10 things McDonald's must do to get its house in order

USA Today ^ | 12-12-2002 | Bruce Horovitz

[Cagey]

The Golden Arches aren't going away. And poor Ronald McDonald will continue to muster a smile.

McDonald's in Hinsdale, Ill., looks cheery, but the chain has problems.

But with a new CEO on tap, just about everything else at McDonald's (MCD) is on the table. Or, perhaps, soon could be flying off the table.

[Flashman_at_the_charge]

I think they're just in California, but I might be wrong.

[C-Note]

That would be Pilsner Urquell, brewed in the Czech Republic. Good beer!

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Pilsner Urquell, a good Czech beer.

[section9]

If you're speaking of In N Out Burger, they are only in CA, as far as I know. This allows them to avoid any Federal Entanglements while maintaining the Christian character of the company.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[DWSUWF]

Thanks.

I laugh to keep from crying though...

I REALLY miss good old fashioned drive-in food, and the early fast food.

Lunch counters, Midways, Concession Stands... It used to be a treat to eat at these places.

But the New Puritans™ have crapped on this little bit of joy, like they crap on everything light-hearted and happy.

[DWSUWF]

"...None by me either, well the wife wants to go the Birch Run outlet mall this weekend. There is a place, Tony's they make a BLT w/1# ... of bacon on it. I think I'll take her!!..."

Do it!

And think of me when you're eating the big bacon burger...

Let a little grease run out of the corner of your mouth and drip on the table...

And when your wife looks upset and hisses, "Bill! What the Hell is wrong with you!?!"

Look straight ahead, with a thousand yard stare, and whisper solemnly, "Shhh Baby.... It's for a buddy who can't be here..."

Of course, be prepared for your FR time to be curtailed as a result.

[yendu bwam]

The last ten times we've been to McDonalds, they messed up our order. That's 10 for 10. And then there was no clean place to sit.

[FoxGirl]

***And Bring Back Those McDonaldland COOKIES !!!!!***

yes, the little choc. chip ones!!!

[Springman]

All I have to do is point to the tomato sause drippng from her mouth from the Itialan sausage
sub she's eating, and that will be it!! OMG we have to go on Saturday, I can just taste the BACON. BTW, the fries are the best. Good thing we only go there
once a year LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

[FoxGirl]

**I watched the true story of the start of McDonalds...**

I'm reading Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. The history of fast food, "the dark side of the All-American Meal"... I hope when I finish the book, I'll be grossed out enough not to give into my fast food cravings/convenience!

[FoxGirl]

Applebees is bad? I live in a fairly large town and if we didn't have Applebees, our restaurant choices would be REALLY limited even more! But then, I guess I basically order the same thing. ha.

[packrat35]

I always call them McChickenheads myself.

[DCPatriot]

When's the last time you walked in a actually witnessed hamburgers cooking on the grill?

The moral of the story is give a TASTEY product. Their food tastes like crap, and looks like crap.

One can understand what made Michael Douglas' character in Falling Down go berserk when he compared his sandwich to the picture of that obviously delicious burger above the cash register.

It hasn't changed boys and girls. Service and a GOOD product equals success.

[Fintan]

One word: Hooters.

[BearCub]

McDonald's sucks, plain and simple - and their managers are brainless. ...which is what you should expect I guess when you are paying them ten bucks an hour.

I worked there for a summer when I was 14 or 15. We got a large sandwich and fries during each shift we worked. So, not wanting the normal bland burger, I always sauteed onions to put on a quarter-pounder w/cheese. My manager saw me doing it once & I got reamed for it. Not because of any health or quality issues that would affect customers - but because if it wasn't on the menu, the corporation prohibited making it. Idiots. I hope they go out of business.

[Flashman_at_the_charge]

No fella, i was referring to FatBurger.

[Trajan88]

I hated McD when I was a kid (I'm 37 years old now).

For some reason I cannot stand onions. McD always put oninons on their burgers. Even when I asked for a burger without onions, all the cooks did was scrape them off (often bits of onion were always left on the bun mixed with the condiments; even if all the onions were scraped off, the taste was still there). Yuk!

McD came up with a brilliant idea when I was in college ('84 through '89)... the McDLT. This hamburger ROCKED. The packaging kept the cold side cold and the hot side hot. The condiments were never gooped on in buckets like they are now.

Where did the McDLT go?

And another thing... the ice tea that comes from the fountain dispenser is pre-mixed. It doesn't taste like real ice tea. What garbage barrel is this swill made in?

Currently, I go to a couple of good burger joints here in N. Texas... Country Burger and the Feed Bag (both in Plano, TX). These establishments produce excellent food; I'll drive out of my way, past many McDs, to dine at either.

McD is very broken. If I'm out of town and need a burger fix, I go to Whataburger or Wendy's.

R.I.P. McD until you get your act together.

Trajan88; TAMU Class of '88

[Cool Guy]

I was under the impression that there was one(In-and-Out) in Las Vegas. I could be wrong.

[jjm2111]

It's Pilsner Urquell, a very good beer out of the Czech Republic. It's their version of Budweiser, but it tastes much better.

Actually, August Busch I stole Budweiser from the Czech Budvar. It's now sold in the states as Czechvar. Needless to say, it tastes much better than Bud.

[Man of the Right]

If bin Laden is still alive, he's working the counter at McDonald's.