Eating at a McDonald's can sometimes be a snack on the way to an event or more a family meal on a weekend, or even a place for a coffee or a cold drink on a hot day.

However, after looking at the TripAdvisor ratings about McDonald's in County Durham and Darlington, it is clear there are different calibres of the fast food restaurants. 

While there are some good McDonald's out there, The Northern Echo has sifted through restaurants to bring you a list of the best and the worst McDonald's in our region.

Without further ado, here's the list:

McDonald's Bowburn

J61/A177, Tursdale Road, Bowburn, DH6 5NP

Rating: 3.5/5

The best-rated McDonald's out there in County Durham and Darlington - the restaurant close to the A177 has left a host of good reviews and a lack of 'terrible' reviews.

One impressed customer hailed it as a good place: "Often take my aged mother and her friend in here for lunch. We always get table service which is great and the staff can't do enough to help us as my mother is in a wheelchair."

McDonald's Dalton Park

Unit 110, Dalton Park Unit 110, Murton, SR7 9HU

Rating: 2.5/5

Another good-rated McDonald's, this restaurant is within the Dalton Park complex and can be known for getting busy. 

However, it seems like it has managed to maintain some good reviews. 

One satisfied customer was quick to write on TripAdvisor: "Excellent service food hot, chicken tender and crispy milkshakes creamy a pleasure to eat here best McDonald’s I have had for a long time."

McDonald's Coatham Mundeville

Coatham Mundeville, Darlington, DL1 3NL

Rating: 2.5/5

This McDonald's restaurant hasn't got the best of reviews on TripAdvisor, with customer complaining of various things over the last few years. 

This includes one person who claims he ended up getting a £60 fine after they were left waiting two hours for their order. 

On TripAdvisor, they said: "We visited this branch during half term, with friends and their children, travelling back from a break. It was extremely busy.

"The car park was full, the drive-thru was tailed back and the restaurant was heaving. Service took ages due to the volume of customers and we waited so long that I thought they’d mislaid our order.

"Our friends waited even longer for theirs. Today I got a notification of a parking fine as we were there for over two hours." 

Mcdonald's Arnison

Unit K, Arnison Retail Centre, Pity Me, Arnison Retail Centre, Durham, DH1 5GD

Rating: 2.5/5

Similarly for the McDonald's at the Arnison Centre, the review doesn't look promising, with 12 negative reviews from a possible 38 ratings. 

This review was from back in 2021, with the reviewer having a bad day after visiting the drive-thru restaurant. 

The review read: "This morning I ordered pancakes and syrup and I was given pancakes with a disgusting-looking burger on top. I am a vegetarian so I could not eat this, I was also given no cutlery and the lid on my drink was not put on properly so it spilled all over my car."

McDonald's Bishop Auckland

Maude Terrace, St Helen Auckland, Bishop Auckland, DL14 9TT

Rating: 2.5/5

Despite having ten good reviews, there are more bad ones than good ones - but this McDonald's in Bishop Auckland does have an average review of 2.5 stars.

One dissatisfied customer said: "I have ordered twice lately for breakfast to be delivered. I ordered breakfast meals. The first time my drink wasn't delivered and the order I placed today was supposed to have two hash browns but I only received my sandwich and drink."

However, one impressed customer said separately: "Fantastic meal best I’ve had in years chips were soft and fluffy. I’ve got loads of those are the burgers out of this world."

 

McDonald's Consett

Genesis Way, Consett, DH8 5XP

Rating: 2.5/5

Another McDonald's restaurant with 2.5 stars - with seven 'excellent reviews' and 22 'terrible' reviews. This restaurant has recently enjoyed a revamp. 

One customer who left a negative review wrote on TripAdvisor: "Cannot get an order right and then expect you to drive around again to correct their mistake for them. Attitude absolutely rotten also, the most appalling customer service I’ve ever seen."

However, one impressed reviewer said: "Four miles from our holiday cottage it was quicker to drive there than do the washing up."

McDonald's Darlington (Morton)

Morton Park Way, Yarm Road, Darlington, DL1 4PJ

Rating: 2.5/5

Another 2.5/5 rating - and it doesn't make good reading for these McDonald's sites - including in Darlington. 

With 22 'terrible' reviews and only eight 'excellent' ones, it seems customers on TripAdvisor aren't best pleased. 

One annoyed customer who didn't enjoy their experience said: "Last night we decided to get a snack from Maccies me and my sister and were in there for over half an hour waiting. My sister's order was accurate and came pretty quick but mine was not even made."

McDonald's Darlington (North Road) 

North Road Industrial Estate, Meynell Road, Darlington, DL3 0YQ

Rating: 2/5

Going down the ratings now, this McDonald's venue in Darlington has taken a hammering in the TripAdvisor ratings, with 22 people calling the restaurant 'terrible'. 

One dissatisfied from the reviews from summer 2023 read: "Ordered via the app and the food ordered was wrong. I was missing medium fries and the cheeseburger fillings were wrong. Even the milkshake was spilling out of the cup. I asked for replacement cheeseburgers the manager refused but they replaced the milkshake."

McDonald's Peterlee

Surtees Road, Surtees Road, Peterlee, SR8 5HA

Rating: 2/5

Another two-star rating for a McDonald's in County Durham and Darlington - but still not the worst on the list. 

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While having 13 'terrible' reviews, there is some saving grace from the fact that it does have two excellent reviews. 

One person not best pleased with their order, said: "Terrible service, very slow, had to order on the machine and get table service as I couldn’t get anywhere near the counter never mind with a wheelchair."

McDonald's Stanley

Clifford Road, Stanley, DH9 0XG

Rating: 1.5/5

This McDonald's has been caned on the TripAdvisor reviews, including having no 'excellent' reviews and the majority of 'terrible' reviews.

It seems like people haven't held back with these reviews, with one person saying: "This place is an embarrassment. Food I wouldn’t even feed a dog! No way you can be happy with the food produced here."