NeuroDivine

Some days, the universe really does like to test your commitment to staying regulated.

On Wednesday, I ordered a chocolate brownie at the McDonald’s self-service kiosk. Paid for it, waited… only to be told it had to be refunded because they weren’t ready yet. Fair enough. Mildly irritating, but logical. They were still frozen, and there was half an hour to go before they’d be available. I could live with that.

Fast-forward to today.

Same restaurant.

Opposite problem.

I ordered a brownie again, and this time it arrived immediately — which, in hindsight, should have been my first warning. I opened it, took one look, and… yes. Frozen. Solid. Straight from the Arctic Circle.

So now I’ve experienced both ends of the brownie paradox:

• We can’t give you one because they’re frozen, and

• We can give you one because… they’re frozen.

Consistency, it seems, is optional.

I spoke to a manager who was genuinely lovely—refunded it without fuss, apologised, and even brought me a fresh latte. No complaints about the kindness at all. But honestly… what is happening behind that counter? How can the same item be unavailable because it’s frozen on one day, and served because it’s frozen on another—within the same week?

For neurodivergent folks, this isn’t just mildly annoying. It’s the unpredictability—the mismatch between expectation and reality—that throws everything off. When you rely on routine, clarity, and predictable outcomes, a frozen brownie masquerading as a ready-to-eat dessert isn’t a small inconvenience. It’s a sensory ambush wrapped in chocolate.

I’m grateful for the manager’s help.

I’m less grateful for the brownie that could double as a load-bearing structure.

McDonald’s, please.

Just… pick a system.

And maybe thaw the brownies.

Image created using ChatGPT.