McD's on its knees

[djm]

I have never seen what the big deal is about a hamburger

Perhaps you have no kids, or have forgotten what they were like when they were younger. Most kids won't eat whole wheat bread if they know they can hold out for white bread. Most kids would eat hot dogs and hamburgers every day of the week if they could. Lots of kids never grow up, and continue to eat like kids even though their bodies haven't the capacity to fight off all the bad stuff anymore.

Junk food sells. It has nothing to do with mumbo jumbo visions of dark corporate specters. Junk food sells no matter who is doing the selling.

djm

[The Weekenders]

I certainly have kids, two boys (now 16 and 14) and yes, they like burgers and i was the stay-at-home parent when they were younger. But I serve em whole wheat buns with my Dad's beef, not drive-thru. My boys have learned from early on about good food. Both of them, if they are to have fast food, prefer deli sandwiches, like Subway, or fancy pizzas (an option here in culinary snot-land). I have purchased my share of Crappy Meals when they were younger, but mostly to get beanie babies. The hamburger itself was never the main point of it... Neither of my boys would put McDs on their first choice, but they wouldn't turn it down, either, to be precise. My oldest son really likes multi-meat subs from the local deli and the younger one likes pesto pizza..

[chrisoff]

As a single person myself ( ) I find that the secret is cooking for multiple days. For example I cook things that I can eat one night and take in what's left for lunch the next day. It makes things a bit more economical.

I would expect some marriage proposals from the ladies! A guy who cooks ahead AND makes his own lunch!!!

Maybe I should walk around town with a sign hanging round my neck:
"Will cook you dinner"

Might try that tonight actually...

[SteveShaw]

Maybe I should walk around town with a sign hanging round my neck:
"Will cook you dinner"

Might try that tonight actually...

Even better. Make your sign say "Will cook you dinner. Side orders free."

[SteveShaw]

Because while it has its place, McDonalds isn't what I'd call quality food.

You're being too kind to McCrap and their ilk. What place would that be, then?

[jsluder]

Because while it has its place, McDonalds isn't what I'd call quality food.

You're being too kind to McCrap and their ilk. What place would that be, then?

[Lambchop]

As a single person myself ( ) I find that the secret is cooking for multiple days. For example I cook things that I can eat one night and take in what's left for lunch the next day. It makes things a bit more economical.

I would expect some marriage proposals from the ladies! A guy who cooks ahead AND makes his own lunch!!!

Maybe I should walk around town with a sign hanging round my neck:
"Will cook you dinner"

Might try that tonight actually...

Where would you be walking, exactly?

<packing little bag right now . . . >

[Daniel_Bingamon]

So what are Big Mac's really made of? I heard once that the number of Big Mac's sold exceeds the amount of beef on the planet - maybe someone can confirm that.

[Wanderer]

So what are Big Mac's really made of? I heard once that the number of Big Mac's sold exceeds the amount of beef on the planet - maybe someone can confirm that.

http://www.mcdonalds.com/usa/eat/quality0/meat.html
"McDonald’s is the largest single purchaser of American beef, buying nearly one billion pounds per year. "

http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/01/04/111140.php
"The U.S. Agriculture Department tests only about 20,000 to 30,000 cows per year out of a total of 104 million"

1 billion divided by 104 million is only 9.6. I think each cow probably gives up more than 9 and a half pounds of beef when slaughtered.

[peeplj]

There have been numerous rumors that fast food burgers have various horrifying things in them...most often quoted are either cow eyeballs or worms...snopes debunks this pretty thoroughly:

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/food/wormburg.asp

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/food/coweyes.htm

McDonalds burgers may not be made from a very lean cut of beef, but they actually are 100% beef, not just cow parts or "generic protein."

Beef is actually pretty cheap...most of these horrifying alternatives are actually much more expensive by the pound.

--James

[Azalin]

There's a food store close to me that sells home made meals (not frozen) for about 3-4$, depending on the weight. It's really good food (but I like any food, so I'm not a good judge for this). Anyway, there's really no excuses for me to eat fast food anymore cuz those meals are even cheaper, they taste better, are better for my health, and contain less calories. So eating at McDonald's for money reasons wouldnt be a good argument for me (but at 4am, when I'm drunk, nothing is better than a Big Mac and some french fries covered in Ketchup!).

[gonzo914]

Maybe I should walk around town with a sign hanging round my neck:
"Will cook you dinner"

Might try that tonight actually...

The best "Please have sex with me" foods involve (a) fire and/or (b) something that affords an opportunity for casual physical contact. Dr. Gonzo's Patented, Super Secret, Guaran-damn-teed, All-Purpose Steak Moutard Sauce fits the bill on both counts, as it involves hand-whisked whipping cream and a whacking huge cognac fireball.

Making bread together is always nice, too.

While you have the cookbook open, learn to make a decent omelette, and always have eggs on hand. Omelettes are very versatile. They can be "Please have sex with me" food (Gently guide her hand over the skillet as you help her make her own), or they can also be "Thank you for having sex with me; can we please have sex again" food when prepared the morning after.

[emmline]

In the US, I believe fast food places spread because it offered a secure and predictable option for people doing business or pleasure travel.

We still laugh about the "Colonial Family Restaurant," a roadside dining option we stopped at in the small children days, at a junction where the pickins were slim. Gross doesn't quite cover it. Another time on the road, in our effort to get spaghetti w/o meat, we were served pasta with ketchup at a Bob Evans. Yum yum. There are times like these when a coke and a McFish to tide you over seem the only viable alternatives. OTOH, we have resorted to running into a supermarket for bread, peanut butter, and apples. Decent, quick. Then we scratch our heads and wonder why we ever stopped at a McD's.
By far and away, I prefer the local sandwich shop, market, or bagel place. I consider $6 for a fresh, tasty lunch to be well worth it when the alternative is fast food--rock bottom in price and quality.

It is the sheepheadedness of the masses scarfing meal after meal at McD's and its ilk that bewilders me, as if the other choices are invisible.

[djm]

It is the sheepheadedness of the masses scarfing meal after meal at McD's and its ilk that bewilders me, as if the other choices are invisible.

Not to offend or insult, but clearly the majority disagrees with what you or I might consider a viable alternative. If these other sources truly met with people's tastes/approval/acceptance the McD empire would collapse overnight. I don't wonder that people outside of the US that have never tried McD's would want to try just to see what all the noise was about - ONCE - but the reality is that they, too, keep going back for more.

Its easy to dismiss McD patrons' behaviour as some sort of "herd instinct" but I don't think that addresses the why of the fact that a very large number of people like the stuff and go back repeatedly on a regular basis for more - and this in spite of all the health considerations.

It seems to me that those who truly want to change things would first come up with an alternate that looks the same, tastes the same, has the same textures/consistencies, and costs the same OR LESS, but that is healthy for people. Only then would you have a chance to see if its really about the food or some other need that McD's is meeting.

djm