From the Chicago Dispatcher, June 18, 2008

Letters to the Editor
My McDonald's Boycott

By: Obayana Ogunleye

A couple of weeks ago I was listening to the radio in my cab when I heard a commercial for McDonald’s come on the air.  In it was a grouchy Chicago cabdriver who was giving a passenger a hard time for trying to pay with a credit card.  The driver was a jerk but eventually softened up when the passenger offered him some McDonald’s sweet tea.

I’m tired of seeing and hearing Chicago cabdrivers being depicted in this way all over the media.  When the Sun-Times or ABC 7 depicts us in a rotten way, there’s only so much we can do.  We can write letters and complain but that won’t get us very far because they have a right to their opinions and can portray us how they like in the name of free speech.

However, McDonald’s is another story.  I do not have to buy their products.  I haven’t since I heard that commercial and I don’t plan to unless McDonald’s decides to issue an apology to Chicago cabdrivers.  The chance of that happening is about as fatty as their Big Mac.  Anyway, I used to enjoy getting coffee from there.  I now go to Dunkin Donuts.  No more burgers from McDonald’s.  Burger King and Wendy’s are just as good, if not better.

Regarding credit cards, McDonald’s accepts them, by choice.  We are forced to take them.  In spite of that, my personal belief is that credit cards are here to stay and we need to take them because a lot of customers want to pay with them.  We need to embrace them and appreciate customers who want to pay with them. 

But what the city and McDonald’s need to understand is why we have such a problem taking credit cards.  If McDonald’s accepts credit cards, it is based on a business decision.  It isn’t mandated by the government.  They are allowed to factor in costs and benefits of taking them.  We aren’t.  We’re just made to take them, no matter the cost.

So, we should take credit cards.  But cab driving is a business.  Accordingly, we must:

1. Be compensated for the hassle of having to cash them in.
2. Be compensated for the 5% expense we have to pay to cash them.
3. Be compensated for the risk of chargebacks we face.
4. Be compensated for the time our money is tied up before we can get cash.
5. Be compensated for the extra time it takes to take credit cards.
6. Be compensated for the additional risk of getting fly tickets because of the extra time it takes for passengers paying with credit cards.

What is a convenience for passengers is a hassle for drivers.  Before the city passes along extra expenses to us, they need to figure out how we’re going to pay the related expenses and receive extra profit for the extra service.  We need a fare increase and McDonalds owes us an apology.

-Obayana Ogunleye
oobayana@yahoo.com

i heard that commercial. ****** me off 2. voted yes 2 the boycott. don't know how much a diffrence 2 drivers will make though.

One of the email messages I received from my letter that I wanted to share.............



I think the story is totally insane. You cab drivers are deranged and need to sleep. The world don't revolve around you. You all are disrespectful to women - we don't do that in America so you all can go back where you come from. You all are very very very impatient and everything people say and the commercial from mcdonalds is totally true and I agree with everything they said. Not all can drivers are crazy but believe me when I say the majority is. Finally, you need to take that article out of "The Chicago Dispatcher" because that's your opinion and should only be your opinion.

I wish they made donkey burgers with hee-haw sauce and long ear fries.

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Replying to:

One of the email messages I received from my letter that I wanted to share.............



I think the story is totally insane. You cab drivers are deranged and need to sleep. The world don't revolve around you. You all are disrespectful to women - we don't do that in America so you all can go back where you come from. You all are very very very impatient and everything people say and the commercial from mcdonalds is totally true and I agree with everything they said. Not all can drivers are crazy but believe me when I say the majority is. Finally, you need to take that article out of "The Chicago Dispatcher" because that's your opinion and should only be your opinion.

That commercial is partly true. Its the system that make us react like that to credit cards. They should be easy to process and in the same amount as cash. Unfortunatelly its not like that...We have to explint this every time to the customers so they will understand that using a credit card in a cab is not the same as using it at the Dominicks. We are on the move and there's traffic agents eyes on us. And if you tip me $2 for an O'hare trip my tip is zero

Why not boycott credit card customers?

put a sign in your cab:

Cash Only Cab
Sorry,
Credit Card MSystem
Temproarily Out of Order

Ifd the customer syas anything, just say "I told the boss, but the boss said to drive anyway."

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Replying to:

That commercial is partly true. Its the system that make us react like that to credit cards. They should be easy to process and in the same amount as cash. Unfortunatelly its not like that...We have to explint this every time to the customers so they will understand that using a credit card in a cab is not the same as using it at the Dominicks. We are on the move and there's traffic agents eyes on us. And if you tip me $2 for an O'hare trip my tip is zero

I agree cash only cabs in Chicago. That is what an ATM is for. I am independent cab. I will never take credit cards. The only thing that sucks. I can't pick up at the Airport. I still do better in the city sometimes.

Tell the Mayor to get "CASH ONLY" signs printed and given to "CASH ONLY" cab drivers.

If you Ask the Commissioner, she wil only say that she does not see nay need for more clutter in the back of the cabs.

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Replying to:

I agree cash only cabs in Chicago. That is what an ATM is for. I am independent cab. I will never take credit cards. The only thing that sucks. I can't pick up at the Airport. I still do better in the city sometimes.

I will try.