McDonald's is closing hundreds of restaurants this year

Fortune Magazine via MSN ^ | 04-22-15 | Phil Wahba

[foreverfree]

I go to the Arches for their big $1 unsweetened ice teas.

ff

[mrsmel]

We still have at least one hamburger stand here that I know of, I’ve gone there with my husband, and you’re right, it’s terrific. The food is great, cooked while you wait, and the service is terrific. Local owners, my husband stands around and laughs and talks with the owners/employees while he waits. They have the same points of reference, etc, all being locals.

[mrsmel]

Their marketing seems to be willy-nilly. How do they align “365 black” with “aspirational”? The two don’t go together. So they still serve the same crappy stuff for more or less cheap prices, along with a 5-6 dollar burger? The people who would buy a 5-6 fast food burger aren’t going to go to a place which also caters to the thug element to get it. It just doesn’t make sense. I know that I wouldn’t. I’m not much on fries anyway, I’d rather pay a dollar or two more and just have one really good burger.

[Ghost of SVR4]

Around bouts where I have been I see a lot of folks returning to the local pubs and restaurants.

About the same in my parts. I can take my kids and I to a sit down meal (and leave a tip) at the local yokel for the same price as McD's (and others) drive through.

[mrsmel]

Considering the customer service in so many fast food places anymore, I would love for there to be an automated place I could go to. The only thing that I would worry about would be the hygiene upkeep of the automated facilities, and that would be a toss-up.

[mrsmel]

If youre eating things that aren't good for you then they should at least taste good.

That's my philosophy too. It's like the saying I've heard attributed to a rabbi-if I'm going to eat pork, I want to eat good pork until the juice runs down my face.

[trisham]

A number of people are eating more low-carb meals these days. McDonald’s doesn’t offer much that isn’t high-carb.

[ponygirl]

It’s more than that. The wonderful sesame beef I used to get at the Chinese restaurant has the same great coating but then turns to something unchewable. Steaks, burgers, they’re all changed. I’ve been searching for articles on this but I can’t find any.

they're probably importing it from China (like the chicken) and it probably isn't beef . Goat, dog, horse...who knows?

[firebrand]

Maybe that is it. There used to be a grade of beef called “commercial.” Possibly that or something like it is being used. But everyone at once? Seems odd. That’s why I thought something nationwide had happened to the beef.

[firebrand]

That’s the best explanation I’ve heard. Still, it seems odd that everyone would do it at the same time. Where is our American beef? Being grabbed up by very high-end restaurants and the “one percent”?

[Cronos]

well, in terms of hygiene — you can have self-contained units that get regular inspection (indeed, inspect themselves) and the employees would be mostly involved in keeping the place clean and not the aassembly line creation of burgers

[Shadowstrike]

gotta be honest, my local Mcd’s is really good about putting the right amount on it. Guess I’m lucky