mai dang lao

...Chinese for McDonald's.  Mai Dang Lao delivers in China!  Yes, all I have to do is dial a number, press 2 for English, place my order and they show up at my door in 30 minutes or less with a big mac and some fries.  How cool is this!?

But honestly, when I heard how easy this was, it made me a little nervous.  Nervous to know that all I had to do was dial a number.  And even more nervous for my sweet Emily to know that a chicken nugget happy meal was only a phone call away!

So, seriously, for 3 months, I did not call McDonald's.  Can you believe it!?  I knew it would be too tempting and probably addicting once I actually did it.  Especially since we are both tired and hungry when we get home and don't always have the patience or energy to cook a meal.

BUT, last Sunday morning, we really wanted some breakfast sausage...  a rare find in China.  So, sausage and egg mcmuffin it was!  Plus, I really needed my first successful ordering experience in China, so I caved... and called Mai Dang Lao.

I was a little nervous because I wasn't sure how the conversation would go, but the McDonald's guy spoke English very clearly.  He did ask for my address in Chinese...  so I gave it to him, he said okay, and said our food would be here in 30 minutes.  I was so excited!  I placed an order and was understood. :)

So... 20 minutes later, I get a phone call.  All Chinese.  No clue what he's saying except for "Mai Dong Lao", so I just repeat my address and he hangs up.  2 minutes later, another phone call, different number.  All Chinese.  No clue.  I say, "Ting bu dong" (I don't understand).  And he hangs up.  2 minutes later...  another call, different number.  All Chinese...  and then a very broken "please   o  pen  the  door".  Me:  "I  am  o  pen  ing  the   door.  No   body   is  there."  Click.  30 seconds later.  Same thing.  Click.  Several more times.  And then...  lightbulb...  "oh!  you mean the door downstairs!?"  He said yes (in Chinese).  I was excited to finally figure this out.  I ran downstairs to open the door, and.....  nobody was there!  Argh...

I thought 8 phone calls was enough to let down my pride and knock on some sweet friends' door at 7 a.m. on a Sunday morning. :)  I explained the situation and my sweet friend said, "and you said, "wu hao lo"?  Me:  "wu hao lo, what's wu hao lo?"  She laughs.

"Wu hao lo"...  means building 5.  My friends called the sweet man and relayed the message.  I'm assuming the poor delivery guy had gone around to all the apartment buildings and ran up to the 4th floor of those buildings, hoping somebody wanted Mai Dang Lao.  When he finally got to me, my obsessive apologizing, smiling, laughing, and thankfulness did not bring a smile to this poor, old man's face.  Not even a smirk.  Nothing... 

Sorry sweet, old man...  "wu hao lo", "wu hao lo", "wu hao lo"...  next time, dear friend.