Nooo! :weep:
http://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-franchisees-say-the-brand-is-in-a-deep-depression-2015-10
QuoteMcDonald's franchisees say the brand is in a 'deep depression' and 'facing its final days
Hayley Peterson
Oct. 16, 2015, 12:02 PM
McDonald's franchisees believe the brand is in a "deep depression" and could be facing its "final days," according to a new survey.
"We are in the throes of a deep depression, and nothing is changing," one franchisee wrote in response to the survey by Nomura analyst Mark Kalinowski. "Probably 30% of operators are insolvent."
Another wrote, "The CEO is sowing the seeds of our demise. We are a quick-serve fast-food restaurant, not a fast casual like Five Guys or Chipotle. The system may be facing its final days."
More than a dozen franchisees expressed frustration with McDonald's management, saying that CEO Steve Easterbrook's turnaround plan — which includes initiatives like all-day breakfast and a shift to digital ordering kiosks — is a distraction from the core issues of McDonald's, like food quality and customer service.
"The lack of consistent leadership from Oak Brook is frightening, we continue to jump from one failed initiative to another," one franchisee wrote.
A second wrote, "I have been in this business since the early 1970s but have not seen us this leaderless in all my time."
The company's reaction to their frustration, one franchisee claimed, is for operators to "get out of the system" and quit the business.
Several franchisees complained about all-day breakfast, saying that it has complicated kitchen operations and goes against Easterbrook's repeated promises to simplify the menu.
"The system is very lost at the moment," one franchisee wrote. "Our menu boards are still bloated, and we are still trying to be too many things to too many people. ... Things are broken from the franchisee perspective."
Franchisees also criticized the "Create Your Taste" program, which allows people to customize their burgers with premium ingredients.
"They are throwing everything they can against the wall to see what will stick," one franchisee wrote.
Kalinowski interviewed 29 US franchisees covering about 226 restaurants for the survey. McDonald's has more than 14,000 restaurants in the US. We reached out to McDonald's for comment and will update if we hear back.
McDonald's is trying to revive business following seven straight quarters of same-store sales declines in the US.
In addition to adding all-day breakfast and "Create Your Taste," McDonald's has also made some changes to its core menu items.
The company started toasting its hamburger buns longer, making its beef patties slightly larger, and changing how the patties are seared.
McDonald's has also announced plans to remove antibiotics from its chicken.
There are at least a few franchisees who are on board with the changes.
Among the myriad of negative responses to Kalinowski's survey, two franchisees expressed hopeful attitudes.
"I think our leadership is headed in the right direction," one wrote. "It will take time."
Another said, "The CEO seems to be doing OK so far!"
Remove antibiotics from chicken? The final days are indeed upon us. :(
Maybe they should figure out how to make a decent burger. :hmm:
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on October 18, 2015, 06:29:27 AM
Maybe they should figure out how to make a decent burger. :hmm:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/25/us-mcdonalds-organic-idUSKCN0RP21H20150925 ?
Quote from: Syt on October 18, 2015, 06:47:06 AM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on October 18, 2015, 06:29:27 AM
Maybe they should figure out how to make a decent burger. :hmm:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/25/us-mcdonalds-organic-idUSKCN0RP21H20150925 ?
The amount of positive PR they would get from going organic would be very high here. Whether or not it would save them I don't know, it might get a lot of curious people in but if it's the same filthy and smelly restaurants I doubt it can keep the customers that wants organic food.
Yeah, it is pretty bad here as well. During lunch time, I only need to wait like 2 minutes before I can order food. Their business has declined a lot. 10, 15 years ago, they probably made the best burgers in HK in that price range. But now, lots of new hamburger places have appeared. All of them serve much better burgers. Yes, they are more expensive, but they are still affordable by wage earners. People now don't mind paying 2x or 3x the price of a McDonald's burger for better quality. My wife completely refuses to eat there. I go there if I really must finish lunch within 10 minutes. And out of loyalty.
It doesn't help that they were caught red-handed telling nothing but lies during a food scandal not too long ago.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on October 18, 2015, 06:29:27 AM
Maybe they should figure out how to make a decent burger. :hmm:
That would effect their kitchen operations.
But yeah, McD is considered to be the bottom of the burger chain over here. Over the last years quite a few independent burger places have opened up. The food court in a big mall here has three such restaurants, plus BK. Fast food chains are losing in popularity - if you want quick junk food there's a plethora of alternate options, from fried noodles to kebab to fried sausages.
The only chain here that I can think of that's actually growing seems to be Vapiano (http://www.vapiano.com/en/home/) which positions itself as a more upscale Italian variant of fast food.
Quote from: Syt on October 18, 2015, 06:47:06 AM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on October 18, 2015, 06:29:27 AM
Maybe they should figure out how to make a decent burger. :hmm:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/25/us-mcdonalds-organic-idUSKCN0RP21H20150925 ?
Steps in the right direction. The one and only time I ate a McDonalds burger, it definitely didn't taste like it had any organic materials in there.
The whole point of McDonald's is its cheapness though, going organic would probably lose that.
I've read a lot of articles on McDonald's failing but I've not really seen it on the ground. Well. Except it's weird pull out of the cities strategy in japan
It isn't just the burger. Their French fries are crap. If I eat it within 5 minutes of coming out of the kitchen, it is ok (but only ok). But if I eat the fries after the burger, it becomes soft and not crispy. And their attitude annoys me. Only one packet of ketchup no matter how much fries I buy. If I go to a small hamburger joint, they give me four packets without me asking. They care. McDonald's doesn't.
Something better will take its place.
I don't normally eat McDonalds except when I've been constipated for a few days. Their Big Mac is an amazing laxative
I'll have a McDonald's meal within this week. I'll do my part to help the company's bottom line. It is my constitutional responsibility :bowler:
"More than a dozen" complaining franchisees out of, what, 15,000? I'd bet that, if you keep sample sizes this small, you could find that "McD's franchisees say that the earth is flat."
Quote from: grumbler on October 18, 2015, 09:23:46 AM
"More than a dozen" complaining franchisees out of, what, 15,000? I'd bet that, if you keep sample sizes this small, you could find that "McD's franchisees say that the earth is flat."
I thought the same thing, till I saw it was out of 29 random US franchisees who were polled. I still think it is a rather crap argument and sensationalist journalism.
Quote from: Benedict Arnold on October 18, 2015, 02:36:16 PM
I thought the same thing, till I saw it was out of 29 random US franchisees who were polled. I still think it is a rather crap argument and sensationalist journalism.
29 franchisees who own 226 restaurants. It's not a terrible sample.
It's not the size of the sample that matters, but rather its bias.
Quote from: DGuller on October 18, 2015, 03:28:36 PM
It's not the size of the sample that matters, but rather its bias.
The only bias i can see is it skews toward larger franchisees (assuming the average franchisee doesn't own 10 stores).
I wasn't suggesting anything one way or the other. I just thought that grumber's concern with the results was without merit. It doesn't matter that you're surveying a small percentage of restaurants, as long as the sample size in absolute numbers is not ridiculously small. What matters is how you're choosing your sample. Is it representative or not?
"the survey by Nomura analyst Mark Kalinowski"
There are a lot of biases that could be in the survey. There could be response bias. Presumably responding was voluntary--perhaps the people more fearful about the state of the business were more prone to respond.
Also, Mark Kalinowski may have also biased the sample to prove a point. Perhaps a certain class of franchise owner was prone to respond in a certain way, and that was who was targeted. Perhaps the questions were leading. I have no idea who Mark Kalinowski is, but a google shows a year ago he was a bit bearish on McDonalds a year ago.
http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/biz-beat/2014/jul/16/analyst-chick-fil-may-beat-mcdonalds-us-sales/
It isn't at all clear that this was a representative sample, or even a random sample. I strongly suspect from the wording of the report that this was a self-selecting sample (i.e. the 29 franchisees that were willing to spend their time being interviewed). 29 of 3500 gives a confidence interval of 18 with a confidence level of 95%, if they were randomly chosen. That's not very solid surveying.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on October 18, 2015, 06:15:15 AM
Nooo! :weep:
http://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-franchisees-say-the-brand-is-in-a-deep-depression-2015-10
QuoteMcDonald's franchisees say the brand is in a 'deep depression' and 'facing its final days
Hayley Peterson
Oct. 16, 2015, 12:02 PM
McDonald's franchisees believe the brand is in a "deep depression" and could be facing its "final days," according to a new survey.
"We are in the throes of a deep depression, and nothing is changing," one franchisee wrote in response to the survey by Nomura analyst Mark Kalinowski. "Probably 30% of operators are insolvent."
Another wrote, "The CEO is sowing the seeds of our demise. We are a quick-serve fast-food restaurant, not a fast casual like Five Guys or Chipotle. The system may be facing its final days."
More than a dozen franchisees expressed frustration with McDonald's management, saying that CEO Steve Easterbrook's turnaround plan — which includes initiatives like all-day breakfast and a shift to digital ordering kiosks — is a distraction from the core issues of McDonald's, like food quality and customer service.
"The lack of consistent leadership from Oak Brook is frightening, we continue to jump from one failed initiative to another," one franchisee wrote.
A second wrote, "I have been in this business since the early 1970s but have not seen us this leaderless in all my time."
The company's reaction to their frustration, one franchisee claimed, is for operators to "get out of the system" and quit the business.
Several franchisees complained about all-day breakfast, saying that it has complicated kitchen operations and goes against Easterbrook's repeated promises to simplify the menu.
"The system is very lost at the moment," one franchisee wrote. "Our menu boards are still bloated, and we are still trying to be too many things to too many people. ... Things are broken from the franchisee perspective."
Franchisees also criticized the "Create Your Taste" program, which allows people to customize their burgers with premium ingredients.
"They are throwing everything they can against the wall to see what will stick," one franchisee wrote.
Kalinowski interviewed 29 US franchisees covering about 226 restaurants for the survey. McDonald's has more than 14,000 restaurants in the US. We reached out to McDonald's for comment and will update if we hear back.
McDonald's is trying to revive business following seven straight quarters of same-store sales declines in the US.
In addition to adding all-day breakfast and "Create Your Taste," McDonald's has also made some changes to its core menu items.
The company started toasting its hamburger buns longer, making its beef patties slightly larger, and changing how the patties are seared.
McDonald's has also announced plans to remove antibiotics from its chicken.
There are at least a few franchisees who are on board with the changes.
Among the myriad of negative responses to Kalinowski's survey, two franchisees expressed hopeful attitudes.
"I think our leadership is headed in the right direction," one wrote. "It will take time."
Another said, "The CEO seems to be doing OK so far!"
Good. Their stuff is bad for you anyway.
I think there is an easy solution for McDonald's problems.
This photograph was taken at a McDonald's in Taiwan. She is a model who works part-time as a McDonald's manager. Ever since these photographs had surfaced, business at that branch has remarkably improved. She is now nicknamed the goddess of McDonald's in this part of the world.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F8268618_897303_zpsddva0nco.jpg&hash=7f30cea42d1229fdf36246f1c7c46658fce60f8c) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/8268618_897303_zpsddva0nco.jpg.html)
Quote from: Monoriu on October 18, 2015, 08:15:32 PM
I think there is an easy solution for McDonald's problems.
This photograph was taken at a McDonald's in Taiwan. She is a model who works part-time as a McDonald's manager. Ever since these photographs had surfaced, business at that branch has remarkably improved. She is now nicknamed the goddess of McDonald's in this part of the world.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F8268618_897303_zpsddva0nco.jpg&hash=7f30cea42d1229fdf36246f1c7c46658fce60f8c) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/8268618_897303_zpsddva0nco.jpg.html)
So, inflatable plastic managers like this one in every McD's? That wouldn't be creepy at all. No, sirree.
I tried to find a picture on Google where she looks more like a real human being, and less like an artificial doll.
I failed.
But you can't even see her elbows. :P
Dorsey: Of course the analyst could be skewing the sample to validate his own point. Journalists do it all the time when they cherry pick some like-minded people to represent the mood on the street.
However, for someone doing so, 29 is a pretty big sample, and only 12 out of 29 is a pretty weak result. Furthermore, it's not clear to me that an analyst who is seeking to validate his own negative outlook on Mickey's is necessarily going to provide potentially useful feedback to the CEO. Lastly, the share price is going to be driven by metrics, not a perception that franchisees are pissed off at management.
Quote from: Tonitrus on October 18, 2015, 08:38:50 PM
I tried to find a picture on Google where she looks more like a real human being, and less like an artificial doll.
I failed.
Her Chinese name is 徐薇涵. Try to use that name to search for more results.
Her not wearing a McDonald's uniform. She is a model afterall.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F11429695_1631470960429275_715463404_n_zpsphnbarex.jpg&hash=387365f1be8369be2cd945b6367378c9cecc0c38) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/11429695_1631470960429275_715463404_n_zpsphnbarex.jpg.html)
Quote from: grumbler on October 18, 2015, 06:53:11 PM
It isn't at all clear that this was a representative sample, or even a random sample. I strongly suspect from the wording of the report that this was a self-selecting sample (i.e. the 29 franchisees that were willing to spend their time being interviewed). 29 of 3500 gives a confidence interval of 18 with a confidence level of 95%, if they were randomly chosen. That's not very solid surveying.
Can't say anything about how representative it is. If the sample is not representative, then everything else is moot.
If it is representative, then what do you want him to do? Survey 1082 franchises? And if 30% of franchises really think the company is crashing, is that really much better than 50%? I'm also not sure how that 3500 number matters all that much, but that's neither here nor there.
She looks like a cartoon.
Is eye enlargement surgery a thing?
Quote from: Habbaku on October 18, 2015, 09:24:58 PM
Is eye enlargement surgery a thing?
Yes, some girls do that. But even more common is wearing eye enlargement contact lenses. Those will create an effect where the eyes will look larger than they really are. The right kind of make-up will further enhance the effect. I think the girl in the pics above wear the contact lenses and does her make-up skillfully.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on October 18, 2015, 08:48:08 PM
But you can't even see her elbows. :P
Dorsey: Of course the analyst could be skewing the sample to validate his own point. Journalists do it all the time when they cherry pick some like-minded people to represent the mood on the street.
However, for someone doing so, 29 is a pretty big sample, and only 12 out of 29 is a pretty weak result. Furthermore, it's not clear to me that an analyst who is seeking to validate his own negative outlook on Mickey's is necessarily going to provide potentially useful feedback to the CEO. Lastly, the share price is going to be driven by metrics, not a perception that franchisees are pissed off at management.
This doesn't provide any useful information to the CEO. He isn't going to be looking at public surveys of his franchisees to know what they are thinking.
This analyst has achieved one thing with this report: getting his name all over the news. Can't say whether that was his intent.
Quote from: alfred russel on October 18, 2015, 09:33:11 PM
This doesn't provide any useful information to the CEO. He isn't going to be looking at public surveys of his franchisees to know what they are thinking.
What the CEO habitually looks at and what would prove useful are two separate questions.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on October 18, 2015, 02:39:57 PM
Quote from: Benedict Arnold on October 18, 2015, 02:36:16 PM
I thought the same thing, till I saw it was out of 29 random US franchisees who were polled. I still think it is a rather crap argument and sensationalist journalism.
29 franchisees who own 226 restaurants. It's not a terrible sample.
There are 14,267 McDonald's in the United States. 226 is a pretty small percentage of that total. Globally there are more than 36,000.
Quote from: Benedict Arnold on October 18, 2015, 11:05:26 PM
There are 14,267 McDonald's in the United States. 226 is a pretty small percentage of that total. Globally there are more than 36,000.
The ratio of the sample to the population has no impact on the variance of the sample.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on October 18, 2015, 11:52:30 PM
Quote from: Benedict Arnold on October 18, 2015, 11:05:26 PM
There are 14,267 McDonald's in the United States. 226 is a pretty small percentage of that total. Globally there are more than 36,000.
The ratio of the sample to the population has no impact on the variance of the sample.
:yes: Well, in all realistic situations, with big enough populations relative to sample size. A sample of size 99 out of population of size 100 would be less statistically noisy than that out of population of size 1,000. But the difference between 1,000 and 10,000 would be almost non-existent.
According to Entrepeneur.com there are 12867 franchise units in the USA (the rest would be company owned, I assume..)
One news site lists "over 2400" as the number of franchisees, another gives "over 3000". Even if the selection had no biases I'd still prefer a larger sample base if conclusions are being drawn from the data.
In any survey, is optimal sample size n - 1 ?
Quote from: Monoriu on October 18, 2015, 09:29:30 PM
Quote from: Habbaku on October 18, 2015, 09:24:58 PM
Is eye enlargement surgery a thing?
Yes, some girls do that. But even more common is wearing eye enlargement contact lenses. Those will create an effect where the eyes will look larger than they really are. The right kind of make-up will further enhance the effect. I think the girl in the pics above wear the contact lenses and does her make-up skillfully.
Yeah.
Most smartphones sold in Asia ships with apps that "beautify" photos. I reckon the girl is probably wearing contact lenses to make her irises and pupils look large, and she may have had relatively minor eyelid surgery - but the bulk of what makes her look like a doll is most likely off-the-shelf image post processing.
I'm hardly a regular customer, heck, even when I was a poor student there were better alternative options for cheap food around here. The only times I went to McDonald's was when I went out and got the munchies at like 3am, because they were open until very late.
They have tried to reposition themselves highly upscalish around here, but the fact remains that I can throw a couple extra euros and have a much better meal in other quick food places, or I can just have a kebab or whatever if I want to go really cheap and on the go - and I still prefer greasy kebabs to their burgers.
Quote from: Jacob on October 19, 2015, 12:34:21 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on October 18, 2015, 09:29:30 PM
Quote from: Habbaku on October 18, 2015, 09:24:58 PM
Is eye enlargement surgery a thing?
Yes, some girls do that. But even more common is wearing eye enlargement contact lenses. Those will create an effect where the eyes will look larger than they really are. The right kind of make-up will further enhance the effect. I think the girl in the pics above wear the contact lenses and does her make-up skillfully.
Yeah.
Most smartphones sold in Asia ships with apps that "beautify" photos. I reckon the girl is probably wearing contact lenses to make her irises and pupils look large, and she may have had relatively minor eyelid surgery - but the bulk of what makes her look like a doll is most likely off-the-shelf image post processing.
Is self-mutiliation and uglification also a thing in Asia? Because she looks monstrous.
Quote from: celedhring on October 19, 2015, 01:56:41 AM
I'm hardly a regular customer, heck, even when I was a poor student there were better alternative options for cheap food around here. The only times I went to McDonald's was when I went out and got the munchies at like 3am, because they were open until very late.
They have tried to reposition themselves highly upscalish around here, but the fact remains that I can throw a couple extra euros and have a much better meal in other quick food places, or I can just have a kebab or whatever if I want to go really cheap and on the go - and I still prefer greasy kebabs to their burgers.
I think you are overly critical. For example, all things considered, I think McDonald's is "safer" in terms of sanitary condition that most "mom and pop" quick food joints. Plus there is an issue of recognition in a foreign place. I think McDonald's does serve a role.
Quote from: Tonitrus on October 18, 2015, 08:38:50 PM
I tried to find a picture on Google where she looks more like a real human being, and less like an artificial doll.
I failed.
When I saw the picture I first expected it to be related to a new human-like robot from Japan. Human beings should never fall into uncanny valley territory.
Quote from: Martinus on October 19, 2015, 02:09:57 AM
Quote from: celedhring on October 19, 2015, 01:56:41 AM
I'm hardly a regular customer, heck, even when I was a poor student there were better alternative options for cheap food around here. The only times I went to McDonald's was when I went out and got the munchies at like 3am, because they were open until very late.
They have tried to reposition themselves highly upscalish around here, but the fact remains that I can throw a couple extra euros and have a much better meal in other quick food places, or I can just have a kebab or whatever if I want to go really cheap and on the go - and I still prefer greasy kebabs to their burgers.
I think you are overly critical. For example, all things considered, I think McDonald's is "safer" in terms of sanitary condition that most "mom and pop" quick food joints. Plus there is an issue of recognition in a foreign place. I think McDonald's does serve a role.
We have loads of local chains that serve quick food that's both better quality than McD's and not much more expensive. I'm pretty sure that's the case in the majority of the developed world.
Quote from: 11B4V on October 18, 2015, 09:23:39 PM
She looks like a cartoon.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.taiwan.cn%2Ftp%2Fshsh%2F201508%2FW020150819285191213016.jpg&hash=56f1f51c6d2d5ecb420336d7092b0a8317a6dfc0)
Just like anime characters, her eyes go from huge to closed lines. :D
Quote from: celedhring on October 19, 2015, 02:18:27 AM
We have loads of local chains that serve quick food that's both better quality than McD's and not much more expensive. I'm pretty sure that's the case in the majority of the developed world.
From what I have encountered:
Sweden- Max- Far better than McDonalds. MUCH more expensive.
Switzerland- Holy Cow- Better than McDonalds. Significantly more expensive.
Belgium/France- Quick- Somewhat better than McDonalds. More expensive.
That seems to be the general way in Europe. In Japan too McDonalds is the cheap food place. I'm jealous of America if its the case over there.
We have lots of places that serve cheap food, and most of them are better than McDonalds.
We have countless food stands all over town - sausage stands, kebab, noodles etc. Chain-wise we have Schnitzelhaus and Pizza Mann. Maybe Wienerwald or Coffeeshop Company. And loads of small shops and delivery services.
Though these days, McD and BK also have a home delivery option.
You guys missed my point - sure, when I am in Warsaw, I also never eat at McDonald's. But the point is that when I travel somewhere and need to eat something quickly, I will pick McDonald's over a local chain or mom-and-pop food place, because I have no clue about the quality of any of these places, while McDonald's can be counted on to at least not give me a violent diarrhea.
Well, if you're traveling in the first world, the mom & pop places are subject to health inspectors same as the chains.
I'd feel a lot more safer with a small one off burger place than I do McDonalds. McDonalds have had way too many food safety scares.
I really shouldn't eat there.
Yet I'm low on choice.
Quote from: Monoriu on October 18, 2015, 08:15:32 PM
I think there is an easy solution for McDonald's problems.
This photograph was taken at a McDonald's in Taiwan. She is a model who works part-time as a McDonald's manager. Ever since these photographs had surfaced, business at that branch has remarkably improved. She is now nicknamed the goddess of McDonald's in this part of the world.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F8268618_897303_zpsddva0nco.jpg&hash=7f30cea42d1229fdf36246f1c7c46658fce60f8c) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/8268618_897303_zpsddva0nco.jpg.html)
Is there any problem that the addition of anime-girl look-alikes cannot solve? :D
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on October 19, 2015, 03:48:30 AM
Well, if you're traveling in the first world, the mom & pop places are subject to health inspectors same as the chains.
And they can often fail to meet standards. One of the famous pizza joints in NYC was closed for a bit when I lived there because at the most recent health inspector visit, too many roaches and rodents were found in the building.
Sure, but a McDonalds can fail to meet standards as well.
Agreed. I think the main positive for McD's is some degree of consistency - much in the same that Starbucks has consistency across markets. On the other hand, McD's fights against that benefit by its tailoring of its menu to local markets.
I can't remember the last time I went for a Maccy D's. More than 10 years ago? I had a brilliant gourmet burger in a local pub a couple of weeks ago. Quiz night, fancy burger, chips and a pint for a tenner!
http://www.thecastlefarringdon.co.uk/offers/burgerandabeerdeal (http://www.thecastlefarringdon.co.uk/offers/burgerandabeerdeal)
I had a horribly overpriced burger last week at the Gatwick airport and it was much worse than what I could get at a McD.
Quote from: Brazen on October 19, 2015, 10:53:36 AM
I can't remember the last time I went for a Maccy D's. More than 10 years ago? I had a brilliant gourmet burger in a local pub a couple of weeks ago. Quiz night, fancy burger, chips and a pint for a tenner!
http://www.thecastlefarringdon.co.uk/offers/burgerandabeerdeal (http://www.thecastlefarringdon.co.uk/offers/burgerandabeerdeal)
My local bar also has some pretty great food but it is not fast food or a competitor with McDonalds.
Anyway lots of fast food choices these days. It is no surprise McDonalds is having issues.
Quote from: Brazen on October 19, 2015, 10:53:36 AM
I can't remember the last time I went for a Maccy D's. More than 10 years ago? I had a brilliant gourmet burger in a local pub a couple of weeks ago. Quiz night, fancy burger, chips and a pint for a tenner!
http://www.thecastlefarringdon.co.uk/offers/burgerandabeerdeal (http://www.thecastlefarringdon.co.uk/offers/burgerandabeerdeal)
That's ten pounds? Isn't that like, $40 or something?
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on October 19, 2015, 10:16:05 AM
Sure, but a McDonalds can fail to meet standards as well.
:yes: Wasn't pretty much every McDonalds location shut down in Russia last year due to failing health inspections?
Quote from: Berkut on October 19, 2015, 01:24:10 PM
Quote from: Brazen on October 19, 2015, 10:53:36 AM
I can't remember the last time I went for a Maccy D's. More than 10 years ago? I had a brilliant gourmet burger in a local pub a couple of weeks ago. Quiz night, fancy burger, chips and a pint for a tenner!
http://www.thecastlefarringdon.co.uk/offers/burgerandabeerdeal (http://www.thecastlefarringdon.co.uk/offers/burgerandabeerdeal)
That's ten pounds? Isn't that like, $40 or something?
Five Guys charges 8 pounds for just the cheeseburger over here.
Quote from: garbon on October 19, 2015, 01:59:41 PM
Five Guys charges 8 pounds for just the cheeseburger over here.
That's nuts.
Not if people are willing to pay for it at that price... :sleep:
Quote from: DGuller on October 18, 2015, 07:32:33 AM
Quote from: Syt on October 18, 2015, 06:47:06 AM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on October 18, 2015, 06:29:27 AM
Maybe they should figure out how to make a decent burger. :hmm:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/25/us-mcdonalds-organic-idUSKCN0RP21H20150925 ?
Steps in the right direction. The one and only time I ate a McDonalds burger, it definitely didn't taste like it had any organic materials in there.
in a blind test, you would not know the difference.
Quote from: Berkut on October 19, 2015, 01:24:10 PM
Quote from: Brazen on October 19, 2015, 10:53:36 AM
I can't remember the last time I went for a Maccy D's. More than 10 years ago? I had a brilliant gourmet burger in a local pub a couple of weeks ago. Quiz night, fancy burger, chips and a pint for a tenner!
http://www.thecastlefarringdon.co.uk/offers/burgerandabeerdeal (http://www.thecastlefarringdon.co.uk/offers/burgerandabeerdeal)
That's ten pounds? Isn't that like, $40 or something?
Not since 1948
So in response to this thread, I did my part to help keep the dream alive today.
Business was worse than I thought. Lunch time, central business district, Hong Kong, working day. Should've been a war zone. I didn't even need to line up to order food. And empty tables were waiting for me.
The meal actually cost me US$4.5. Every McDonald's have different prices in HK, and the one I went to is reported to have the highest prices outside the airport and theme parks. That's on par with other Chinese fast food places, and about half the price of a White Spot burger meal.
No goddess :weep: I was pleasantly surprised that the clerk gave me two packets of ketchup instead of the usual one. Still a far cry from White Spot that gave me an entire bottle. Actually, I still had to seriously ration the ketchup :(
Biggest problem is the burger. I ordered a Big and Tasty, with a much bigger and thicker patty than their normal one. Still felt that it wasn't thick enough, wasn't juicy enough, not hot enough, and was blend. The bread was no good. Not really roasted, was too sweet, and the texture reminds me of the cheapest kind of bread sold in the discount shelves of supermarkets. The bread isn't even average. It is crap. The sauce makes the whole thing more tolerable, but it still felt uninspired. The tomato was the best part. Fresh and juicy.
They have some halloween special on the menu, but it was yet another kind of fried chicken burger. Why is it that they have to do fried chicken all the time? It isn't really a special if you always put fried chicken in it and call it a fancy name.
The biggest advantages of McDonald's are convenience, consistency and speed. Convenient because they can negotiate with the landlords and open branches in the best locations. A short walk from my office, 30 seconds from a train station. Consistent (but poor) quality. Speed. It was really fast. It took like a minute max for me to grab the food.
They really have to do something about their burgers. Out of all the burgers place I know in Hong Kong, McDonald's burgers are in the lowest category.
Mono, if I go to your funeral, I'm totally bringing ketchup packets instead of flowers.
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on October 20, 2015, 01:41:20 AM
Mono, if I go to your funeral, I'm totally bringing ketchup packets instead of flowers.
What an asshole, bring a whole bottle you insensitive jerk.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on October 19, 2015, 02:56:55 PM
Quote from: garbon on October 19, 2015, 01:59:41 PM
Five Guys charges 8 pounds for just the cheeseburger over here.
That's nuts.
One of the best burgers I've ever had here was from a delivery service - a simple beef patty with blue cheese (just enough to get soaked by the bun without making it sloppy), a bit of bacon marmalade, and a slice of tomato. With fries and a drink it was 14.90, though.
One of the worst I had was from another service - I ticked the box for "extra jalapeno" which added a full half inch layer of mild chili peppers. There was nothing else to taste on it. Oh, and I once had a burger with a shop's "home made pepper sauce." I love spicy food, but that one was like eating razor blades that have been set on fire, and there was no other taste to it besides "HOT" (you can make spicy food that still tastes of something, you know).
Last time i had Mcd's was living on Kodiak as only place open from midnight to 6am.
Quote from: katmai on October 20, 2015, 01:45:37 AM
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on October 20, 2015, 01:41:20 AM
Mono, if I go to your funeral, I'm totally bringing ketchup packets instead of flowers.
What an asshole, bring a whole bottle you insensitive jerk.
:lol:
1. Funerals are a waste of money.
2. Ketchup and flowers are both a waste of money. Bring cash.
3. And bring it before my death :P
They used to have these on the tables at Wimpys.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41wPsbt8XeL._SY300_.jpg&hash=a3992348c0090e41d862696aa0d03fb220c80ea8)
Quote from: DGuller on October 19, 2015, 01:47:14 PM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on October 19, 2015, 10:16:05 AM
Sure, but a McDonalds can fail to meet standards as well.
:yes: Wasn't pretty much every McDonalds location shut down in Russia last year due to failing health inspections?
Is that a "rats dancing a conga line in the kitchen" fail, or a "cash package to inspectors unreasonably slight" fail? ;)
In Germany, a major Burger King franchisee had problems after an investigative TV report exposed poor hygiene standards in his restaurants. One of the main companies at the time buying ad time for that TV show was McDonalds ... :hmm:
Quote from: Syt on October 20, 2015, 08:00:41 AM
In Germany, a major Burger King franchisee had problems after an investigative TV report exposed poor hygiene standards in his restaurants. One of the main companies at the time buying ad time for that TV show was McDonalds ... :hmm:
I thought McDonalds was using all its lobby money on keeping Greenpeace from focusing on the meat industry. :tinfoil:
Somehow we wind up going to McDonalds with some regularity. It's hard to take little kids places, but they'll be quite happy to go to a McDonalds, get a toy with their happy meal, and play in a big play structure.
Problem is that while I like their breakfasts, the regular menu leaves a lot to be desired. I finally found something though - a Mediterranean veggie wrap. Really not bad at all. There are so many fresh veggies in there though I almost think they sell it at a loss.
There is hope. The flagship McDonald's near my workplace has just been renovated, and they have introducted "create your burger". I had lunch there today, and the place was practically swamped. It was so popular that I had trouble walking in and out of the store :showoff:
Quote from: Monoriu on December 09, 2015, 01:08:51 AM
There is hope. The flagship McDonald's near my workplace has just been renovated, and they have introducted "create your burger". I had lunch there today, and the place was practically swamped. It was so popular that I had trouble walking in and out of the store :showoff:
Yay for taking longer to get your "fast food"?
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on December 09, 2015, 01:28:25 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on December 09, 2015, 01:08:51 AM
There is hope. The flagship McDonald's near my workplace has just been renovated, and they have introducted "create your burger". I had lunch there today, and the place was practically swamped. It was so popular that I had trouble walking in and out of the store :showoff:
Yay for taking longer to get your "fast food"?
Fortunately they had different queues for normal sets, and "create your burger" orders, so it was actually quite fast. Also, because today is the opening day of the new, renovated store, McDonald's arranged dozens of temporary helpers. That helped a lot. Most of them are young, above average looking staff :secret: