McDonald's in Puerto Plata

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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This probably is the only stand alone McDonald's in a DR tourist zone, albeit targetting the local population more than the tourists. I will not be surprised if this becomes the most photographed McDonald's by tourists to the DR zipping in a tour on their way west of Puerto Plata (the charcos and other interests). Some heading from the airport to the Lifestyle resorts in Cofresí might notice too. If someone doesn't want to appear in who knows how many Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc accounts; go through Automac only or if entering and eating in the restaurant, don't sit by the windows. lol

The exception is if a McDonsld's open in the Punta Cana/Bávaro area and is visible from a main street or the boulevard.
 
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windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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Had some dental appointments run late today in Puerto Plata and I did something I said I would not do. We stopped in the new McDonalds.

It was not busy. There were two orders pending before ours.
We ordered two simple meals off the video menus.
It took about 20 minutes to be served with just those two orders ahead of us
The two meals we had were mediocre at best
Even the fries were nothing special and they were the one thing I did like about McDonalds.

It was a mistake, I said I would not go there and I should not have done it. I have no intention of going back.
 

El Hijo de Manolo

It's outrageous, egregious, preposterous!
Dec 10, 2021
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Had some dental appointments run late today in Puerto Plata and I did something I said I would not do. We stopped in the new McDonalds.

It was not busy. There were two orders pending before ours.
We ordered two simple meals off the video menus.
It took about 20 minutes to be served with just those two orders ahead of us
The two meals we had were mediocre at best
Even the fries were nothing special and they were the one thing I did like about McDonalds.

It was a mistake, I said I would not go there and I should not have done it. I have no intention of going back.
You are the self fulfilling prophecy in the flesh, sir.
 

El Hijo de Manolo

It's outrageous, egregious, preposterous!
Dec 10, 2021
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And I really made a mistake. Thankfully, it is one that is simple to get over and forget.
Well old boy, i took the kids there last week. We had a great time and they loved it. I enjoyed a Big Mac like when I was a kid. The nostalgia was perfectly on time when I needed it. The family was together. I flirted with the cash register gal who was very cute and she made sure our meal was top notch. I shook hands with the manager on duty and he gave me a hug. My kids were born here and never had been to macdonald's - they only have seen in tv are were crazy to go. It was a great time. You see, old boy, you see? As you said in the Haiti post GET IT??? Manny out. Buena noche
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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Well old boy, i took the kids there last week. We had a great time and they loved it. I enjoyed a Big Mac like when I was a kid. The nostalgia was perfectly on time when I needed it. The family was together. I flirted with the cash register gal who was very cute and she made sure our meal was top notch. I shook hands with the manager on duty and he gave me a hug. My kids were born here and never had been to macdonald's - they only have seen in tv are were crazy to go. It was a great time. You see, old boy, you see? As you said in the Haiti post GET IT??? Manny out. Buena noche
Oh I get it. Some people like McDonalds. Kids especially. Unfortunately , I do not.. I am also not kid friendly...
 
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JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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I go to the one on Ave. Luperon infrequently, and when I do I get the Egg McMuffin sandwich with Sausage.
It's my go-to when I have a Jones for English muffins and Sausage so it's a double header for me. (They also offer it with Bacon, but their Bacon is the thinnest Bacon I've seen in my life). I can't get either one anywhere else.
And kid's meals aren't bad if you tell them you want freshly made french fries and extra pickles on your cheeseburgers. Plus I get a toy.
 

Gadfly

member
Jul 7, 2016
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It was not busy. There were two orders pending before ours.
We ordered two simple meals off the video menus.
It took about 20 minutes to be served with just those two orders ahead of us
The two meals we had were mediocre at best
Even the fries were nothing special and they were the one thing I did like about McDonald’s
Sad, disappointing & pathetic. I will continue to avoid it. 20 minutes for lousy fries? no thx. How can you screw up a McDonald’s? Only here
 

Cabarete2014

Member
Mar 30, 2014
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Had some dental appointments run late today in Puerto Plata and I did something I said I would not do. We stopped in the new McDonalds.

It was not busy. There were two orders pending before ours.
We ordered two simple meals off the video menus.
It took about 20 minutes to be served with just those two orders ahead of us
The two meals we had were mediocre at best
Even the fries were nothing special and they were the one thing I did like about McDonalds.

It was a mistake, I said I would not go there and I should not have done it. I have no intention of going back.
I had a similar experience a couple of days ago. at 9:00 am I ordered a standard breakfast platter that included burrito, has brown and coffee. Only one order ahead of me and it took 20 minutes for my order. The coffee was very cold and the burrito tortilla was so hard that I couldn't bite on it, basically uneatable. I will never go again!!!
 
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malko

Campesino !! :)
Jan 12, 2013
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McDonalds in POP is kind of the worst, if that helps.

Not a great fan in general, however the only half way decent one I ate at in the DR is the one in santiago next to El Nacional.

Just looking at the staff in the POP one made me laugh out loud...... there was 3 times as many staff as needed and nobody had a clue what they were doing ......
 

josh2203

Bronze
Dec 5, 2013
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Had some dental appointments run late today in Puerto Plata and I did something I said I would not do. We stopped in the new McDonalds.

It was not busy. There were two orders pending before ours.
We ordered two simple meals off the video menus.
It took about 20 minutes to be served with just those two orders ahead of us
The two meals we had were mediocre at best
Even the fries were nothing special and they were the one thing I did like about McDonalds.

It was a mistake, I said I would not go there and I should not have done it. I have no intention of going back.
For years, whenever we have something to do in Santiago, we always go to the one in the intersection of Estrella Sadhala and 27 de febrero, and it has thus far never let us down... That being said, that location is always (when we've been there) busy...

Once, last year when we practically "lived" in HOMS due to our son, we briefly went to the location closer to them and it was deserted... A big mistake... Service and the food were c**p...

So people might have different experiences, but we've learned that a fast-food place carrying a popular brand that is deserted during lunch time and is not located in the middle of the forest, there's something wrong there... Even with a constant queue, the waiting time should not be 20 minutes...
 
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josh2203

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Dec 5, 2013
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McDonalds in POP is kind of the worst, if that helps.

Just looking at the staff in the POP one made me laugh out loud...... there was 3 times as many staff as needed and nobody had a clue what they were doing ......

We´ve been looking to try that, but based on all this, perhaps we'll pass...

Having a group of staff with no customers and no idea of anything is in many cases the norm here... But those people also earn close to nothing...
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
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Go to any American fast food restaurant in any country that's a popular tourist destination and you will see a lot of Americans.
I agree. Sometimes you just want to taste something from home. A lot of Americans are not comfortable trying new things and adapt slowly.
 
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nothing to ad

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Jan 10, 2022
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i drive a bike and was told to go park behind the bank where the motos park then walk to the crappy mcds so i said scr w e uuu and left and never went back i also go to burger king and had good service and parking right in front of store
 

Nadie21

Active member
Jun 3, 2021
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I agree. Sometimes you just want to taste something from home. A lot of Americans are not comfortable trying new things and adapt slowly.
AlterEgo…agree … But they (the Americans) did make the decision to travel to new and exotic places. Traveling be it to DR or Paris…it would never be the lust of needing to chomp down on a McDonalds. Pretty sad I think.
 

Kricke87

Well-known member
Feb 16, 2021
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Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but personally, since they opened, I've been there about 5-6 times. And yes the first time it was not a very great experience, the fries were almost cold, the coke had no soda. But at that point, it had just opened and it didn't really seem like they had actually finished and "the room" behind the counter where they normally make the burgers/fries and everything were just empty with like 20 people not doing much, while they did the food 1 floor up, in another room beside the "playroom" and then had to walk down the stairs to give the food to the ones behind the counter. This seemed a bit weird.
But since that first try, I've not had any issues, except the normal McD issues with them forgetting sauces, giving wrong orders and so, but that has happened to me at ANY McD anywhere in the world.
And yes McD it's not a gourmet meal, but it's McD, so if you like it or not that's a personal preference.
Just looking at the staff in the POP one made me laugh out loud...... there was 3 times as many staff as needed and nobody had a clue what they were doing ......
However, I do agree with this... This is just crazy.. like 20 people doing 5 people's work. Maybe they are just training up other people to be working at other places, what do I know. But I don't think they are making enough to be having 3-4x the staff they actually need.
And also when going through the Drive-Through, instead of just handing over the food directly to you, there is a guy outside the window asking you to park 1 meter ahead, and then 5 seconds after you've parked he comes with the food. That's just laughably stupid. :ROFLMAO: