fare.

At times, the food and service are excellent, but there are moments when things can be quite slow, and it feels like the staff aren't fully aware of what's happening. Overall, it's a decent McDonald's.

I'm not sure what sets this location apart, but the burgers here taste better than at other places—there's something about the flavor that’s enhanced when they’re warm. My average spend is between $28 to $45. I've noticed that it's actually cheaper to eat at Perkins or Culver's, which also offer onion rings and have milkshakes available anytime they're open, unlike McDonald's where you never know if they'll have them.

I can quickly list what’s good about this location, but the negatives are far more numerous. The food is never correct or fresh, and often you don't even receive your complete order. I visited the restaurant with a friend and my daughter for lunch about a week ago, and I was alarmed to see one of the employees washing herself in the sink with her shirt pulled up. Her pants were around her ankles, and there were filthy, wet paper towels piled on the counter and floor around her. She told my daughter that she could use the restroom but would have to wait because she was cleaning herself up. I’ve never had a positive experience at this location.

The people that work here need to learn how to read orders cause they clearly can't get anything right. I ordered mchickens add cheese I received bread with lettuce cheese and mayo no chicken Patty's for some reason. Ordered sauce with my nuggets didn't receive that. Ordered 2 chocolate shakes didn't receive 1 of those. They can't even put straws in a bag. Whoever works here needs retrained or fired. It's not a hard job.