McDONALD'S, It's here, there and everywhere, however, is it...........?
Written: Feb 13 '04 (Updated Oct 31 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Consistent in all locations.
Cons: I visit them too often
The Bottom Line: McDonalds food in your neighborhood is the same as mine. It's this consistency that keeps people coming back for billions of burgers.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: McDonald's |
..........the same everywhere?
This happens to be the 643rd review of McDonald's here at Epinions. What can I add at this point? I'll tell you.
I live in NY and recently had to make a one day business trip to a Maryland University. I had started the day by going to my local McDonald's.
In our town McDonald's serves breakfasts from 7AM till 11:30AM. It, like many others, is brightly lighted, has self serve tables and booths, and is well maintained. Many that are on or near interstate highways are open 24/7.
Also like most McDonald's, but not all, they have drive through service.
I was there at opening and I ordered a Sausage, egg and cheese McGriddle. These things are incredibly good. I love the taste and overall feel of it in my mouth.
OK, let's forget about the lawsuit against McDonald's for serving coffee to hot when I make my next statement.
Every time I have been to McDonald's I have found that everything is at the correct temperature. The sandwiches are warm all through. The breakfasts and lunches always seem to be perfect in that way.
Now I remember, being now at age 54, that McDonald's was one of the first chain restaurants to offer a breakfast menu. This, to me, was a wonderful fast food option to diners, 7/11s, Dunkin' Donuts and Friendly's. Drive through, order, pick up your food and you're on the road.
GOOD BREAKFAST SELECTION
The most well known of their morning offerings was also the first in their breakfast selections, the Egg McMuffin. They were good when they first came out and they taste the same now and the same in every McDonald's I have ever been to. They cost $2.79 here in Freeport.
McDonald's also has the same sandwich with bacon. This holds true in that the same eggs, sausage, bacon and sometimes cheese can also be added to the varied outside pieces of bagel, biscuit, or a griddled bread.
The steak, egg and cheese bagel is another good one that sells for $3.49 on Long Island.
This huge mega chain also offers their own hotcakes, complete with butter an syrup. These are something my wife always orders. Whether at home or on the road, they are consistently good. She loves them.
After spending the morning getting our van packed and prepared for a late afternoon gig, and having been on the road few hours we pulled off the New Jersey Turnpike a little before the Delaware boarder.
This was a bit of a rest and fuel stop, Gas is .20 cheaper in NJ than on Long Island so we always top off our vans and trucks when there.
What did we find near the local gas station? Yes, McDonald's.
SNACKS, LUNCH and DINNER AT MCDONALD'S
After gassing up it wasn't quite time for us to eat, however, a little snack would do. McDonald's was into its lunch time menu being it was a bit before noon.
The Big Mac, though being a McDonald's staple doesn't do much for me. I happen to be a Burger King Whopper guy when it comes to the big ones. The same is true about their Quarter pounders and other big beef sandwiches. Though tasty, they are a bit too bready for me and not all that flavorful.
What I do like are their basic cheeseburgers. They have the right amount of bread to beef ratio and I can taste the cheese. Now once again, whether I finish one of their cheeseburgers in six bites in California or in two bites on Long Island, they always taste the same.
Though some might consider the following as lunch, to me it was a small snack. I ordered a cheese burger and a soda. That was all!
That's right I didn't order fries. No, nothing having to do with being named French fries and the political views of some people at this time. Ha, I was just keeping my snack input down and nixed fries that morning.
I happen to like McDonald's fries. They are lightly crisp on the outside, cooked to a golden brown color. The outside is hot, not greasy, and already salted. The inside is warm and soft with good flavor.
The soda, or is that "pop", on the road was a self serve one. You pay for the drink, they give you a cup and you fill it yourself. Many, many people, double fill them, once at break time eating at the table inside and once again as a fill-up, just before hitting the road.
I have found their drinks to be very good, not flat and not too bubbly. They also have good flavor without being overly sweet.
We hit the road again and made our way south another couple of hours to the university. We arrived, made contact, found out where our set up was to be, off loaded the equipment, set it up, did a sound check. It was then time to eat something before the show. It was now 4:00PM, long past lunch time. I was getting a bit hungry for a late lunch/early dinner. "McDonald's style".
Besides all the different burgers on the menu McDonald's also offers chicken in a few different styles. My favorite sandwich, even more than any of the burgers, is the McChicken. It is slightly crispy on the outside, yet very tender and moist inside. The breaded flavor on these chicken pieces is crisp and has a touch of spice in it.
McDonald's is starting to be more and more health conscious in its offerings. They have Chicken McNuggets with white meat and in some NY locations they are test marketing a veggie burger.
Best for me that day and also as new favorite of mine is the California Cobb Salad. Before hosting an event, I do not want too much food in my overly round stomach. The salad was perfect. I like their Caesar Salad too. Once again, whether it was on the road or at home the portions, the presentation, and the flavors are all the same. Prices do vary from location to location.
FAST MCDONALD'S FACTS some you know and some, well maybe....
Yesterday, February 12, 2004, McDonald's announced a Worldwide Partnership with basketball superstar Yao Ming. Some other guy, who is now facing rape charges, had the previous McDonald partnership. Yao Ming is from China and knows his burgers since Mc's opened their first restaurant in that country ten years ago. I'll have to ask him if he thinks the basic products taste the same there as over here.
McDonald's serves over 47 million customers every day.
They have 30,000 restaurants in 119 countries.
Some McDonald's have Playlands for young children to play in after eating their Happy Meal.
I dislike Ronald McDonald and I actually fear running into him in a dark alley.
Willard Scott was the first Ronald to make a TV appearance. That happened in 1963.
McDonald's does wonderful work for children in many ways through Ronald McDonald House Charities.
The McDonald's company web site has pages relating to nutrition facts. "I always wondered how many really read these for their own consumption information."
McDonald's stock is now $27.05 per share. Whoops, it dropped .37 yesterday. It's now $26.68
RETURNING TO MY HOMETOWN McDONALD'S
So the show was successful. We packed up and before we left for home I picked up a cup of coffee at the university McDonald's. I don't particularly care for their coffee and they still serve it too hot for my taste. Ha, even this is consistent in all their stores. I can never get a cup of coffee that I don't have to wait ten minutes before drinking.
So we drove home and once in town I decided to stop in at McDonald's one more time for research reasons only. I looked around at the menu and ordered a chocolate shake. I always liked these. Over the many years of having them since my youth, they have tasted good and are nice and thick. Remember, the only reason I had the shake was for the sake of research for you!!
IN CLOSING
Even though McDonald's is the largest of the fast food companies, it is very consistent in what it offers, how it is served and what it tastes like.
Ha, did you know that McDonald's is so big that when you go to their site they don't ask you what town, city or state you are interested in, they ask you what country?
I have been to McDonald's all across this country, like it or not, you always get the same consistent product and taste.
Throughout the world, except for India where beef is not accepted as a viable choice for consumption, you will find the Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, Chicken McNuggets and Egg McMuffin and McDonald's own special fries. Everything I tasted at McDonald's in Europe tasted like it came from my local Freeport, NY McDonald's. McDonald's may not have the best food choices or the best foods, but it is pretty good for fast food and it sure tastes the same from place to place.
More chain eateries by popsrocks
Applebee's / Romano's MACARONI GRILL / KFC / OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE / Wendy's / OUTBACK Restaurant / Cozymel's / Cheesecake Factory / McDonald's / Taco Bell / Checkers Burgers / Red Lobster / The White Castle / TGI Friday's / Charlie Browns / Burger King / Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips / Dunkin' Donuts / Starbucks / Ralph's Famous Ices / Cold Stone Creamery / Boulder Creek Steakhouse / Waffle House / Krispy Kreme / Friendly's / Nathan's / Jillian's Blimpies / Katz's Deli / Ruth's Chris Steak House /Don Juan's / Cracker Barrel / IHOP, International House Of Pancakes / Quizno's / Subway / jumba juice / Ruth's Chris Steak House /Don Juan's / Peter Luger Steak House / Don Juan's / Cracker Barrel / Bob Evans / Boston Market / Papa John's Pizza / Domino's Pizza / Denny's Family Restaurant
Recommended:
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