Thursday, January 11, 2007
McDonald's is the Root of All That is Bad
When I started writing this post I was going to write about what Starbucks is up to to try and take some breakfast business away from McDonald's. I love Starbucks and HATE McDonald's, so I worry what Starbuck's move will do to their core competency - coffee. Then I started off on a tangent about why I hate McDonald's. I remembered an editorial published in the January 2005 issue of Restaurant Hospitality magazine that discussed how the Cleveland Clinic wanted to evict McDonald's from the lobby of the hospital - I recently learned that the Clinic failed in their attempts, too bad. The clinic is not the only hospital that has a McDonald's in it. You go to a hospital to get healthy, right? Don't you think it's counter-productive to have a McDonald's, which is the King of Unhealthy, in the same building as a hospital? Then I thought about what really disgusted me about McDonald's. The last time I ate McDonald's was over two years ago, sometime before I saw the documentary Super Size Me. The bonus material on the DVD made me ill, and I haven't stepped foot in McDonald's since. Watch the video below, rent Super Size Me if you haven't seen it, and tell me if you will ever eat McDonald's again.
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You know, honestly, Starbucks is no less evil than McDonald's. Let's just be honest here.
ReplyDeleteJosh - I sure hope you come back to read my reply, because I couldn't disagree with you more.
ReplyDeletePutting all philanthropic associations asside, we are talking about two companies on the opposite end of the spectrum.
Starbucks is ranked #29 in Forbes Magazine's most recent "Top 100 Companies to Work for". McDonalds is not listed. Why? Because while Starbucks treats there employees very well with great benefits, McDonald's treats there employees like the shit they sell.
Drinking coffee from Starbucks every day will not make you fat. Eating meals at McDonalds every day will lead to your unhealthy demise you in short order.
Josh, you couldn't be more wrong.
I'm almost with Josh.
ReplyDeleteStarbucks might not sink to the same level as McDonald's, but the company is not the paragon of virtue you suggest.
I hate to be one of those guys who makes a comment and then points to his own blog, but have a look at the High Horse category on my site, near the bottom... It details how Starbucks is screwing coffee farmers in Ethiopia, one of the world's poorest regions.
Starbucks is becoming a better corporate citizen, and I'm pleased to note the improvements. But I sure as hell won't be buying a pound of coffee from them anytime soon.
Let me boil it all down for you. If you look at the severe obesity problem in America, I guarantee you will see McDonalds right in the middle of it. Starbucks may not be the most socially responsible company as you suggest, but they treat their employees very well and they certainly do not contribute to the obesity problem in America.
ReplyDeleteWell, that is until now, now that they are selling breakfast sandwiches to try and win back their customers that are going to McDonalds for their coffee AND their fattening, artery clogging, heart disease promoting breakfast sandwiches.
Don't get me wrong, I think McD's breakfast sandwiches taste great, I do, but I'll never eat there again (it's been over three years) and I'll continue to point fingers at them when weight issues are brought up.
Maybe we should start attacking the video game industry since the sedentary lives of kids these days, coupled with fast food is certainly contributing to the childhood obesity problem.
When I was a kid, I would play outside until I had to go home, and then I'd play some. Sure, I ate McDonald's and Burger King growing up, but I was also very active, and very fit.
I know this post is super old, but I wanted to comment anyways. After Super Size I people jumped on the "McDonald's is evil" bandwagon.
ReplyDeleteSorry Scott, but while you can't get fat from a cup of coffee, you can get fat from adding a pastry to go along with it. And really, a majority of people order something other than coffee: mochas, caramel machs, frapuccinos...the list goes on. There are plenty of items to order than can make you fat. It's all about smart ordering and moderation - just like you can do at McDonald's.
On another note I worked at Starbucks for 2 years while in college. It was a pretty good job, but not because the corp suits treated me well - realistically that had nothing to do with me. It was a fun, happy environment working with people I liked.
I don't know when the last time I was that I went to McDonald's, but there are skinny people that eat there too. I am just sick of this witch hunt to blame one thing for our country's obesity.
Hi Runeatrepeat,
ReplyDeleteI see your point and it is quite valid. But, McDonalds is in the business of selling hamburgers and Starbucks is in the business of selling coffee.
The bottom line is everything in moderation. I do not condemn or attempt to convert people that choose to eat at McDonalds. What I have written here is simply my opinion. I personally question the quality of ingredients that are sold in McDonalds food and choose to avoid it. It's hard to ignore the success of fast food in this country and the obesity epidemic that has been sweeping our nation for years.
I try live a healthy lifestyle, I exercise regularly, eat lots of fresh, healthy foods, and I also eat less than ideal foods within reason. Fast foods are processed foods and they leave people hungrier a couple hours after eating than they were before their meal. Fast food's accessibility also allows for people to eat excessively - not to mention the portions server in the US are significantly larger than those in other nations, other noticeably more fit nations.
The obesity and health issues can not all be pinned on the fast food industry, much of the problem lies within the American culture of glutton and laze; and the fast food industry just encourages it.