MacDonalds

[BigDogsWang]

Sales are down. Closing 25 stores. Hundreds of spotty teenagers out of work. Thousands of children (or 'Happy Meal Midgets' as I like to call them) to be spared the horrors of high salt / sugar garbage. A massive money grabbing corporation built on greed and lazy gullible people.

I am no 'anti globalisationist', but the thought of all those shareholders sitting around the board room wondering just what to do about just fills me with glee.

[dot.hawkes]

What on earth possessed a so called food outlet to dress their staff in scruffy black polo shirts, they look ugly and seem faded with washing! It puts me right off. I only buy their coffee but I wouldn't want to eat there now they all look like they should be working in a warehouse.

[Loosehead]

I suspect most of the outlets will be sold as franchises or to other outlets so I doubt many will actually stop selling junk food in one form or other.

As far as MacD goes it's a drop in the ocean. They are losing popolarity in Europe but from a world wide point of view they will be infesting places like China etc big time so I don't think the suits in the boardroom will be too worried.

Wish they wouldn't call them "restuarants" though!

[BigDogsWang]

I just hate the way that any junk food is advertised on the television. MacDonalds in particular. We are sold it in such a way that it looks so fresh, clean, wholesome, colourful, happy, professional, slick, when in fact you are served a stodgy bun which looks like it's been sat on, by some spotty surly youth who spends 8 hours a day being barked at by someone with a 'Manager' badge, who is barely out of their teens themselves.

Coca Cola is another culprit. 'Holidays are coming, holidays are coming' etc. What a load of tripe. It's just sweet, fizzy, gassy, sugar ladened tooth rot. My wife's friend gives her 7 year old son nothing but Coke, because 'he won't drink anything else'.

It's not before time that people started to realise that we are being bombarded with adverts for crap which is of no nutritional benefit whatsoever, but which makes the company's concerned BILLIONS.

Rant over.

[gerkin]

The less McDonalds we have, the more people will turn to other fast food alternatives such as donner kebabs which have got 7 times more fat than a Big Mac

[Gef]

Sorry gherkin, but I doubt that a donner kebab has 7 more times fat than a Big Mac. Please show us the evidence.

[searchme]

You're a sad bunch of Foodie Fascists-what's wrong with M.C.Donalds?

I have treated my darling wife to our wedding anniverary celebration meal there for the last 10(blissfully happy) years and(just in case you think I'm tight) have always'gone large' with onion rings,extra mayo,giant coke and all the trimmings!!!!

DogsDick-you sound like a Muesli Muncher to me!Do you treat your wife to a large helping of lettuce on your anniv.?

[searchme]

Shame on Ye !!!!

[joules99]

Gef - Kebab 'meat' is officially *****, it made the news last week I think on Trevor McDonald (coincedence!) Tonight, that it is so full of trans fat, for example Big Mac meal contains 0.87g a typical doner contains 5.8g which IS nearly 7 times, as Gerkin correctly states, search google for more information.

But I don't think he is right that people will switch to kebabs, that missing the point surely, the reason they are shutting is cause consumers are becoming more concerned with what they are eating, so why would they switch to more crap?

Also Loosehead is right, calling McDonalds a 'restaurant' is outright false advertising...

[brachiopod]

Well, a big 'thank you' searchme, from all the "foodie fascists", "muesli munchers" and 'lettuce eaters here on AB for your insightful and constructive comments.

To actually answer the question, the shareholders may be a little worried with a general decline in the McDonald's chain, but I'm sure increased sales in all their Starbuck's outlets more than makes up for it.

Besides, McDonald's sales per se, will probably not decline much further, as you have a certain core customer base of ignorant sh!t-for-brains that will continue to eat the crap and denigrate anyone who cares to differ.
Years of a high-salt, high-fat, low vitamin diet means they think they have the presence to be the next W-M, when they are just a pale (albeit obese, to be honest, rather than pale) imitation of the great W-M himself.

Smash the Mac !

[searchme]

Ah Diddums--have I upset you in some way?

What's a W-M ?

[brachiopod]

Upset? No. Tongue was firmly in cheek. as for WM? the OED gives this definition;

1. W-M - (n.) (dubb-el-y� em) (abbrev. of Ward-Minter) a purveyor of outrageous, far-right, opinionated posts designed to provoke debate, but containing wit, humour, and a good dollop of style.

2. W-M - (v.) to provoke argument by use of outrageous opinion, six-pack and dashing good looks. (pp. W-M'd ).

[VINNY100_2]

Search me why anyone would eat that rubbish...but it does explain some of the more childish posts on AB. Well said brachiopod.( : )

[searchme]

Oh that W-M Brachiopud-I thought it was a new variety of Happy Meal.

[Gef]

joules and gherkin, you have both made made the mistake of confusing trans fat content with fat content.

I agree that trans fats are unnatural and should be avoided. However the figures quoted in the Trevor MacDonald report (I have just read it) refer only to trans fats. Anyone who believes that a Big Mac contains less than one gram of fat is kidding themselves. Also the figure given refers to only one kebab and not a wide ranging sample.

Both products are usually at least 30% fat which provides the majority of the calories. Other takeaways (Indian, Chinese etc) are often just as bad.

However, we must be sensible here. Men are 'allowed' 95g fat per day (women 75g) in their diet. The occasional takeaway is not going to be a problem. Unfortunately too many people seem to use them as their staple diet.

[livk]

so they aren't so happy about the meal sales then -- I have always thought their food was poor anyway.

[madein1978]

Serves them right, I boycotted them years ago because they treat their staff like s*it, and they do nasty things to anyone that crosses them, oh and when they are cooking the fillets o fish, they smell a bit like p*ss! Go to Subway or BK for a decent takeaway sandwich or burger! O'Briens are bloody revolting as well!

[madein1978]

Ward-Minter is the king of threads, hail Ward-Minter!!

[paddy_36]

Read 'Fast Food Nation' by Eric Schlosser. It'll put you off McD's for life.

[brachiopod]

Thought you might get your snifter in as soon as W-M is mentioned, W-M was mentioned, 78, (have you turned 28 yet, or is your birthday later in the year ? )

Yes, go to BK and Subway, because they aren't profit-driven multinationals like McDonald's are they? They treat their staff so much better than that because they care.

Still, you could always go to your local independent baker / sandwich shop (if there are any left) for a bite to eat - 'fraid it's not the same standardised, out-of-the-freezer, exactly-the-same-wherever-you-go range, but, hey, variety and spice, eh? (Percy Ingles and Greggs do not count, by the way.)

[brachiopod]

* Part of 1st clause in 1st sentence duplicated - (ie, W-M mentioned twice). My apologies.*