McGriddles

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

Do you think there will come a time when the market will demand better quality food from McDonalds and what not? I was saying last year that we may have turned a corner in the US, where people stop demanding nothing but "low price" (like I read somewhere, there has to be more to life and consumerism than just getting shit cheap, quality be damned) and start demanding "better food". Cause McDonalds is out of control - when I think of it I think of greasy, overprocessed food, a limp, ugly, lifeless looking burger, and basically all the negatives of capitalism condensed into one "restaurant".

But now I see BK is introducing that ridiculously unhealthy omelot sandwich, and the hardee's ultimate burger... and I may have been wrong.

Which makes me sad.

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I think it'd take a whole culture shift, beyond just food... just to get the momentum needed to go for quality.

We'd really, really have to demand it. And not just say 'This stuff is shit!', as we cram a McD's burger in our mouth. They will only really listen to our wallets, so they'd have to see across the board drops in sale.

Then we may see the McDs burger of 10-20 years ago, which, if it's anything like the Oreo, was way better than what we get now. They'd sacrifice the margin to retain sales.

Or maybe not. Maybe we'd just get drowned in ad garbage like McIGN and 'I'm lovin' it'. Because most food companies are marketing driven, and marketing personnel are some of the dumbest people on planet earth. Most of their thoughts are not based in reality. And they think that more advertising and better marketing will get those sales up.

Edit: And diffx's post shows that marketing people may be going along the right route. What the hell is wrong with us?!

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I think we're seeing the beginning of that now, what with all the public backlash against McDonalds in recent years and their subsequent 'attempts' at improving their menu (salads, "white meat" nuggets, etc.).

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Thats what I thought too, but Im not sure its gonna happen. Sadly, it looks like that 'i'm lovin' it' campaign is working, their stock price has climbed 33% in a year, and so forth.

http://money.cnn.com/services/ticker...0728.11118.htm

I think McDonalds is a blight on American society but the numbers dont lie, people want it.

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Originally Posted by Dolemite

Where didn't I back up my reasoning? And is being called 'elf boy' really so offensive to you?

I think Jack LaLane said it best: "If man made it, don't eat it." Okay, so that's close to impossible to adhere to for a normal, average person, but it makes sense. I mean, the guy's fucking 90 and can do physical feats probably no one here on TNL could. He must be doing something right.

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Well, moreso that I got the TNL treatment. I overreacted a bit on the elf boy thing, I forgot where I was. :)

Irony would have been that I had worked at Keebler at some point.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

Thats what I thought too, but Im not sure its gonna happen. Sadly, it looks like that 'i'm lovin' it' campaign is working, their stock price has climbed 33% in a year, and so forth.

http://money.cnn.com/services/ticker...0728.11118.htm

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Yeah, this is why McDs will stay on their path. There's no reason to change for the better when they can do anything but to get back on track.

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Originally Posted by Stone

What will probably end up happening is Starbucks rolling out a more complete food menu at all of its locations. Starbucks will become the alternative to places like McDonalds, Subway, etc.

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Panera is the starbucks of food. I'd eat there more if: the average price weren't 1-2 dollars more than the other fast food places and the atmostphere was less offensive to me. (It's more offensive that starbucks) But the food is good if not stupidly elitist, and when you order to go you get a nice hunk of bread.

McDonalds panders to the lowest common denominator of consumer. They will never go away unless the government makes it. As a society as a whole, we don't want the government doing things like this, so McDonalds gets to stay.

For now anyway.

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Originally Posted by portnoyd

Then we may see the McDs burger of 10-20 years ago, which, if it's anything like the Oreo, was way better than what we get now. They'd sacrifice the margin to retain sales.

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When did they change the Oreo!??!? I don't enjoy them as much as I used to and I can't tell if it's me or the cookie...

I remember when I was in middle school Nabisco changed the Bisquick formula, which we made/make all our pancakes and waffles from most of the time, and people complained so much (our family among them) they changed it back. I never knew the Oreo was ever fiddled with.

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Originally Posted by Cowutopia

Panera is the starbucks of food. I'd eat there more if: the average price weren't 1-2 dollars more than the other fast food places and the atmostphere was less offensive to me. (It's more offensive that starbucks) But the food is good if not stupidly elitist, and when you order to go you get a nice hunk of bread.

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Whole Foods is starting to expand more into this part of the country and it needs to happen. You can go in and get a sandwich, or pizza custom made. You then top it off with a side if you want and the total comes out to $8, $9 at most. It tastes good, its healthy, and its filling.

Sadly, I didnt discover the place until near the end of my time in LA, but once I did, I was going all the time.

That's true, I forgot about that. Kings supermarkets also have a "lunch-in" area but Whole Foods is leagues better. Too bad there's none within range of my work lunch break.

I know in the north Wegman's has something like that set up too.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

But now I see BK is introducing that ridiculously unhealthy omelot sandwich, and the hardee's ultimate burger... and I may have been wrong.

Which makes me sad.

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Damn, I just read an article on CNN about BK that talks about exactly this. BK is deliberately trying to go in the opposite direction than McDonald's, offering massive sandwiches and such.

*Edit: Here it is.

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Originally Posted by Stone

Cheesecake Factory bothers me more than McDonalds, because with McDonalds, everyone knows what they're getting - Cheesecake Factory's food is just as unhealthy, just as stuffed with chemicals, but it's more expensive.

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Goddamn Cheesecake Factory is sooo good. That is why I only eat there like once every six months. Is Olive Garden bad too? I hope not.