McShudder

[Walden]

Y'know... I got these problems with McDonald's. It also applies to much of the quick-service food industry in general.

• It tastes yucky.
• It's marketed to children, who are too young to know better.
• It makes Americans look stupid for being home to such a company.
• It replaces regional variety with stuff that tastes yucky.
• They got all this greasy junk, yet no Tater Tots. Likewise they have milkshakes and no malts. Also, they pretend like a Soft-Serve with a bit of chocolate pudding on it is a hot fudge sundae.
• Monthly promos.
• Inane advertising jingles that grate the nerves.

[jsluder]

I always feel bad (physically) after eating fast-food like McDonalds, Burger King, etc.. For this reason, I haven't eaten there in over a year. (And only rarely before that.) I'm fortunate enough to live in a place with plenty of other options.

[missy]

If we have to eat at one (sometimes when doing festivals, we don't have food with us, and/or need to grab something quickly) I'll get a salad and grilled chicken, or such.
I really prefer Wendy's, cuz you can get salad and baked potatos.

[Unseen122]

I hate fast food I try to avoid it at all costs.

[mamakash]

I haven't been to McDonald's in years. Nothing for vegetarians on their menu . . . even the flavoring for the fries contains beef extract. I had a veggie BK at Burger King well over a year ago and used to get baked potatoes at Wendy's, but I don't frequent fast food resturants often. Greek diners are GREAT . . . eggs and toast and home fries and coffee and usually very inexpensive.
If you're feeling irritated at McDonald's, Walden, I think you'd enjoy watching "Super Size Me".

[peeplj]

I enjoy McDonald's breakfast foods, but I don't care much for their burgers.

I don't particularly enjoy their fries either...fact is, it is really difficult to get good french fries from a fast food joint these days.

Maybe it's the "freedom fries" rename. That seems to include the concept of freedom from cleaning and sorting the potatoes, and freedom from ever changing the grease they are cooked in. :roll:

--James

[Lambchop]

I agree wholeheartedly.

Recently, MacDonald's has been rolling out new items like walnut-apple and ginger chicken salads. This was the result of a complaint made by a cardiologist that the medical center where he worked had a MacD's. He didn't feel it sent the appropriate message to recovering heart patients. MacD's has been endeavoring to change it's menu there to avoid being kicked out.

VA facilities have Burger King. There is a thing on the wall telling you how their items are a good choice.

They also have a greasy pizza emporium and a greasy "home cooking" affair, with fried chicken, fried potato wedges, greasy biscuits, etc. Then, there is the "soul food" emporium, featuring such delights as ham hocks, ribs, pigs feet, smothered chicken, potatoes and gravy, and vegetables in soul seasoning (mostly salt, MSG, fatback, bacon, and more grease).

The breakfast special one day . . . I am not making this up . . . was pan-fried potatoes and onions, biscuit (scone dripping with margarine) and gravy (white gravy with chunks of sausage), two fried runny eggs, two strips of bacon, two sausage links or patties, two rather large slices of ham and red-eye gravy, and two smothered chicken breasts. If you wanted pancakes (extremely greasy), they'd toss on two of those for an extra 50 cents. With melted butter and syrup.

I remember this clearly because it was so astounding. They had trouble getting the lid closed on the container. People were actually eating all of it.

The total cost of this affair was $2.50. An egg, toast, and fruit, or yogurt and a bagel, was in the range of $4.50. That does not send a good message.

There is a sandwich emporium, too. You can actually get a veggie, veggie and cheese, or tuna on a pita wrap or fresh whole wheat roll. Because they offer that, they feel they're doing the right thing.

All of the lunch specials used to come with a giant soft drink. We were able to get them to let us have a liter of water instead of the soft drink and a half-sandwich instead of a whole.

But there is still Burger King and the Grease Emporium. They send the wrong message to the patients.

Oh, and we're getting Starbucks. Right in the hospital itself. I'm wondering if they'll have the pastries. :roll:

[OnTheMoor]

The last couple years of high school I ate at McD's and the other fast food places constantly (that's what your driver's license is for right?). Then I met my girlfriend and her mother's cooking turned me onto the wonders of real food (not that my mom's own cooking was bad! My mom's a lovely cook).

After a couple years I had a BigMac while I was waiting for a class or something. I got violently ill, like my stomach was eating itself. I've had various burger joint things since then and it happens every time. I guess you develop an immunity to it as a kid, but once it's gone, watch out!

[Lambchop]

And then there is always the . . . gallbladder attack.

A guaranteed, sure-fire deterrent.

[anniemcu]

If you want more impetus to swear off fast food for good, read "Fast Food Nation". It'll open your eyes, turn your stomach, and slam your wallet shut anywhere near one of the joints!

[Walden]

Then, there is the "soul food" emporium, featuring such delights as ham hocks, ribs, pigs feet, smothered chicken, potatoes and gravy, and vegetables in soul seasoning (mostly salt, MSG, fatback, bacon, and more grease).

Now THAT's food I could get behind! Some of Grandma's fried apples would make a good dessert with it.

[ShadowBG625]

Personally, if I can avoid McDonalds, i will. BK and Wendy's and such, I can tolerate, but in EXTREME moderation. If I'm ever out on the road, I make my best effort to find a Subway of such. My dad says he feels horrible after eating fast food. I've even seen people hop from Hardees, to Burger King, to McDonalds, Taco Bell, etc...those darn bicyclists.

[amar]

Y'know... I got these problems with McDonald's. It also applies to much of the quick-service food industry in general.

here's my take:

• It tastes yucky. I like it!
• It's marketed to children, who are too young to know better. True.
• It makes Americans look stupid for being home to such a company. True.
• It replaces regional variety, true with stuff that tastes yucky. see on top
• They got all this greasy junk, yet no Tater Tots. Likewise they have milkshakes and no malts. Also, they pretend like a Soft-Serve with a bit of chocolate pudding on it is a hot fudge sundae. True.
• Monthly promos. True.
• Inane advertising jingles that grate the nerves. I'll take your word for it.

[gonzo914]

It's amazing, isn't it? McDonald's does somewhere between 40 and 50 billions dollars a year in sales, and yet nobody eats there. Or admits to it, anyway.

Some other items of interest --

McDonald's also owns Boston Market (fast food meat loaf) and Chipoltle Grill (fast food burritos). Family grease and Mexigrease.

And McDonald's is taking the lead in internal outsourcing. In early 2005, they set up a trial call center in Fargo, ND, to take orders from the drive-throughs in Oregon and Washington because minimum wage was cheaper in North Dakota. Look for curry drive through as soon as they can get rid of the Indians' accents. Your drivethrough beamed by satellite to Bangalore.

And now a moment of silence for their two CEOs who dropped dead in the last 18 months or so.

[anniemcu]

...Some other items of interest --

McDonald's also owns Boston Market (fast food meat loaf) and Chipoltle Grill (fast food burritos). Family grease and Mexigrease.

And McDonald's is taking the lead in internal outsourcing. In early 2005, they set up a trial call center in Fargo, ND, to take orders from the drive-throughs in Oregon and Washington because minimum wage was cheaper in North Dakota. Look for curry drive through as soon as they can get rid of the Indians' accents. Your drivethrough beamed by satellite to Bangalore.

And now a moment of silence for their two CEOs who dropped dead in the last 18 months or so.

also of interest - they take advantage of some federal funds for "training" of employees, so that they can enter the work force with more and better 'skills'... and they get to do so with each new 'unskilled' trainee, who lasts and average of a few months... not a bad way to pad out the bottom line.