Mcdonald’s Mitaka

McDonalds prides itself on menu consistency and food safety. Usually, no major issues with those things here, so what warrants lesser than average ratings?
Let’s take a look:
— Overall interior: Pretty standard fare (decoration and lighting) for McD’s. Nothing really exceptional to note.
— Cleanliness: At most two stars. The place gets so busy that there’s barely enough time to cover the orders. This means running through the dining areas to wipe down tables and pick up after slobs who spill or leave food/​garbage gets neglected. This is especially visible in the limited smoking area, which has people who are generally less tidy than non-​smokers. Ugh.
— Layout: Most of the restaurant is in the basement of a building, which means no windows, no natural light, poor phone and wifi reception — poor to the point of being unusable and unreliable. No, so called «free» (non-​secure) wifi doesn’t count.
— Restrooms: Not seething filthy but not sparkling clean either. When they are «just» cleaned, the antiseptic smell is strong and lingering. Plan on using the restrooms AFTER you eat, if at all.
— Service 1): They’ve always had a haphazard way of managing the mass of people waiting to order as opposed to those who have already ordered and are waiting for their orders. At one time, there were belts to cordon off and separate the customers, but no more. I’m sure this makes it more confusing and stressful for customers and staff alike, more than it has to be.
— Service 2): Sorry but because the place is frequented by so many kids/​students, the staff are stretched. Smiles and genuine service are rare. If your environment is stressing you out, it would take extraordinary effort to deliver the brand, wouldn’t it?
— Access: The stairs are steep and can get slippery on rainy days. Doesn’t appear to offer an elevator for disabled customers — oops, too bad. If I try to eat in the little alcove right off the entrance (see note below), it means I need to carry all my stuff, plus the tray of food back up the stairs, sometimes to discover a pre-​order squatter has taken the last seat.
Note: There’s a small seating area in the street level as you enter, but this area seems like an after-​thought.
Well, maybe there’s not much more they can do with the space. Perhaps consider another location? It’s not an excellent dining experience to begin with.
You wanna be a Maverick? Go ahead, take the plunge!