19 Comments
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David Florida's avatar

Robert, do you have a take on the fries? I had turned my back on them before I heard that Julia Child was of a like mind. Pretty safe to say the mid eighties represented the peak for many more reasons.

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Robert Farago's avatar

No matter how good they taste, I can’t afford not to eat clean:

Ingredients: Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (canola Oil, Corn Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Natural Beef Flavor*), Dextrose, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (maintain Color), Salt.

*Contains Hydrolyzed Wheat And Hydrolyzed Milk As Starting Ingredients

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David Florida's avatar

I "feel you." A Podcaster whom I've long followed once aired the craziest sounding stuff: the chemicals used to insure the absence of 'eyes' and other imperfections in the potatoes are so toxic that the harvested crop requires placement in special warehouses to 'outgas' for weeks before processing into the fries we used to love.

Regardless of the veracity, I find the closer I get to sixty, the easier it becomes to roast freshly cut slices of russets in my own oven.

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MrFixit1599's avatar

The ONLY reason to ever go to "Yellow M" (what my daughter called it when she was very young) as an adult, is when they bring back the McRib. I've had 4 in the past 5 days. For a burger there are soooo many better options. Same with chicken. Will admit the fries are hard to beat.

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yossarian's avatar

i really like 5 guys but it's a lot more expensive than mcdonalds and they make each hamburger to order. the only fast food chain we go to is chipotle.

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Robert Farago's avatar

McDonald’s is the dictionary definition of economy of scale. The average spend there is now $8.35 BUT plenty of people only order coffee.

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yossarian's avatar

jack may be on to something. i think the quality of mcd’s goes up the further you are from the city. around here, it’s really bad. i’m not a coffee snob but mcd’s coffee is undrinkable.

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New User Name's avatar

I am a coffee snob. I grind and make espresso on $1700 worth of equipment.

McDonald's coffee has aromatics added and it's fine for how cheap it is.

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Fat Baby Driver's avatar

I grew up broke as a joke in the 70s and getting McDonalds was a real treat back then. The suburban location near my house does *ok*, but I only partake when I don't have enough time to do something better.

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Jack Baruth's avatar

As a poor person, I still go to McDonald's all the time -- and I can report that food quality and variety has never been better, AT THE RURAL RESTAURANTS. Come to the McDonald's in Lexington, Ohio and get a hot meal that tastes good. Same is true for the Burger King. But the urban McDonald's are almost entirely staffed and run now by first-generation immigrants and members of downtrodden communities... and there's no way to make the menu and the process simple enough for them to do it.

This is worth a separate post on my part.

With regard to Five Guys -- they charge $19 for the equivalent of a Quarter Pounder Meal and take 10-15 minutes to get it done.

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Dec 8, 2023
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Jack Baruth's avatar

Will do!

There's one place on the way north of 23, can't remember what's called...

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Jack Baruth's avatar

Halo Burger!

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David Florida's avatar

Probably also not what it was in the days of the 2nd generation of family management, back in the '80s. But as the tag line we once repeated in Flint put it:

"Seven days without a Halo Burger makes one weak!"

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Robert Farago's avatar

I’m old enough to remember the first McDonald’s non-drive thru. Served in sixty seconds or it’s free! I can’t remember the last time I went. Can you?

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David Florida's avatar

Last time was not quite a year(two years?) ago. Egg McMuffins for breakfast all around, since the hotel hadn't offered the service and the kids asked politely. That aside, my parents are still getting good food and service at the semi-rural location (ten minutes from US-23) near their place.

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Adam 12's avatar

Nope. Just drive by. In fact they have become invisible to me. On my next drive I may count how many I go by. I have no idea.

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Robert Farago's avatar

How the mighty have fallen. At least in our eyes.

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Adam 12's avatar

I counted five in my commute to a new office. Don’t worry I only work there when we have in person meetings. Two of the Golden Arches I think are newer so they are expanding.

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Dec 8, 2023
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Robert Farago's avatar

Sounds like a great idea! With the best of intentions. What could possibly go wrong?

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