Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: makattak on January 29, 2015, 02:14:41 PM
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Or, "In which Stephen Green becomes my favorite pundit"*
http://pjmedia.com/vodkapundit/2015/01/29/quarter-pounder-blues/
McDonald's is having problems. Increased competition, increased input costs are causing declining sales.
Vodkapundit (Stephen Green) points out that there is also the problem of the Health-Nazis (HA! Godwined in the originial post!) pressuring them to change their menu. (which has led to their myriad of choices, and is likely part of the problem)
Personally, I don't even like it for my children- and it's not a matter of their health. A single fast food meal once or twice a month (which is how often they get it) will have ZERO effect on their health.
McDonald's food has declined in quality and their new "healthy" menu (especially in the kid's meals) is awful. Their apples taste of chemicals and I kick myself every time I forget to tell them to hold the apples and give us more fries instead.
Perhaps the mega-business can recover, but, as Vodkapundit pointed out, it's going to be hard to win the families back from the competition.
Which leads me to the * in the alternate headline:
My childhood favorite, Steak ‘n Shake, is aggressively expanding outside of its midwestern/southern heartland, offering diner-level service and cooked-to-order meals made with beef which is readily identifiable as such.
My childhood favorite as well. It is now my daughter's childhood favorite, too and we live 5 minutes from the closest Steak and Shake.
The have a VAST array of menu items- but they are pretty much all burgers. They know to keep it (relatively) simple. Give people variety, but keep it variety within a theme. Many other businesses are following this model and it was, ironically, the model that lead to McDonald's success.
I can honestly say I don't think there is anything McDonald's could do to make us head there rather than Steak and Shake. (Amusingly, they are literally next door to each other in our town.) The difference in price is minuscule (literally $3-$4 dollars for the entire family), especially when Steak and Shake offers free kids meals on the weekend. Even if McDonald's prices were half of what they are now, I'm not sure that would be enough inducement.
So, in conclusion: beancrock (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZqRvbcsNfk).
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Like a lot of people I worked at McDonald's and even then didn't eat there all that often. For a burger I would much rather go to a mom and pop type of place. As for Steak and Shake, last two times I was in one, two different locations here in Tulsa, the service sucked and the food wasn't much better.
Too many other options out there for burgers and fries, only reason McD's and the like stay open is because most people are too damn lazy to look for better options.
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We had a burger joint when I was a teen called The Butter Wagon. Everything they cooked, was in butter. It went away about the time McDonalds and Burger King were beginning to gain popularity. If I was 20 years younger and actually wanted to work again, I would resurrect that burger joint and do the same thing; cook everything in butter. Real beef with fat in it and real potatoes for French fries, cut up in the joint. I'd humiliate the food Nazis and up the ante with more butter when they screamed. If they would picket, I'd give a free burger. I bet I'd make a King's ransom.
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Funny, I was going to post a somewhat related topic. As I've mentioned before, while when in town, I will go to an In and Out, Habit, or other "good" fast food joint, McDonalds has been my "goto" place for a quick stop at the drive-thru when I'm on the road and don't want to stop to eat. I know exactly what I'm going to get: a passable burger and fries that aren't going to leak condiments all over me while I eat and drive (on empty, rural highways for you safety sticklers :P ).
That all changed earlier this week when they apparently came out with the "new" menu. I stopped at my usual halfway point McDonalds and ordered the #4 (double quarter pounder meal) like I always do without bothering to look at the menu. What I got was the new "Quarter Pounder Deluxe" which came with saggy lettuce, a pale tomato slice that looked like it had been cloned for the 1000th time, and a slathering of some crappy new dressing. It was awful.
McDonalds did well when it stuck to it's original purpose: standardized "it tastes okay" food that will be pretty much the same no matter where in the country you go. Just like I don't expect to get a good pizza at Domino's, but I know I'll get an acceptable pizza at a Domino's in an unfamiliar location.
McDonalds trying to do quality "healthy food" is going to lose them their shirt, IMO.
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When a man describes Steak-n-Shake fries as "top-notch," I shall take his opinion on fast food with a few grains of salt from a plastic, McDonald's salt-shaker.
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Preference (when I went for fast food at all) used to be:
Wendy's
Burger King
McDonald's
In that order.
Now it's
Burger King
Wendy's
McDonald's
I learned long ago not to go grocery shopping when hungry, so I sometimes stop at a fast food joint for a kid's burger before hitting the supermarket.
I know that's saved me some moolah over the years.
Terry
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Trimmed
McDonalds did well when it stuck to it's original purpose: standardized "it tastes okay" food that will be pretty much the same no matter where in the country you go. Just like I don't expect to get a good pizza at Domino's, but I know I'll get an acceptable pizza at a Domino's in an unfamiliar location.
and filleted
What Howard Johnson's did for travel in the 50's, McDonalds did in the 80's Now who's up?
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The have a VAST array of menu items- but they are pretty much all burgers. They know to keep it (relatively) simple. Give people variety, but keep it variety within a theme. Many other businesses are following this model and it was, ironically, the model that lead to McDonald's success.
When I read that, the first thing I thought of was this (http://www.theonion.com/articles/taco-bells-five-ingredients-combined-in-totally-ne,3781/)
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2 large fries and a large chocolate shake from McD's= my favorite hangover cure. It literally, not figuretively, brought me back from the dead one morning.
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Whataburger and Wendy's are my two favorites for fast food burgers. At Wendy's I prefer the spicy chicken sandwich though.
I occasionally get breakfast or the chicken nuggets at McDonalds even though the nuggets are just greasy chicken parts.
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Does Wendy's still serve baked potatoes? Those used to be my favorite, last time I went to a Wendy's they didn't have them...
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We had a burger joint when I was a teen called The Butter Wagon. Everything they cooked, was in butter. It went away about the time McDonalds and Burger King were beginning to gain popularity. If I was 20 years younger and actually wanted to work again, I would resurrect that burger joint and do the same thing; cook everything in butter. Real beef with fat in it and real potatoes for French fries, cut up in the joint. I'd humiliate the food Nazis and up the ante with more butter when they screamed. If they would picket, I'd give a free burger. I bet I'd make a King's ransom.
Make sure you use lard or traditional animal fat for the french fries. Tell the vegetarians to go someplace else.
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When a man describes Steak-n-Shake fries as "top-notch," I shall take his opinion on fast food with a few grains of salt from a plastic, McDonald's salt-shaker.
McDonald's doesn't have plastic salt shakers. They have those little tear-to-open spill salt all over your tray salt packets.
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Does Wendy's still serve baked potatoes? Those used to be my favorite, last time I went to a Wendy's they didn't have them...
The one's by us do.
Grampster should check out Culver's if he's in a Midwestern region that has them. They put butter on their burgers, and they're all made to order. You pull through and pay, and they run it out to you about 5 minutes later.
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Does Wendy's still serve baked potatoes? Those used to be my favorite, last time I went to a Wendy's they didn't have them...
Wendy's dropped my favorite baked potato years ago. Since than I rarely to to Wendy's -- which isn't a surprise, since many of them have gone out of business.
One of my favorite fast food joint used to be D'Angelo's. They made sandwiches on good pita bread, and I loved their seafood salad pita sandwich. Most of the D'Angelo's near me closed in recent years. About six weeks ago I had to go up-state for a meeting and my route went right past a D'Angelo's. So on the return leg I stopped there. HORRORS! No more pita bread. No more seafood salad. Totally different menu, totally different atmosphere. I couldn't leave fast enough. Went down the road to McDonald's.
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I just don't see McDonald's going away anytime in this century. They make fast food. Gobs of people love fast food, and most people will eat fast food, even if they don't like it that much. I would like McD's more if they started doing some "char-broiled" burgers, like Burger King or DQ.
I had the "Bacon Clubhouse" burger a few days ago, sans stupid sauce and tomato. I was suitably impressed. Much better than their usual burgers.
Redacted. Sorry, I know I shouldn't go on rants. =(
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I've pretty much written off fast food, when possible. Best way to not encourage fatassery on my part.
The being said, and as much as it pains me, Chipotole (spelled like it sounds, damnit) makes a tasty bowl/burrito. Even if they are run by a bunch of dirty goddamned hippies. If I am unable to pack a lunch, that's where I grab chow.
I used to enjoy Mcdonalds' various salad offerings (the Cesar was decent, for something being tossed at you via drive thru window), but they kept declining in quality to the point it wasn't worth the money. Then I'd end up with a mediocre double cheeseburger.
If I'm looking for a delicious greasy cheeseburger around here, It's gonna be a 5 guys.
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I had the "Bacon Clubhouse" burger a few days ago, sans stupid sauce and tomato. I was suitably impressed. Much better than their usual burgers.
Maybe I'll try that one on my way home next week.
McD's just needs to give up on the fruits and vegetables though. Their business model is just not setup to have good quality, fresh fruits and veggies. They don't have the staff to properly keep and prepare them, and if they start charging much more to cover that kind of stuff, I might as well go eat at a real restaurant.
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I just don't see McDonald's going away anytime in this century. They make fast food. Gobs of people love fast food, and most people will eat fast food, even if they don't like it that much. I would like McD's more if they started doing some "char-broiled" burgers, like Burger King or DQ.
I had the "Bacon Clubhouse" burger a few days ago, sans stupid sauce and tomato. I was suitably impressed. Much better than their usual burgers.
But, then, I'm also not one of those crazy people that puts tomato slices on his burger. I will never understand this perversity, but this is apparently something in which a burger chain must excel, in order to please a fairly large share of the market. :facepalm: Next thing you know, we'll have people thinking that baked is a proper way to prepare a potato. :facepalm:
I suppose you're one of those people that likes their regurgitated reconstituted onions too.
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McDonalds is the last resort. I like the fries. Everything else sucks.
I'd rather hit Cookout instead, they have good food for about the same price. $5 at Cookout gets me a double cheeseburger (that actually tastes good) with two sides and a drink.
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I suppose you're one of those people that likes their regurgitated reconstituted onions too.
Better than no onion. Actually, much better than a solid disk of onion that a lot of places put on a burger.
Crud. These stupid threads always make me hungry.
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On the incredibly rare occasion I go to Mcdonalds for lunch I order their standard hamburger X 3 or a Big Mac. Still tastes the same as it always did as far as I'm concerned.
The franchise by my work is more consistent than the corporate store by me.
The corporate store is THE CORPORATE STORE. I work in Oakbrook Illinois. McDonalds corporate headquarters and Burger U are a bike ride from my home and work.
It is rare that I frequent a Mickey D's these days. For me it is a treat and I mean that, I usually enjoy eating their fare.
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BRB.
The wife is serving up home made greasy sloppy joes. When I get back I'll post something about fast food. Either that, or I'll just sit here all fat and satisfied with grease dripping off my chin and read youse guys ruminations for a while.
=D
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I'm currently on board with the Wendys - BK -McD ranking.
I usually eat McD when it's late and I'm on the road. Maybe it's just me, but it seems like it sucks consistently. Wendy's does an OK job.
If there's a QT nearby I'll just get tacquitos. Still not that great but it doesn't pretend to be anything else, and it washes down great with Mountain Dew.
Oh, and the Steak and Shake here in town has TERRIBLE service. Food is fine.
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Oh, and the Steak and Shake here in town has TERRIBLE service. Food is fine.
Same here.
I have some friends that almost live at their local S&S. First-name basis, and such. I find myself there at least once a month, which is often enough for me. The service is friendly enough; just really slow.
The food's not bad, but the burgers are thin (cheap). The fries are thin (cheaper). The chili is bland. The only thing I really like is bean crock, and shakes. Their breakfasts are OK.
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I'll go with Wendy's, then White Castle, then Steak & Shake, next up Burger King and finally McDonalds.
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Went to IHOP last night after basketball game with the wife and three teenage boys and a teenage girl.
Food for me was blah, first carafe of coffee that was brought out was cold, my omelet was bland, and the service was slow with what appeared to be a 1 server to 2 table ratio.
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I wonder how much of McD's financial woes are due to the raging success that is their value menu? I know it started as an almost-loss-leader way to get people in the door to buy more profitable items. It seems to have morphed into a much larger percentage of sales then they ever anticipated.
It's been several years since I ordered anything not on the VM. I'm not a picky eater, as my waistline will attest. $2.50 for a filling meal is mere pennies more than I'd have in something home-prepared. I have to believe I'm not the only one who regularly uses the McD VM as a convenient, cost-effective meal option when home-cooked isn't readily available.
Brad
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I wonder how much of McD's financial woes are due to the raging success that is their value menu? I know it started as an almost-loss-leader way to get people in the door to buy more profitable items. It seems to have morphed into a much larger percentage of sales then they ever anticipated.
It's been several years since I ordered anything not on the VM. I'm not a picky eater, as my waistline will attest. $2.50 for a filling meal is mere pennies more than I'd have in something home-prepared. I have to believe I'm not the only one who regularly uses the McD VM as a convenient, cost-effective meal option when home-cooked isn't readily available.
Brad
Those value meals are one place where I have to give McDonalds (and America!) credit. As much flak as they get for how bad their food is for you, I can guarantee that there are millions of people in the world who would consider it a Godsend to be able to eat a McDonalds value meal once a day. We have ridiculously cheap, safe, and available food here, when compared to so many other parts of the world.
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A lot of the franchisees complain about the growth of the menu. Too many marginal products they are required to produce. Then there is the complain about HQ marketing stunts that have no known purpose (free coffee, fer instance). McD lost its founding vision for any number of reasons. Press I've been reading says McD will go back to its roots.
Where I live we have small mid state chain called Rush's. Puts the big boys to shame.
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Andiron remarked,
I've pretty much written off fast food, when possible. Best way to not encourage fatassery on my part.
Doggy Daddy chimed in with,
Either that, or I'll just sit here all fat and satisfied with grease dripping off my chin and read youse guys ruminations for a while.
Well, I figure you've got to challenge and stress your system once in a while to keep it in good running order. >:D
Sorta like taking your car out for a high speed run on the highway to blow the carbon off the valves. :)
Terry
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Well, I figure you've got to challenge and stress your system once in a while to keep it in good running order. >:D
Sorta like taking your car out for a high speed run on the highway to blow the carbon off the valves. :)
Terry
That's what SPAM, Earl Campbell's Jalapeno Cheddar hot links, and Allsup's chimis are are for. =D
Brad
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If their future depends on the performance of the location I'm pretty much forced to go to on nights when I have a meeting, MickeyD's is screwed.
This place is unbelievably slow. It's messy (never really dirty, per say), but everything just looks out of place. The women making the sandwiches get the ingredients wrong about 15% of the time, which is absolutely incomprehensible...
I was there last week and ordered one of their grilled chicken sammiches. After waiting an incredible length of time, the manager finally plops down a Quarter Pounder box.
Excuse me, I ordered a chicken sandwich.
Manager comes back a few moments later and says (I think) "sorry, it's just a chicken sandwich in the wrong box."
Yeah.... so I opened the box... "Uhm... since when does your grilled chicken sandwich come with a bonus hamburger patty under the chicken?"
Stupid sammich assemblers in the back weren't paying attention to what they were doing. AGAIN.
By that time I was pretty pissed, and the manager knew it. I was hungry, I was running late, so he tossed a "free drink or sammich" coupon my way.
Nice gesture on his part, but that kind of crap should never happen.
I was there again Wednesday (yes, I know, but it really is the only option for dinner for where I need to go)...
The woman doing the fries dropped the fry scoop and it broke. They couldn't find another one. No back up? Jesus...
The place was messy as all get out again.
The manager on duty I've seen before. He's not slow... he's glacial. And when he's on duty, the place pretty much comes to a stand still. I really think he's a Burger King mole trying to bring down the clown from the inside.
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The manager on duty I've seen before. He's not slow... he's glacial. And when he's on duty, the place pretty much comes to a stand still. I really think he's a Burger King mole trying to bring down the clown from the inside.
Nah; he either got his training at the Jack in the Box drive through or the WalMart express lane.
Bad fast food service is why I like to watch the HEB meal deals (Buy something - usually the entree - at regular price and get everything else to make a complete meal for 2-3 people free. Wednesday, it was 2 24oz bags of fully cooked boneless chicken tenders for $7/bag, get chips, salsa, salad, dressing, hot sauce, 2L soda and a salsa bowl free. Not bad for 3lbs of pretty good tenders and at least a couple meals worth of other stuff.) with nuke-and-eat entrees.
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Went to IHOP last night after basketball game with the wife and three teenage boys and a teenage girl.
Food for me was blah, first carafe of coffee that was brought out was cold, my omelet was bland, and the service was slow with what appeared to be a 1 server to 2 table ratio.
IHOPs here suck too. Last one I went to there were a bunch of flies in the restaurent and the service was glacially slow.
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Anyone ever try Sheetz? For what's essentially a gas station, it has tasty fast food.
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Anyone ever try Sheetz? For what's essentially a gas station, it has tasty fast food.
There are none around here, but there is one in my parent's town in NE Ohio. I just looked at the online menu, wow. I didn't realize they had so much.
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The absolute best gas station in the world to eat at is Oklahoma Joe's in Kansas City.
Right Nick1911?
=D =D =D
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Nah; he either got his training at the Jack in the Box drive through or the WalMart express lane.
Bad fast food service is why I like to watch the HEB meal deals (Buy something - usually the entree - at regular price and get everything else to make a complete meal for 2-3 people free. Wednesday, it was 2 24oz bags of fully cooked boneless chicken tenders for $7/bag, get chips, salsa, salad, dressing, hot sauce, 2L soda and a salsa bowl free. Not bad for 3lbs of pretty good tenders and at least a couple meals worth of other stuff.) with nuke-and-eat entrees.
Bad/slow fast food service is likely crappy owners and management who tolerate it as long as the profit is still there.
I worked 3 months at a McD's in my home town. Managers were constantly pushing and yelling periodically. Then the owners would show up ocasionally and yell at people even worse. Crappy way to run a store.
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A lot of the franchisees complain about the growth of the menu. Too many marginal products they are required to produce. Then there is the complain about HQ marketing stunts that have no known purpose (free coffee, fer instance). McD lost its founding vision for any number of reasons. Press I've been reading says McD will go back to its roots.
Where I live we have small mid state chain called Rush's. Puts the big boys to shame.
Now that I think about it, Whataburger is everywhere down here, but I don't think it get much out of the Texas Gulf Coast. Good franchise. Good food.
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Now that I think about it, Whataburger is everywhere down here, but I don't think it get much out of the Texas Gulf Coast. Good franchise. Good food.
From my visits down to TX (San Antonio) oh so long ago, I remember Wataburgers all over the place.
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BRB.
The wife is serving up home made greasy sloppy joes. When I get back I'll post something about fast food. Either that, or I'll just sit here all fat and satisfied with grease dripping off my chin and read youse guys ruminations for a while.
=D
Just finished off 3 BLTs w/o the L. Not so hungry.
Wendy's, Jack, pretty much anyone else, McD's. Wendy's used to sell up to a double burger, I'd stop by there after work before heading over to the shop to work on the race car. I'd always order the double with an extra patty to make it a triple. A few months after I started doing that they began offering the triple burger. Really like it when the grease drips off my elbow.
About 9 years ago, we went to a Whataburger in Gilbert AZ. Wasn't impressed, the burger was dry, the service was slow.
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McDonald went off the rails when they stopped with grilling burgers in small batches (as they anticipated orders) and went to grilling hundreds if not thousands and then storing them in trays/heaters and/or microwaving them just before assembling. Taste has bottomed out since then. Their burgers were best either A) hot off the grill, or b) about 10 minutes old when the grease and condiments got a chance to soak into the buns.
Yes, I like their reconstituted onions.
Steak-n-Shake. I usually hit the one in Lafayette (if I don't have time for Triple XXX). $4 for a Triple Steak Burger and Fries, filling meal for a decent price. With a shake total runs just under $7. Still a good deal.
We've had a whole bunch of burger places open here 5 Guys, Smashburger, Meatheads. We've been to all three, but not one was a "OH WOW THIS PLACE IS AWESOME." All were decent burgers but spendy.
Since we don't go out to eat often, it's only when traveling that we'll hit a restaurant.
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I don't eat here within 3 month of my annual cholesterol check.
http://www.ronschili.com/ (http://www.ronschili.com/)
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For a regional sit-down burger chain, I like these guys, because you can get good (i.e., not Jack Daniels) whiskey with your burger:
http://www.eurekarestaurantgroup.com/eat.html#prettyPhoto
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Just finished off 3 BLTs w/o the L. Not so hungry.
Had exactly that for breakfast a couple of days ago. The L is not always necessary or desired.
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Sorta like taking your car out for a high speed run on the highway to blow the carbon off the valves. :)
Terry
Yep, still blowing of the carbon. Good thing we have 4 dogs I can blame it on. 3 would not be enough.
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Meatheads.
I like Meatheads. Also, I wish Beef-A-Roo would expand out of the Rockford, IL area.
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I actually rate the big national three about equally, it just depends what I am in the mood for. Though BK and Wendy's have never managed to forget to put the chicken on my fluffing chicken sandwich. McDonalds still has the best fries out of the three.
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McDonalds still has the best fries out of the three.
Or possibly had. It may have just been coincidence or quality control, but the fries that came with my "new" Quarter Pounder earlier in the week were not that great. I was already wondering if they changed the recipe to (way) less salt, "healthy" fries.
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A lot of the franchisees complain about the growth of the menu. Too many marginal products they are required to produce. Then there is the complain about HQ marketing stunts that have no known purpose (free coffee, fer instance). McD lost its founding vision for any number of reasons. Press I've been reading says McD will go back to its roots.
Too many products for the franchisee, and too many for the customer. It has been years since you could look on the overhead menu and see every available product listed. A few recently-renovated stores now use digital menu boards, so the display can scroll through the entire menu -- but (at least around here) those are few and far between.
Another annoying trait is lack of menu consistency from one store to another. The value menu includes a "McDouble," which is a double cheeseburger but with only one slice of cheese rather than two. To shave a couple more calories, I usually order a McDouble and tell than to hold the cheese. The store nearest home does that -- and they charge me for a McDouble. Last price I remember was $1.19, but it may have gone up.
If I go to the McD's nearest to work and ask for a McDouble with no cheese, the order taker always says, "Oh, you want a double hamburger" -- or else doesn't say anything and rings up a double hamburger. The price for that is $0.99. Go back to the one near home and ask for a double hamburger and they tell me there is no such thing.
The one near home offers sundaes in chocolate, caramel and strawberry. Another, newer one a few miles in the other direction doesn't have strawberry sundaes.
Not insurmountable once I learn the foibles of the individual stores, but it's very annoying away from my home turf when the menu isn't the same as what I'm accustomed to. I understand that, due to rent, taxes, and perhaps food costs the price for any menu item may vary by a few cents from one location to another, but the actual menu choices should be uniform.
It was much easier when all they sold was a burger, fries and a shake. The McDonald's ad jingle when I was in high school was, "Forty five cents for a three course meal? Sounds to me like that's a steal. ... AAAAAT McDonald's."
The three course meal, of course, was a burger, fries, and shake.
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"If I go to the McD's nearest to work and ask for a McDouble with no cheese, the order taker always says, "Oh, you want a double hamburger" -- or else doesn't say anything and rings up a double hamburger. The price for that is $0.99. Go back to the one near home and ask for a double hamburger and they tell me there is no such thing."
Could be different franchisees running the two places.
Over 80% of McCrappie's are franchisee owned/run, and they have some leeway in what they can serve and in how they operate.
Many of the truly successful McDonald's products have been developed by franchise owners, the most famous of which is the Big Mac.
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The Burger King nearest me is one of those places that is consistently off. The uniforms are spotty and stained, even the managers. Plus shirts are untucked or half-tucked and some of the employees wear their pants low. The tables are indifferently cleaned. The drink machine is always out of something and usually more than one thing. There are always flies in the place and the service is slow.
I complained a few times via the website but since nothing ever changed I've stopped going there. I wonder how many other people made the same decision and if it's a lot of people how does it manage to keep going?
The local Jack-in-the Box almost always smells like dirty mop water so I don't go there.
Wendy's is okay.
Popeye's sucks. Their food is so bland I wonder just what the "Louisiana" part means in the commercials.
In-n'-Out is good.
McDonald's menu is too large. At one point they had like six salad options. Who cares about salads at a burger joint? They are trying to be all things to all people and it ain't working.
I like Taco Bell. I think the sauce they use for their bean burritos is made with addictive ingredients. But they too, have a menu that is absurdly large.
Arby's is the absolute worst. Lowest price/enjoyment ratio of any fast food place I've been too.
COSTCO's food court $1.50 dog and a drink special is an excellent value as is their huge slice of pizza for only $2.
Subway is meh. Slightly overpriced bland ingredients on a bland bun sandwich.
We have our local places as well including a Philly cheese steak place that makes "authentic" cheese steak sandwiches. Well, if these are authentic then I don't know what all the hoopla is about because they are not that great. I prefer Steak-Ums to that place.
We have a locally owned burger chain and the food is good but if you add too many toppings to your burger you find yourself paying a lot of money. I mean I like Ortega chilis but not at $2 for one. So we wait for coupons to arrive before we go there.
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Could be different franchisees running the two places.
Over 80% of McCrappie's are franchisee owned/run, and they have some leeway in what they can serve and in how they operate.
I understand that, but it doesn't work. If they want to allow a franchisee to experiment with a new product, that's one thing. A product that's available in every McDonald's in the universe should have the same name everywhere. Two burger patties on a bun is a double hamburger, I can get it in any McDonald's, so I should not have to call it one thing in one restaurant and call it something else in a restaurant ten miles away. And to get a double hamburger I should not have to pay for the cheese they don't put on it.
As to the sundaes, if McDonald's is going to offer three flavors in most restaurants, they should offer three flavors in all restaurants.
When you buy a McDonald's franchise, you buy a franchise to sell McDonald's menu. It should be the same everywhere. That's the point of selling franchises.
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COSTCO's food court $1.50 dog and a drink special is an excellent value as is their huge slice of pizza for only $2.
If I were homeless, I'd panhandle just enough to afford an annual Costco membership, then live off the free samples inside the store and the stuff at the food court.
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I prefer Steak-Ums to that place.
What-ums? ???
Many of the truly successful McDonald's products have been developed by franchise owners, the most famous of which is the Big Mac.
Was his name Frankenstein?
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Now that I think about it, Whataburger is everywhere down here, but I don't think it get much out of the Texas Gulf Coast. Good franchise. Good food.
Stephenville, Granbury, all over D/FW. I don't remember how prevalent they are farther west, but they definitely extend well north of the Gulf Coast.
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Stephenville, Granbury, all over D/FW. I don't remember how prevalent they are farther west, but they definitely extend well north of the Gulf Coast.
Killeen.
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White Castle has opened a store in Vegas. They were selling 4000 sliders an hour and had to close to resupply.
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White Castle has opened a store in Vegas. They were selling 4000 sliders an hour and had to close to resupply.
Maybe they'll get the hint and open one off-Strip. There are very few things that I'll battle the Strip for (Yo, Scout!). Since I can get Ratburgers at the grocery store and nuke-em at home, I have no need to go there. But, I probably will when/if they slow down a bit, just to say I was there.
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I've only had the freezer variety myself but I'm told there is a huge difference in quality.
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I've only had the freezer variety myself...
I am occasionally reminded that large swaths of the nation have no White Castles. Strange.
The real thing is the same size, but has pickles, and really greasy buns.
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I've only had the freezer variety myself but I'm told there is a huge difference in quality.
If ya throw on a couple of pickles and some mustard, then eat 'em real quick before the bun gets "strange", they're acceptable.
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"A product that's available in every McDonald's in the universe should have the same name everywhere. Two burger patties on a bun is a double hamburger, I can get it in any McDonald's, so I should not have to call it one thing in one restaurant and call it something else in a restaurant ten miles away."
That's the problem you get with franchises.
McDonald's doesn't have (nor does any company) a posse of clown-faced inspectors running from store to store to make sure that the Hamburger U sylabus is being followed 100%.
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McDonald's doesn't have (nor does any company) a posse of clown-faced inspectors running from store to store...
...but it sure would be entertaining if they did.
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...but it sure would be entertaining if they did.
"specially if they didn't run, but all car-pooled in one little bitty car at the same time.
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"A product that's available in every McDonald's in the universe should have the same name everywhere. Two burger patties on a bun is a double hamburger, I can get it in any McDonald's, so I should not have to call it one thing in one restaurant and call it something else in a restaurant ten miles away."
That's the problem you get with franchises.
McDonald's doesn't have (nor does any company) a posse of clown-faced inspectors running from store to store to make sure that the Hamburger U sylabus is being followed 100%.
Actually they used to.
Theyed check both that stuff was made right. They even had ones that did nothing but check drive through time and order accuracy.
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When I worked at Papa Johns we were a franchise but we still had Corporate guys call in orders, and drop in and count the number of pepperoni slices on a Large, check the oven temperature, make sure the car-top signs were lit up, etc. It's called quality control and it's hard work.
I go to chik fil a entirely because it's not a harrowing nightmare to visit the place.
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When I worked at Papa Johns we were a franchise but we still had Corporate guys call in orders, and drop in and count the number of pepperoni slices on a Large, check the oven temperature, make sure the car-top signs were lit up, etc. It's called quality control and it's hard work.
I go to chik fil a entirely because it's not a harrowing nightmare to visit the place.
And that brings us to another point- quality of employees and quality of the franchisee
Quality of the employees- at places like ChikFilA and other higher quality fast food places, you'll notice that you don't have the typical ghetto thug or white trash people working behind the counter. They hire better people, train them better, and treat them better. And they make them speak English instead of Ebonics.
I can't tell you the number of times I've been to a McDonalds or Burger King, or worst of all, Hardees, and waited forever to recieve my order even though I'm one of two customers. Or had to wait while the cash register operator has disappeared somewhere else for five minutes. A crowded restaurant is another level of hell. And let's not forget the mouth breathing moron customer who stands at the cash register and stares at the menu for five minutes and then asks the cashier about each item or argues with the cashier over the prices, holding up the line forever.
Conversely, go to ChikFilA. You'll get your food fairly quickly whether it's packed or empty, as the staff is efficient. The drive through lines may be long but they move pretty well. The cashiers provide good customer service.
The food is also consistently good from restaurent to restaurent, as opposed to the cheap places, where it can vary widely from region to region and restaurant to restaurant. The better places are are also consistently cleaner.
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I also like ChikFilA for all the above reasons as well as the staff is very polite, if you say "Thank you" they will say "It's my pleasure".
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I rarely see a ChickFilA that isn't packed with customers. And I still say those employees are on some kind of drug.
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The local Dairy Queen went out of business last summer. The main reason was the service - it'd take as much as 10 minutes in the drive through to receive your order.
The orders were usually correct, but the product was way over-priced compared to other fast food joints.
And McD's fries haven't been the same since they changed the oil/grease they used to use.
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For a couple years the Lubbock ChikFilA was the highest grossing store in the nation. Double lines wrapping around the store and into the strip mall parking lot behind them were the norm. On Saturday afternoons it was normal to see several dozen cars in line. They still managed wait times less than most places with drive-thru lines only for or five cars deep. Watching the kitchen staff was a lesson in efficency, proffesionalism, and effective training.
Brad
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The local Dairy Queen went out of business last summer. The main reason was the service - it'd take as much as 10 minutes in the drive through to receive your order.
The orders were usually correct, but the product was way over-priced compared to other fast food joints.
And McD's fries haven't been the same since they changed the oil/grease they used to use.
Our local dairy queens are also very slow and very pricey. I haven't been back in a long time. Also to me the taste of their milkshakes has changed, and not for the better.
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I think our local Dairy Queen is pretty good. I usually use it just to get a cheeseburger, at the drive-thru. Nothing fancy, just a very good, burger-tasting burger.
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If I'm getting fast food locally, I'm much more likely to stop for a sub (Subway, Firehouse, or Thundercloud) instead of a burger joint.
Locally, here's how I'd rate them - but remember, the standard is "Fast Food Burgers" and not GOOD food.
P. Terry's
Wendy's (Go when they're crowded, else you get a reheated burger. And at off-hours, you may not find staff that speaks English. :mad: )
Whataburger - in what was formerly a Dairy Queen. (Whataburger has gone downhill lately)
Sonic (Went way, WAY downhill a couple of years ago - used to get burgers here, and go for a shake at the DQ across the street.)
Last time I ate at McDonald's or Burger King was during an airport layover; McD's was OK, BK tasted old and stale.
Trivia: When a burger joint advertises they're using "Organic Beef" they probably just mean the cattle died of natural causes.
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apropos
http://hotair.com/archives/2015/01/31/is-the-left-slowing-killing-off-mcdonalds/
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I don't know if the linkage is that strong but anything that gets people to hate the left more is okay in my book.
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Also my wife and younger daughter ate at Chipolte yesterday and neither felt well last night and they are both sick today. Coincidence?
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Also my wife and younger daughter ate at Chipolte yesterday and neither felt well last night and they are both sick today. Coincidence?
This is what comes of catering to vegans. Ever since they surrendered and changed the pinto beans, things have gone downhill.
Buy you can still get a dos equis with your burrito. :cool:
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I've thought for years that what McDonald's should add to their menu is a good, grilled, foot-long hotdog. But I don't think Mickey D's is set up to do any grilling, and a steamed hot dog just doesn't measure up.
There's a small restaurant up-state that basically serves hot dogs and fried clams. For the dogs, you have your choice of 10-inch, foot-long, or two foot. All grilled. All served on (in?) a proper hot dog bun that's sliced on both sides and slit vertically, and grilled in butter along with the dog. (Okay -- the two-foot dogs get TWO buns). And the mustard is brown mustard, not that yellow stuff.
I think I'd eat at McDonald's at least two or three times as often as I do if they'd offer a good hot dog. It's more American than even the hamburger.
Another failing at McD's is the soda machines. They offer about five choices. Burger King (as well as a better, local chain) has new-fangled soda machines that offer about 50 or more choices. And they include caffeine-free Diet Coke, which is important to me because I can't have any caffeine. At McD's that leaves me with (non-diet) Sprite, or water. Not much of a choice.
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I have always been puzzled by how few fast-food restaurants offer a hot dog. I would think it would be a no-brainer, and I think this even more every time I go to Costco and walk by the line of people in the food court waiting for their hot dog.
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Chris Porter on Taco Bell
Major language/NSFW warning.
http://youtu.be/NFJVIyLLmaU
If you like this bit the full show is available on Netflix streaming.
Brad
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Another failing at McD's is the soda machines. They offer about five choices. Burger King (as well as a better, local chain) has new-fangled soda machines that offer about 50 or more choices.
I've seen those at a bunch of different places, but I don't think they'd work everywhere. Unless the place invests in half-a-dozen machines, it's just going to be a terrible bottleneck, while one person at a time takes five minutes to get what they want. Seems like it would slow down the drive-through, as well, unless they just don't offer all of those choices at the drive-through. Which I doubt the customers will like very much.
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I've seen those at a bunch of different places, but I don't think they'd work everywhere. Unless the place invests in half-a-dozen machines, it's just going to be a terrible bottleneck, while one person at a time takes five minutes to get what they want. Seems like it would slow down the drive-through, as well, unless they just don't offer all of those choices at the drive-through. Which I doubt the customers will like very much.
I don't know if the Burger King drive-though machines offer all the flavors, but they are different from the machines in the "dining room."
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McDonald's burgers are perfectly fine as long as you avoid the vegetables (which should be standard practice anyway). If I want a good burger, I'll go elsewhere.
Wendy's is just bad. I order my burger sans vegetables, and they give me a burger that's just had that stuff scraped off. Everytime.
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I've thought for years that what McDonald's should add to their menu is a good, grilled, foot-long hotdog. But I don't think Mickey D's is set up to do any grilling, and a steamed hot dog just doesn't measure up.
There's a small restaurant up-state that basically serves hot dogs and fried clams. For the dogs, you have your choice of 10-inch, foot-long, or two foot. All grilled. All served on (in?) a proper hot dog bun that's sliced on both sides and slit vertically, and grilled in butter along with the dog. (Okay -- the two-foot dogs get TWO buns). And the mustard is brown mustard, not that yellow stuff.
I think I'd eat at McDonald's at least two or three times as often as I do if they'd offer a good hot dog. It's more American than even the hamburger.
Another failing at McD's is the soda machines. They offer about five choices. Burger King (as well as a better, local chain) has new-fangled soda machines that offer about 50 or more choices. And they include caffeine-free Diet Coke, which is important to me because I can't have any caffeine. At McD's that leaves me with (non-diet) Sprite, or water. Not much of a choice.
I've always like McDonald's Coke over any other. SWMBO and I were wondering why it always tasted better than any of the other fast food restaurants, so I did a little searching and found this:
McDonalds use a high end water filtration system, it consists of carbon filters and then water is put through a reverse osmosis system. The way the coke and soda water are chilled is different also, the soda water is constantly recirculated from the back remote refrigeration unit to the the drive-thru and front counter units in insulated tubing. This process will keep the water temperature at 33-38 degrees all the time even in a rush. The syrup lines also are bundled together with the soda lines so it chills the syrup a little. Keeping this water chilled will help absorb the co2 better creating better soda water. McDonalds spends alot of money on their systems that no one else does, the managers are trained to calibrate the valves and check temperature. They also have regular preventative maintenance done and account for ice melting in your drink. The ratio that McDonald's uses is 4.75:1 on sugar drinks and 5.25:1 on diet drinks. This is different than some of the other national chains they do not account for ice melting so they use 5.0:1 and 5.5:1 on their drinks. The co2 pressures used are the same for everyone but using a refrigeration unit with the carbonators submerged in ice water makes the co2 penetrate the water better creating a crisper drink. The remote refrigeration unit is basically a water bath with refrigeration lines submerged in water creating a huge block of ice, the soda and syrup are sent through this in stainless steel tubing which is coiled several times so a finished drink out of the fountain head will usually be 36 degrees. McDonalds is in a class of its own when it comes to fountain drink equipment they always have the newest top of the line equipment and programs to service it on a regular basis. Regular systems consist of ice in the dispenser to chill the water and syrup but usually use the same ratios, the only difference really is the treatment of the water. If it is a bad coke it always comes back to water quality and some people being cheap and thinning the syrup to make it go farther.
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110218112319AAHqPhh (https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110218112319AAHqPhh)
Seems plausible. What I am trying to say is if they have invested this much in to the dispensing of Coke, I don't know how willing they are going to be to go to a Coke Freestyle machine.
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I've seen those at a bunch of different places, but I don't think they'd work everywhere. Unless the place invests in half-a-dozen machines, it's just going to be a terrible bottleneck, while one person at a time takes five minutes to get what they want.
Hell, they've already got that bottleneck at McD's with the people trying to decide between sweet and unsweet tea. Then they've got to try every size of lid on the same damn size cup they get every day.
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Hell, they've already got that bottleneck at McD's with the people trying to decide between sweet and unsweet tea. Then they've got to try every size of lid on the same damn size cup they get every day.
Or the people with 6 cups who have to get ice, coke, lids, and straws for each one all while blocking access to the dispenser (they can't put lids and straws on at the table). Then they act surprised when the finally turn around and realize people are waiting behind them.
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I've always like McDonald's Coke over any other. SWMBO and I were wondering why it always tasted better than any of the other fast food restaurants, so I did a little searching and found this:
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110218112319AAHqPhh (https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110218112319AAHqPhh)
Seems plausible. What I am trying to say is if they have invested this much in to the dispensing of Coke, I don't know how willing they are going to be to go to a Coke Freestyle machine.
I don't drink coffee. I stick to Dr. Pepper mostly. I have bought a lot of fountain drinks over the years. Once you get a taste for a brank, you realize that every convenience store fountain drink tastes a little different. Some are better than others. I always figured the syrup adjustment was different. I never considered the water quality.
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On a rare occasion I get a #3 breakfast, Bacon Egg and Cheese Biscuit with the potato thing and a small coffee creme and sugar. Always a treat.
I like their Big Mac and regular hamburgers. It is an even rarer event when I get them so I get truly bummed if they aren't fresh. The Micky D's franchise by my work is real busy and bats over .800 on fresh cooked vs sitting under the lamp.
The corporate store is apparently staffed by troglodytes. They are always a 50/50 proposition regarding freshness and correctness of order so I refuse to go there any longer.
These last two years especially I've really cut down on eating out at restaurants and fast food. I used to frequent them a few times a week.
Wendy's a few times a year. White Castle maybe once a year, Popeyes a couple times a year, Chipotle a couple times a year and JimmyJohns or Subway once a year about sums up my fast food consumption.
Probably works out to one or two times a month.
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I don't drink coffee. I stick to Dr. Pepper mostly. I have bought a lot of fountain drinks over the years. Once you get a taste for a brank, you realize that every convenience store fountain drink tastes a little different. Some are better than others. I always figured the syrup adjustment was different. I never considered the water quality.
I can attest that the soda from the Kettleman City, CA McDonald's is generally terrible, and that you can both smell and taste chlorine. Kettleman City has had significant water problems over the last few years, so whatever filtration McD's uses, it doesn't work very well there.
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Only way to make sure you know what you are getting at a fast food place is to work there and cook the food yourself. I used to do that all to often when I worked at McD's. I worked there when the McDLT was introduced, I would always fix my lunch just as breakfast was finishing up and fry up a couple of slices of bacon to throw on it.
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Only way to make sure you know what you are getting at a fast food place is to work there and cook the food yourself.
Oh yeah, because it's so much more informative to know which box your rectangular piece of vaguely meat-like sponge came from.
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Oh yeah, because it's so much more informative to know which box your rectangular piece of vaguely meat-like sponge came from.
Well at least you can control if your meat-like substance was on the floor or not.
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Lou: You know, I went to the McDonald's in Shelbyville on Friday night.
Wiggum: The McWhat?
Lou: Uh, the McDonald's restaurant. I've never heard of it either, but they have over 2,000 locations in this state alone.
Eddie: Must've sprung up overnight.
Lou: You know, the funniest thing though, it's the little differences.
Wiggum: Example.
Lou: Well, at McDonald's you can buy a Krusty Burger with cheese, right? But they don't call it a Krusty Burger with cheese.
Wiggum: Get out! Well, what do they call it?
Lou: A Quarter Pounder with cheese.
Wiggum: Quarter Pounder with cheese? Well, I can picture the cheese, but, uh, do they have Krusty partially gelatinated non-dairy gum-based beverages?
Lou: Mm-hm. They call 'em, "shakes."
Eddie: Huh, shakes. You don't know what you're gettin'
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE9Qm8mShik (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE9Qm8mShik)
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http://www.eater.com/2015/2/2/7964135/mcdonalds-australia-big-mac-special-sauce-ebay-18000 (http://www.eater.com/2015/2/2/7964135/mcdonalds-australia-big-mac-special-sauce-ebay-18000)
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http://www.eater.com/2015/2/2/7964135/mcdonalds-australia-big-mac-special-sauce-ebay-18000 (http://www.eater.com/2015/2/2/7964135/mcdonalds-australia-big-mac-special-sauce-ebay-18000)
I thought it was common knowledge that the special sauce is Thousand Island dressing.
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At home I've recreated the BigMac and it had the same BigMac type flavor yet it was better due to the quality meat and bun etc. And yes I used Thousand Island dressing.
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Well at least you can control if your meat-like substance was on the floor or not.
Or buns were in the cooks back pockets because you pissed him off (not so long story...)
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At home I've recreated the BigMac and it had the same BigMac type flavor yet it was better due to the quality meat and bun etc. And yes I used Thousand Island dressing.
Um, you put an extra piece of bread in between two patties? ???
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Um, you put an extra piece of bread in between two patties? ???
No, I grilled a regular hamburger patty (a little thinner than normal). Then I used Thousand Island Dressing, fresh chopped lettuce, Kraft American cheese, pickles and fresh minced onions on a quality sesame seed bun.
It was like a gourmet BigMac :laugh:
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No, I grilled a regular hamburger patty (a little thinner than normal). Then I used Thousand Island Dressing, fresh chopped lettuce, Kraft American cheese, pickles and fresh minced onions on a quality sesame seed bun.
It was like a gourmet BigMac :laugh:
Did you use gourmet American cheese?
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Did you use gourmet American cheese?
Kraft Singles :laugh:
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I thought it was common knowledge that the special sauce is Thousand Island dressing.
I always thought that too, but a McDonald's executive chef says no: http://gawker.com/5925111/mcdonalds-executive-chef-shares-secret-recipe-of-big-macs-special-sauce
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Kraft Singles :laugh:
I, and Anthony Bourdain agree American cheese rocks!
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Kraft Singles :laugh:
Ohhhh we got a big spender here folks.
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I will usually do fast food less than once a week.
Wendys for the spicy chicken sandwich minus the mystery sauce.
Mcd's for mc nuggets. Sometimes you just crave pressed chicken by product.
Five guys for a burger.
I do not eat any fast food chain burgers.
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Or buns were in the cooks back pockets because you pissed him off (not so long story...)
One of the first things I remember my Dad teaching me about dealing with folks: "Do Not piss off the cook".
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I always thought that too, but a McDonald's executive chef says no: http://gawker.com/5925111/mcdonalds-executive-chef-shares-secret-recipe-of-big-macs-special-sauce
According to Coudreaut, an analogous sauce can be easily prepared using mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, white wine vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
So, IOW, it's Thousand Island dressing.
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One of the first things I remember my Dad teaching me about dealing with folks: "Do Not piss off the cook".
My older brother was a waiter for some years while in college. He is over the top nice to wait staff and food handlers in general. Much nice than most people.
Being mean to minimum wage workers rarely accomplishes anything good.
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Give the manager grief and they will do something about your meal. Give the waiter grief and they will do something to your meal.
Brad
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They've been closing left and right around here, but I really liked Quiznos when they first opened. The Black Angus with the Honey Bourbon mustard was great. But Subway glomed on to the whole "Toasted" (aka microwaved) thing and has run them pretty much out of business. At least around here.
Jersey Mike's sucks (High priced Subway)
And Firehouse is bad, just over priced for what you get.
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They've been closing left and right around here, but I really liked Quiznos when they first opened. The Black Angus with the Honey Bourbon mustard was great. But Subway glomed on to the whole "Toasted" (aka microwaved) thing and has run them pretty much out of business. At least around here.
Meh. Toasting just came about as a way to hide stale bread. Subway should have had the sense to just push the fact that they don't use week-old bread, and left the toaster ovens to the places that do.
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Subway is ok, I like Jimmy Johns, just wish they offered a hot option, then if you want a little better there is McAlister's Deli that has what I think is the best cheddar/broccoli soup around.
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Meh. Toasting just came about as a way to hide stale bread. Subway should have had the sense to just push the fact that they don't use week-old bread, and left the toaster ovens to the places that do.
Indeed, the only sub I have 'toasted' is the meatball, and that's because I want it hotter.
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I'd rather my Subway bread be a bit stale. When it's fresh it's gummy and nasty.
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Subway is super-meh.
As far as the Jimmy Johns I've been to, they've all been as impressively fast as the food has been consistently good. On my last trip I asked for some banana peppers, but they only had cherry peppers. The sandwich was awesome, and I discovered that I really like pimentos.