McAlisters Deli Reviews

by Foharaka

I knew there was a reason I deleted McAlistersDeli years ago & that exact reason STILL hasn't been resolved! I love their food, don't get me wrong, but having to delete McAlistersDeli , re-install it over & over again JUST to use McAlistersDeli properly, in this day & time is a poor excuse for anything.. ESP when we're talking about a restaurant app!

I will be permanently deleting McAlistersDeli until I know for a fact that I won't be dealing with these kinds of issues bc quite honestly, I don't have the time nor energy to deal with that.. My days are busy enough handling ridiculously, much less do I want to have to deal with a stupid technology issue just to order food.

Crossing my fingers they'll get this figured out bc like I said, they've got good food! :)

by Angi_1955

I ordered through McAlistersDeli , got a confirmation email that the order went through. Then a few minutes later I get an email saying it did not go through. I went in person to McAlisters in Forsyth. They look but did not have the order. I showed them on my phone that the credit card charge had gone through. It was showing pending on the credit card so they said it would drop off and I would not be charged. They took my order in person and I paid cash for that order. The next day I checked my credit card account and the charge is there and is still there today. I sent this information through on the comment section of McAlistersDeli . And have gotten no reply. I’m really disappointed as I feel that should’ve been a timely response to the situation. I’m attaching supporting documents.

by Yoyopossible4356

I have never had a problem on McAlistersDeli till tonight and it said that something was not available And I tried to check out....but it wouldn’t tell me why it was not available at the Fountain City store in Knoxville Tennessee. So I decided to call the store and I must’ve ended up in the Philippines where he didn’t understand anything I was ordering ...and then he couldn’t take my money over the phone.... I was on hold for 20 minutes till he transferred me to the store on Broadway in fountain city/Knoxville Tennessee..The lady who Answered the phone said that all catering orders go through a call-center I was not placing a catering order I was ordering for my son and myself $21 to be exact. The lady on the telephone In the store on Broadway in Knoxville Tennessee didn’t seem too concerned and didn’t care that I didn’t place my order. Why can’t we just talk to someone on the telephone that is literally in the location we are trying to order from???? Why does everything have to be transferred over the Atlantic ocean or the Pacific ocean when we are in the United States of America. The reason everyone is going out of business is because there is no customer service anymore.

by Lisalis1980

I went to place an order and I added my reward - free soup, then I added a couple sandwiches. When I went to complete my order, it said one of the items I chose was not available and took me back to choosing a location screen. It didn’t tell me what item wasn’t available, and it wiped out my entire order and my free soup was gone. I ended up having to call and place my order and the lady that took my order couldn’t find my free soup and couldn’t add it to my order. Very frustrating!
I think it was a side of mashed potatoes that wasn’t available if you want to try and recreate the error but I’m not sure because again, it didn’t even tell me what item wasn’t available. Also you cannot add coupons to your order and it requests payment before pickup. Please fix!!!

by Anonymous100000000000000000

When I first got McAlistersDeli, I used it every time I went to a McAlister’s. Now, with the removal of basic sandwiches on the menu, which is all I order, it’s useless to me. By “basic sandwich,” I mean I can’t order a pastrami on rye on McAlistersDeli , which is about as basic as you can get. It would be okay if the restaurant just didn’t allow it, but they still do, you just have to call it in, or order at the counter and wait fifteen minutes.

Update: App is officially useless. When trying to order, I get to a point where I’m unable to actually select anything. Sandwich selection doesn’t populate. Clicking on “mushroom soup” in the What’s New section is the closest I can get to an actual order. I’m asked to choose the size, with no options for size. I doubt anyone is actually still minding McAlistersDeli. Stay away. Call or order at the counter, and hope the person tending to you knows what they’re doing. In my experience, they won’t. I’ve stopped going to McAlister’s because the experience is so awful, from McAlistersDeli to in person.

by Gammy*1

I use to go to Mcalister’s in Odessa Texas and loved their food. My first time at your new location in Granbury Texas and I was so disappointed. I bought one of your Chicken Salad sandwiches and it was like someone took a knife and wiped the chicken salad on like peanut butter. I have had this sandwich in Odessa Texas and it was loaded with chicken Salad. Your staff needs some schooling on making a sandwich. I spent $7.00 for a sandwich with no chicken salad on it. SO DISAPPOINTED!!

Well second time to order a Chicken Salad Sandwich and even had the manager of the store in Granbury check to see if there was a good amount on my sandwich. She came back to the window and said, “Oh Yes , you will get a bite of chicken salad in every bite. Well I got home with my sandwich and it was the same as the first one. I will never buy a chicken salad sandwich from your store again, I can’t trust that I pay $7.00 for a sandwich and get a swipe of chicken salad like a condiment. Really a joke. But I’m not laughing.

by IrvTXMom83

I have placed many orders with McAlistersDeli , and there is always an issue with my order after placing it on McAlistersDeli . I confirm my order I get an email confirmation everything is correct, and then something is wrong when I get to the store. Either the payment, they say, didn’t go through, or something else. With this newest update, I had to place my order two separate times. I had to, rewards and I was going to attempt to use one of them. However, each time I submitted my order with payment, then it canceled my order and sent me to the very beginning page in McAlistersDeli where I had to restart everything. Went through the process twice. And McAlistersDeli then deleted my rewards. What is the point of a rewards program when you never give your customer a reward? Maybe you guys should talk to Chick-fil-A. They know how to do McAlistersDeli thing

by Brad L&S

McAlistersDeli has pretty much been trash for a very long time now. It worked fine about a year ago and then one day, just stopped working. Could never place an order. Gave up after awhile. Was eating there 3-4 times a week while at work. Haven’t in almost a year now. Figured they would have fixed McAlistersDeli by now. Was glad to see it now has the Sign In with Apple option. Only it doesn’t work. I choose to Sign In with Apple, my phone uses Face ID to verify, then a screen pops up that says, Hold On A Minute! Turns out Facebook doesn’t know everything. I’m not signing in with Facebook nor would I ever. McAlistersDeli then requests every personal detail of my life in order to be sold in exchange for the option to order food from an app. No thanks. Maybe I’ll check back in another year.

by TLK Momma

McAlistersDeli is great; in theory. I love how easy it is to place my order and pay for it with the idea of dashing in to retrieve my order rather than wait in a long line, only to wait longer for your food to be prepared. It’s so convenient! However, every time I place an order and get my “your order is ready..” email I show up and nothing is ready. I’ve done this with two different stores and the manager of each place very curtly tells me they don’t have my order! I politely show them my confirmation and order ready emails (with their location at the top). They then begrudgingly pull together my order and hand it to me like I’ve stolen something from them (even though the email clearly states it’s paid). I’ve made the conscious decision to take my business elsewhere. But I’m hoping whatever is going on gets worked out so I can return soon.

by Leslie_jo

I love McAlister! Although McAlistersDeli AND the management of this company is horrible. I made an order on McAlistersDeli for pickup. When I arrived they did not have my order ready and said they did not receive a order. I got an email saying the order was accepted and then another email saying it failed. I continued and order it again at the store. When I noticed I was then charged for that order I placed in McAlistersDeli I tried to get a refund. It has now been 11 days and I still can’t get ahold of anyone that can OR WILL do anything. I have been emailing a ‘training manager’ which she has been telling me the store manager will contact me which I have not heard ANYTHING! Then when I tried to call the store which the phone only rings and no one answers. Again I love this place but it makes me sad that the management does not care for their customers. QUINCY Il

by Cmmcsp

App (and online ordering) both force me to substitute 9 grain bread for another type when trying to customize the garden fresh turkey sandwich. This has been happening for more than 6 months and I’ve submitted numerous complaints to McAlistersDeli developers. Now, for the past month, the ONLY option on McAlistersDeli for chips is BBQ, yet when I get to the store All varieties are available. Now I have to call the store to get the order right which make McAlistersDeli worthless. I have always enjoyed McAlistersDeli until these glitches. I hate having to pay at the window and then have to scan the receipt for my reward points. About to give up and go back to Subway.

by Leftygurl61

Will not accept my cash app VISA payment. It went through then it came back payment has been canceled? Why is that? Cash app sent me the text both times letting me know what happened, once it went through 2nd McAlister’s canceled it wow idk what’s going on or why you can’t order with your app and be able to pay through my cash app Visa card. But oh well I save .35 cent fee that this company charges every time you place an order through their app or online! But how can they do that anyway I’d like to know a “ Service Fee”? Is that legal ? If you call your order guess what No Fee y’all! Wow really terrible when you have to charge a fee to your customers fir placing online orders Bummer

by Darrahnors

I have used McAlistersDeli for several months now. Sometimes it works better than other times. It must have received an update about 4-6 months ago that was not to the end user’s benefit. You don’t really have much choice on sides. You should be able to upcharge for other sides like you can in-store, but McAlistersDeli won’t allow it and won’t allow you to remove the item you don’t want. I have also encountered that I got an order confirmation on McAlistersDeli then showed up a the restaurant to find out they do not have my order and no explanation for why it did not go through! It’s good if or when it works, but it really could use some advancements and improvements to be useful! Need to take advice from Chick-Fil-A. Theirs always works!!!!!

by Gaxguy

I have been successfully using McAlistersDeli for some months now since the covid pandemic started. Suddenly now, McAlistersDeli no longer is showing me certain sandwiches when I try to order. Specifically, it won’t let me order a Smokey Pepperjack Turkey or a Harvest Chicken Salad sandwich, which we often ordered before. Oddly, I can find those sandwiches as an option if I’m trying to order a Choose Two but I cannot for the life of me just order a whole sandwich because the sandwich menu won’t show them as an option! I deleted McAlistersDeli and reinstalled it thinking that might help resolve the issue, but no such luck. The same sandwiches are still missing! Perhaps some others as well because it just looks like some are missing. I just don’t know which ones specifically. Until this is fixed, McAlistersDeli, and the associated Rewards points are useless to me. It isn’t because the restaurant was out of those sandwiches because I was able to go to them and order them in person. But I didn’t get and Reward Points credit for that since I wasn’t using McAlistersDeli . Until those sandwich choices return to McAlistersDeli , I won’t be patronizing McAlister’s again.

by Ap Doesnt Work

I don’t care for the changes in your menu. You took away the only gluten free dessert, mashed potatoes which were great for young children, the onions on the roast beef potatoes are raw not sautéed, and now you have to ask for a pickle . Took away the option for light ice in drinks and raised your prices so much it is no longer an affordable option. I use to eat here at least once a week and usually more. Now more like once a month. The rewards system has not worked for months and it used to work fine. Many times of late the potatoes take forever to get or they are out. You had a great thing going affordable food that wasn’t fast food. Now people can start getting better food for the same price yours cost. My bill for the exact same items is up over $8.

by Mytw0b1ts

People don’t understand why some phrases are timeless like “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” until it’s too late and they’re shutting it down and packing it in. In the latest buffoonery at McAlister’s, my login that has worked since the beginning of time is no longer valid so then your forced to tap forgot password like it’s your fault even though it’s worked every visit up until now and that email never comes either. It’s almost like death by PowerPoint but for these guys the technology that’s supposed to be helping them is hurting them because that’s twice today I’ve tried to visit and my login isn’t working so idk what you want from me. Get better developers and stop messing with stuff that’s working fine. It’s stupid to log people out of their account anyways - I can’t say it enough - people need took at the people that have perfected this - Starbucks, Chick-Fil-A and stop trying to reinvent and mess up the wheel. Until then I guess I’m eating elsewhere.

by Pickle Juiccceee

When reordering it should only auto-populate the actual order and not the location. Went into McAlistersDeli and it showed my current location. Selected reorder and it reordered the item and used the location from a 100 plus miles away. After realizing it was order at another location i had to call that location to cancel since it didn’t provide a cancel option on McAlistersDeli . After calling and being assured a refund no refund has appeared. This along with negative experiences with previous McAlister’s locations is deterring me from to patronize McAlister’s. A simple reminder or verifying location of the restaurant’s location(the same as add on notification) could correct this and curve negative impacts to customers.

by Mlynn171

you guys need to hire someone with a lot of ux experience to troubleshoot McAlistersDeli because it is a hassle to use. ordering is kind of a nightmare and payment is super frustrating. why can’t i use apple pay from my phone? or something other than just typing in my card…no shade to the design team and ui/ux people you already have but for real this is not the quality i would expect from such a big chain with tons of money to throw at an app… . Also — i noticed that it charges a tip. In person I have never been asked about tipping at mcallisters, and when I worked at mcallisters only a few years ago, we were told not to accept any tips, but if we did get a tip to give it to the manager (I never saw any of that money again) so who does this “tip” money go to??? are the actual employees getting them. it seems kind of fishy and weird to me…

by SidBob

McAlistersDeli works well, but it is limited in use for some simple features that would help a lot. For instance, there is no way to request a water in a cup. The tap water is already filtered. I would willingly pay the cup cost if it were a feature.

Additionally, the redemption process is a little wonky. I was in the rewards center trying to redeem something that was in my cart. It kept telling me to add the item to my cart to redeem the coupon (free tea). When I got to the cart, it gave me the option again and it worked.

Lastly, upon using the customization process I found the user is not able to specify the amount of an entree augmentation. For instance, I added a herb Mayo but I was not able to specify I wanted a little or extra. Same with the veggies. I don’t like a lot of tomato, but wasn’t able to select a light portion of tomato. The items that come on the sandwich have this step in the customization process.

by JennyB315

It’s much easier to order in McAlistersDeli than it used to be online. Although, It changes fairly often. My biggest complaint is that you used to be able to put ice preferences in the drink section, but they took it away. It’s annoying to have to either call right after you order and ask them to put lite ice or order food online and then order the drinks in store when you pick up. The workers at the store told me to put it in the notes section, but there’s no notes section anywhere to put it in either.

by Fan A&e

I absolutely love McAlisters, but I have always placed to-go orders. When McAlistersDeli came along, I thought it would be awesome and I was very wrong! Constantly can’t find the location about 3 miles from my house, tells me one or more items can’t be ordered at that location and won’t tell me which items, can’t EVER use reorder function so why is it there, and finally the rewards are terrible. Who wants a free plain potato every 6 months?!? As much as I love their food, this is just too much trouble. Moving on to Jason’s deli or Newk’s.
Update: Haven’t been in awhile and tried to use McAlistersDeli , big surprise that it wouldn’t load the food for awhile and then after investing 20 minutes into clicking through it, the payment method wouldn’t work. Definitely done this time.

by Lulabelle03

Each time I’ve tried to use McAlistersDeli to order, it has been frustratingly slow. Worse, however, is the fact that only once have I been able to successfully complete the order—I’ll get to the last step and am told that there was a problem and I should order in the store. The one time I was able to complete the order, it was only after trying at least three times because I was determined to make it work. Even if it worked correctly, it offers limited ability to customize. For instance, when I order drinks to go I like to order them without ice so they will not be watered down when I get to my destination—when you order drinks on McAlistersDeli, “no ice” is not a customization option and there is no place to put a comment.

by Pharagill

There are no descriptions of the food on McAlistersDeli (nor on their website). There’s a rewards section that just says to “check back” with no indication of how to earn. The whole layout when ordering is cluttered and clunky. I couldn’t even get it to remove the pickle spear from my sandwich.

The last straw is that I was trying to order from my phone before leaving work, and got an error that “one or more of the items on the order are unavailable” when checking out. It didn’t even specify! Then it says to try changing the items in the cart or call the store. So the solution presented is to just start swapping items off the order in trial and error, are you freakin’ kidding me? A family member ended up ordering online from home, and it went through - so there was no problem with what was on the order. McAlistersDeli just didn’t work.

The makers of McAlistersDeli need to take notes from Panera. Every problem I’ve mentioned in this review works on their app - food descriptions with ingredient detail, simple and straightforward rewards system, and if something on the menu is truly unavailable, it will tell you exactly what, even down to the type of bread, so you can easily swap out and still get the sandwich you want. And after the food from McAlisters wasn’t great even when we did get it (OK sandwiches, disgusting soups!), I will definitely be more inclined to choose a different eating place next time.

by William8grey

There is honestly no point to the McAllisters app unless you wanna place an order which you could also do by calling. I love McAllisters but every time I look at McAlistersDeli I wanna delete it. I find myself going to Chick-fil-A because there app actually gives you free things. McAllisters at most gives you a cookie. It’s nothing compared to Chick-fil-A. Even if i don’t have free things if i go to Chick-fil-A i can get point from buying food to use to get free food. McAllisters literally does nothing. The best they can give you is 2$ off a meal or ice tea. I’m probably gonna delete McAlistersDeli because every time I look at it it’s just waisting my phone storage. Until McAllisters gets there stuff straight to where there’s an actual point to download McAlistersDeli I’m deleting it and just gonna go to Chick-fil-A

by Butguesswhat

McAlistersDeli is horrible. No option to view pending order or even edit it. I created the order a few hours ahead of time. After creating my order I double checked to make sure it was correct and it changed the ready time. Had to fix that. Then finished order and the email confirmation had my order wrong. No way to check or change in app. Called the store and was given the run around telling me to wait 10 minutes before ready time to call to make changes. What? Not to mention they have a drive up window but McAlistersDeli said to pick up inside.

by Appleluv10

It generally works well but for the last couple of weeks, I can’t get to either of my credit cards to pay. My only option is to add another card, but I don’t want to. And I can’t re-enter an existing card because it says it’s already there. I just can’t see it or use it. I also don’t like the rewards system. It’s clunky. The old system worked so well. Not sure why you changed it. Please please fix the payment process on McAlistersDeli .