McDonalds

[The Larch]

I find it strange that McDonalds is such a symbol of America abroad. It is no more a patriotic symbol than any other fast food restaurant is stateside. So I always found it bizarre angry foreigners were show their hatred of us by trashing a McDonalds, also with it being a franchise owned and staffed entirely by locals and all.

Thrashing McD is soooo late 90s/early 00s, not that fashionable anymore. Then again, most of the McD and Burger Kings that I know are actually moving away from city centers and relocating to malls and roadside places, so it's not really convenient anymore for your average angry mob as it was back in the day. And come on, it's pretty easy to realize why McD gets picked out, as they (together with Burger King) were the burger chains that spearheaded the fast food movement, at least in Europe. For you it might be just another chain, but for many years in Europe it was THE chain, not many other chains did the same for many many years, so that symbolic position has been held in the mind of your average anti-globalization activist and similarly minded people by McD ever since, no matter what their recent market pivoting might entail.

Everytime the fast food topic gets brought up in the forum you guys start talking about so many chains we've never heard of, and you always seem miffled by that. We know McD, we know Burger King, they are in every decent sized city, at least over here. After that it depends a lot on each country, I've only seen Wendy's in the UK, but nowhere else. Pizza Hut used to be pretty common but it all became Domino's a couple of years ago. Subway is a staple of food courts in malls but not much else. KFC and Dunkin Donuts I've only seen them in Madrid. I've never seen a Taco Bell but I'm aware that there are some of them around. That's pretty much it, at least in my experience.

[The Larch]

Anyway, for the purposes of the poll I answered "a few times in my life", as I have a really hard time remembering when was the last time I've been in one, and I've never been much of a fast food burger kind of person. I've been a customer a few times, of course, but never a regular. Kebab stays my fast food of choice. 

Also, like Cel, I'm of the opinion that self-checkout sucks and it's just an excuse to keep replacing employees with machines.

[Zanza]

I find it strange that McDonalds is such a symbol of America abroad. It is no more a patriotic symbol than any other fast food restaurant is stateside. So I always found it bizarre angry foreigners were show their hatred of us by trashing a McDonalds, also with it being a franchise owned and staffed entirely by locals and all.

McDonald was the first and is by far the biggest American fastfood chain abroad, which is why it and not some other brand is the posterchild of American capitalism abroad.

The only other brand that comes even close is Coca-Cola, but that's not seen as negatively as McDonald's.

The "Mc" prefix is used to denote something cheap here, e.g. McJobs which is rather negative or a chain of gyms called McFit, which prides itself on its low monthly rates.

[Valmy]

We ruined Scottish naming conventions. Sorry Clan Donald, you are now synonymous with cheap shit

But I guess we do the same thing. McMansions, for cheap but grand looking ugly houses (actually not cheap at all but cheap compared to an actual 8,000 square foot (750 sq meters) mansion), gets used all the time. I think we coined the 'McJobs' thing to.

[Zanza]

Everytime the fast food topic gets brought up in the forum you guys start talking about so many chains we've never heard of, and you always seem miffled by that. We know McD, we know Burger King, they are in every decent sized city, at least over here. After that it depends a lot on each country, I've only seen Wendy's in the UK, but nowhere else. Pizza Hut used to be pretty common but it all became Domino's a couple of years ago. Subway is a staple of food courts in malls but not much else. KFC and Dunkin Donuts I've only seen them in Madrid. I've never seen a Taco Bell but I'm aware that there are some of them around. That's pretty much it, at least in my experience.

This is true in Germany as well. There are basically just McDonald's and a much smaller Burger King. All the other chains (KFC, Subway) have some franchises here, but nowhere near the same level as McDonald's. Their competition is mostly small-scale local Kebab or Bratwurst shops here. We have plenty of higher-class burger places now, including some chains, but they are not seen as being in the same market segment as McDonald's.

[Valmy]

Anyway, for the purposes of the poll I answered "a few times in my life", as I have a really hard time remembering when was the last time I've been in one, and I've never been much of a fast food burger kind of person. I've been a customer a few times, of course, but never a regular. Kebab stays my fast food of choice. 

Also, like Cel, I'm of the opinion that self-checkout sucks and it's just an excuse to keep replacing employees with machines.

We have lots of fast food kebab places. Weirdly they are all German-Turkish fusion kebab joints.

But yeah I never eat fast food burgers. If I am going to eat a burger it is going to be a really good burger.

[The Larch]

Anyway, for the purposes of the poll I answered "a few times in my life", as I have a really hard time remembering when was the last time I've been in one, and I've never been much of a fast food burger kind of person. I've been a customer a few times, of course, but never a regular. Kebab stays my fast food of choice. 

Also, like Cel, I'm of the opinion that self-checkout sucks and it's just an excuse to keep replacing employees with machines.

We have lots of fast food kebab places. Weirdly they are all German-Turkish fusion kebab joints.

But yeah I never eat fast food burgers. If I am going to eat a burger it is going to be a really good burger.

The fast food version of kebab is a German invention, so it's not that strange.

[Valmy]

The fast food version of kebab is a German invention, so it's not that strange.

Well it is weird to me. 100 years after its height, I never thought that would be how German culture returns to conquer central Texas again.

[celedhring]

Also, like Cel, I'm of the opinion that self-checkout sucks and it's just an excuse to keep replacing employees with machines.

You know, if they were actually replacing employees with machines it would be sort of legitimate, but they are just replacing employees with customers.

Also, we had a Wendy's here in Barcelona many years ago. It was better than McD's but it looks like the general population didn't think so. We have KFC and Dunkin' Donuts though - plenty of them actually.

[The Brain]

Haven't been to McDonald's in a long time, but I don't boycott it like I do Burger King.

If I feel like fast food I usually have sushi.

[Syt]

The fast food version of kebab is a German invention, so it's not that strange.

Well it is weird to me. 100 years after its height, I never thought that would be how German culture returns to conquer central Texas again.

Meh, it's like people thinking TexMex is authentic Mexican food.

[Berkut]

But yeah I never eat fast food burgers. If I am going to eat a burger it is going to be a really good burger.

Indeed. And these days, the "slightly upmarket" Five Guys type places make some damn, damn good burgers for just a bit more money. It is an easy choice.

[Valmy]

The fast food version of kebab is a German invention, so it's not that strange.

Well it is weird to me. 100 years after its height, I never thought that would be how German culture returns to conquer central Texas again.

Meh, it's like people thinking TexMex is authentic Mexican food.

Authentic Mexican food is not as good so I find that annoying indeed

[Syt]

We have a local place that does some really good "hipster burgers": one is with blue cheese, cherry tomato, and bacon marmelade. Another is with Spanish cheese, caramelized onions, and chimichurri sauce. And one with buffalo mozzarella and tomato jam.

[The Larch]

Also, like Cel, I'm of the opinion that self-checkout sucks and it's just an excuse to keep replacing employees with machines.

You know, if they were actually replacing employees with machines it would be sort of legitimate, but they are just replacing employees with customers.

It's a bit like self service only gas stations. You know, the gas still has the same price wether you pump it or if an employee does that, so if I'm not saving any money I'm doing some other guy's work.