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Originally Posted by alc6379
Okay... let me start by saying that I never really did like McDonalds in the first place, but when you have a craving, you just do. I heard about this on the news a while back, but I didn't think it was going to happen for a while.
Employee: MMMRRRcome to McDonalds... can I have your mmmmmmddr? (I assume she said order, but the speaker was fuzzy)
Me: Yeah, I'll take a number 3 with Super Size fries.
Employee: Um Sir.... we don't MMMMMMMffrrr SSSSPPR SZZZ Fries anym *pop*
Me: Okay. Then I'll go for a large frie, then. Can I still get a Super Size Sprite, then?
Employee: Um Sir... We don't FIIIIZZZZZ ffer that either.
Me: Fine. Give me a large Sprite, too. my wife wants a large Dr. Pepper.
Employee: That'll be $5.90. FZZT around.
After sitting in line for about 10 minutes, we get to the window. For starters, there's a big sign saying "SAUCES ARE .15 CENTS EXTRA" taped to the window. I happen to look past the sign, deciding that I don't really need ketchup, but I see something else. The biggest cup they have, their "large", is now the size of the average "small" you'd see at a quickie mart. To boot, their quarter pounder was about the size of a quarter, and their "large" fry was only half full. Seeing that I was about to blow $6 on all of this, I asked for my money back and told them I wouldn't be eating McDonalds today.
After that, I'm not eating at McDonalds anymore. There's been this big push to "fight fat" lately, which I'm all for, but I don't think such a fight has to be pushed on people who don't care about it. Every time I watch a story about obesity on the news, they always show fat people, sitting around with half eaten McDonald's food, or they always immediately show a larger person, then pan out to show a shot of a McDonalds or other fast-food sign, supposedly to indicate a link between obesity and McDonalds. Then, you've got health fanatics out there pressuring companies like McDonalds not to offer what the public is demanding. This iritates me to no end, because contrary to how much "they" tell me not to, I LIKE MY SUPER SIZE!
Why is it the job of the company to make sure people don't get fat off of their food? Why is it McDonalds responsibility to produce healthy food? When was it determined that you were entitled to a healthy meal from any fast food restaurant? You CHOOSE to go to McDonalds, they don't force you to eat their food. Not only that, but they post nutrition facts about their food, so you can find out how unhealthy their food is if you exercise enough due dilligence, so it's not like you're being duped, either.
Personally, I work out 3-6 times a week practicing martial arts. I'm 6'5", coming in reasonably healthy at about 210lbs. I feel I can withstand a couple of super size meals every now and then, and still work it off. Heck, if I couldn't, that's my business, too, I'll just get fat, and it will be my fault.
I guess what irks me the most is that McDonalds as a company has fallen prey to the same type of stuff that is being pushed through in other areas, like banning smoking in a public place, even though that place is privately owned. Or, banning smoking in your own house, as one state recently tried to do. LOADS of people bought super size fries and drinks, so it's not like they weren't popular. It irritates me that a vocal minority has so much sway over what the majority says, does, and in this case, eats. If McDonalds were really attempting be a free-market company, they'd have kept offering what the customer wanted.
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Originally Posted by hexstar
If McDonalds has really fallen goodriddence, artificial fast fat is the last thing our overweight and often obeese nation needs, lets hope the rest of the franchises go too XD
But see, that's your opinion. You're entitled to feel that way, though, thankfully.
I'm not so sure I'd say good riddance because they're contributing to getting America fat. Like Toba discussed, there should be far more responsibility on the consumer than on the peddler to choose whether or not to eat that food. One of the biggest problems in American society (and probably others, I'll assume) is the lack of accountability we hold the "average joe" to. (I would say good riddance because their food's not that good IMO, but I digress.)
...Let's take this a little further. If the average joe doesn't know something upfront about a computer, then these days, it's considered the company's fault because they didn't tell the customer. Previously, this could be chalked up as the customer's fault, as they did not exercise due dilligence before purchasing the machine.
Or, take anything these days. The average joe wants to be spoon-fed everything-- it's a "gimmegimmegimme" time to live in, and we expect everything from our food, information, and entertainment to be handed to us, with no or little effort on our part. Face it-- we're lazy. Capitalism hasn't changed, it's always been supply and demand, and companies are just supplying the slovenly lifestyle that the status quo demands.
I'll be the first person to say that I hate seeing grossly overweight people. Having worked in a hospital, I've seen how bad things can get. But, when I see those 300+ pound people, I don't say, "CURSE MCDONALDS AND THEIR SAVORY FRENCH FRIES", I say that the person in question could have chosen to lay off of the fries-- maybe they should have chosen a different snack/meal.
McDonalds was not, is not, and will not be the problem. The problem is the people abusing the food. Just as you can abuse alcohol or drugs, food can be abused to. This does not indicate that the food is to blame, but the person whose poor decision is to blame, as they did not exercise enough self control to chose some other meal.
Not that I'm on a high horse or anything, (I don't regularly eat at McDonald's anyways) but I like my fast food when I get the hankering. Just because a bunch of people lack the self control to not eat McDonalds 5 out of 7 days a week, I don't get my Super size fry when I feel like having one.
Alex Cavnar, aka alc6379
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ahh.. it is personal choice you now dare speak of. In this litigious society that we live in personal responcibility and choice are long forgotten things of the past. I think that it is with great irony that we have to address a lawsuit with McD's where they payed out when a patron was burned after taking posession of (then unmarked) piping hot coffee and placing it between thier own legs in the drive-thru. But that wasnt the patron's fault now. Instead of Mc'Ds standing thier ground and saying, "We feel bad that you were inept eneough to burn yourself with what you expected to be cold coffee. You learned your lesson the hard way, tell your friends that coffee is hot. We're sure they'll appreciate the info and youll all be smarter for it. Dont make babies and stop eating lead paint, we hear that's kinda bad for you." Alas, Mc'donalds layed down and shelled out. Now they pay every time, they pay so much to every idiot out there now that chokes on a fruit fly it costs me over a buck for a slab of grade 'F' wharf scrapings with cheese. Dammut! now I'm all Pizzt and hungry!!!
I used up all my money on you baby...
... and I want it BACK.
... and I want it BACK.
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Originally Posted by alc6379
McDonalds was not, is not, and will not be the problem. The problem is the people abusing the food. Just as you can abuse alcohol or drugs, food can be abused to. This does not indicate that the food is to blame, but the person whose poor decision is to blame, as they did not exercise enough self control to chose some other meal.
Not that I'm on a high horse or anything, (I don't regularly eat at McDonald's anyways) but I like my fast food when I get the hankering. Just because a bunch of people lack the self control to not eat McDonalds 5 out of 7 days a week, I don't get my Super size fry when I feel like having one.
You're neglecting consideration of a couple of very important factors there.
The first of those is the advertising. From infancy, people get bombarded with the message! It's flashy, it's attractive, it's completely innaccurate, and it's matched only by that other great bane of the world - Coke! How the hell else can that pair of disgusting abominations of product for human consumption get to be the most widely consumed that there is if it's not for the fact that there are forces at bear which act to take rational choice away from the individual?
The second of those factors is the factor of nutritional content of the product. Production of McDonalds foodstuffs would be one of the most measured and regimented procedures in the world. You kidding me that they're not wholly and completely aware of the harm consumption of their products can do? Yet they market them as 'meals'!
McDonalds is not just responsible mate, they're friggin' CULPABLE!
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Originally Posted by Catweazle
You're neglecting consideration of a couple of very important factors there.
The first of those is the advertising. From infancy, people get bombarded with the message! It's flashy, it's attractive, it's completely innaccurate, and it's matched only by that other great bane of the world - Coke! How the hell else can that pair of disgusting abominations of product for human consumption get to be the most widely consumed that there is if it's not for the fact that there are forces at bear which act to take rational choice away from the individual?
I'll tell you what force took rational choice away from the individual: people are sheep these days. I'll admit that I do lean more conservative than anything (probably conservo-moderate for lack of a better term), but I hate more than most people the fact that the public in general can be whipped into a frenzy over "Terrism" and "Terrists"(sic) to the point that the term has almost become clichéd that we really end up losing sight of things. Same as with a natural disaster, computer virus, a meteor smacking Earth, Y2K, anything: people almost seem like they want somebody to get them worked up over something.
I personally attribute this to lazyness. Again, I feel that there's enough information out there to allow anyone to conclude that McDonalds is unhealthy. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that there's more nutritional information out there that would cement this fact such that the only people who'd say the food wasn't unhealthy was McDonalds themselves.
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The second of those factors is the factor of nutritional content of the product. Production of McDonalds foodstuffs would be one of the most measured and regimented procedures in the world. You kidding me that they're not wholly and completely aware of the harm consumption of their products can do? Yet they market them as 'meals'!
McDonalds is not just responsible mate, they're friggin' CULPABLE!
Again, I feel that McDonalds is just supplying what's in demand. People are willing to pay for the slime that comes from their grills. Heck, I used to be one of them. But again, my whole emphasis is one of personal responsibility. If people don't want to eat this stuff, McDonalds would be compelled to change their menu in response, so they can position themselves to provide what's in demand. I'm sure they're fully aware of the nutritional content of their food, and they (at least in America, not sure about other countries) even post it, or make the information available upon request. Again, that's an opportunity for people to examine what kind of food they're woofing down on. In this day and age, despite what's commonly believed, there's plenty of opportunity to be informed about what you ingest, what you drive, where you live, what you say, what you think, what people say, EVERYTHING!
As for McDonalds being culpable, again, I don't think that they are. Just because you have a right to free speech in America doesn't mean people have to listen to you. Similarly, you don't have to eat McDonalds just because they produce it-- grab a carrot or something! If enough people exhibited disinterest in a product, that product would be pulled, or modified to suit the general public's taste. Just because we've got crack dealers out there, people don't have to buy/ingest that.
There are alternatives to everything out there, even McDonalds food. People can find this other food, and decide for themselves. I believe that it should be up to each individual to consciously make the decision to choose what they do. I feel that every person is, or at least should be, able to choose for their own what they feel, despite being bombarded by ads. Someone suggesting that their actions were driven by advertisements, or the blabbering of some media bobble-head deserves every bit of trouble they get into. I don't feel the company producing the ads or the product is criminally negligent, but I do feel that the consumer is criminally ignorant for not attempting to inform themselves more. Just as ignorance of a law is not an admissible defense in court, I feel that ignorance about your surroundings should not be an excuse for why your life (I don't mean your towards any one person) is in the shape it's in. The buck has to stop somewhere, and it should be with the person finally tasked with making the decision-- the individual.
Alex Cavnar, aka alc6379
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Originally Posted by Catweazle
The first of those is the advertising. From infancy, people get bombarded with the message! It's flashy, it's attractive, it's completely innaccurate, and it's matched only by that other great bane of the world - Coke! How the hell else can that pair of disgusting abominations of product for human consumption get to be the most widely consumed that there is if it's not for the fact that there are forces at bear which act to take rational choice away from the individual?
I seriously doubt this. People don't eat fast food because of advertising, they eat fast food because of convenience and cost. They CHOOSE McDonalds over the other fast food chains because of advertising, but those others are every bit as bad as Big MD. Anyway, I doubt that the food I get at the local cafe is one bit healthier than a big mac.
I seldom eat fast food anymore and very seldom MDs, but I still get way too much greasy stuff in me. Point is, you can't legislate enough to keep stupid people safe from themselves, and smart people don't need it. Anyway, the government should not be interfering with evolution. In the old days, if the bear was smarter than the hunter, hunter was eaten and didn't make more stupid hunters. Viva la evolution! Besides, who wants to live forever? None of us are getting out of here alive you know, but I would like to live as freely as I can while I'm here, and even these small freedoms are important.
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Mcdonalds has made some pretty stupid moves the last few years i will say that!!
They changed BIG MAC sauce a few years ago and its disgusting now (A more watered down version of the sauce)
Also they stopped making orange drink and switched over to HI-C ORANGE (Which was a mistake becuase HI-C changed to "Orange Lavaburst" which tastes like crap)
About the only thing i like @ Mcdonalds now is
Double Cheesburger
Quarter Pounder
Hamburger
Cheesburger
Big and Tasty
Nuggets (I didnt like them when they were 1st changed to White meat (I liked the flavour better before))
They changed BIG MAC sauce a few years ago and its disgusting now (A more watered down version of the sauce)
Also they stopped making orange drink and switched over to HI-C ORANGE (Which was a mistake becuase HI-C changed to "Orange Lavaburst" which tastes like crap)
About the only thing i like @ Mcdonalds now is
Double Cheesburger
Quarter Pounder
Hamburger
Cheesburger
Big and Tasty
Nuggets (I didnt like them when they were 1st changed to White meat (I liked the flavour better before))
Last edited by The Dude : Apr 26th, 2007 at 10:57 am.
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Originally Posted by The Dude 
About the only thing i like @ Mcdonalds now is
Double Cheesburger
Quarter Pounder
Hamburger
Cheesburger
Big and Tasty
Nuggets (I didnt like them when they were 1st changed to White meat (I liked the flavour better before))
I like the cheeseburgers and nuggets. Oh and I can't forget about those indestructable fries! =)
I am nothing special; of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts, and I’ve led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough. -The Notebook
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Lol in the uk there trying to be healthy (hahahahahahahahah) by providing salads and sandwiches.
TRY MY SUGGESTIONS AT YOUR OWN RISK
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Master of puppets Im pulling your strings, blinded by me, you cant see a thing. Master! Master!
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Originally Posted by Chainsaw
It's taken 30+ years for insurance companies to bring tobacco companies down to where they are, and they have a long ways to go.
not even close to 30 years! try 12 years
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