I don’t know anyone who hasn’t at least gone to McDonald’s at least once in their lives (of course, I have known to be wrong before so don’t hold me to that first statement). McDonald’s has become a major franchise in the consciousnesses of North Americans, and has even spread its wings to other parts of the world such as China, Italy and Russia, just to name a few. I grew up most of my life living in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada with a McDonald’s at almost every corner, just like the way Starbucks rules the streets now.

As a kid I loved eating the Big Breakfast meal or having French fries. The older I became my tastes expanded to other things, though I still like the occasional French fries. But I can’t eat McDonald’s as readily as before. In fact, when I moved to New Jersey, it had been a good couple of years since I last had a McDonald’s meal. Now I find myself at the Golden Arches from time-to-time when I need something quick.


“You Deserve A Break Today”

There are times when my wife and I don’t feel like cooking dinner and order out. For the two of use, we can get food from any place. However, our son is such a picky eater that it’s hard to get him to try something new, even if it’s something at McDonald’s. His regular staple consists of two hamburgers (with nothing but ketchup), French fries and a drink. That’s it. He won’t try anything else at all. Ordering these items separately can be costly. That’s why I like McDonald’s Value Menu. These set menus help customers such as myself to make quick decisions on what I want to order and I’ll usually order by number. In my son’s case it’s always Value Meal #2. This includes two cheeseburgers, French fries and a medium drink. Here’s the catch: my son hates cheeseburgers. So why do I order that particular meal? Because, despite it being a cheeseburger meal, I usually ask for a simple substitution… replace the cheeseburgers with hamburgers. I do this all the time without a problem. Well, almost without a problem.

One time in New York City, I ordered the number two Value Meal with the substitution like I always have in the past. I met resistance this time. I kept getting the same answer over and over again from the cashier that they don’t serve hamburgers with that particular meal; however, this is what she could do for me. I could order the cheeseburger value meal and ask them to hold the cheese. I looked at the cashier in disbelief and said “What was the difference from what I was asking earlier?” and she said “Because we don’t serve hamburgers with that meal.” I guess somehow holding back the cheese doesn’t make it a hamburger in her eyes.

But have you seen the size of a McDonald’s hamburger these days? It barely fits in the palm of my hand. I know they are supposed to be overwhelming but I do remember them being bigger than that. Even the Big Mac isn’t big anymore. I guess that’s why I gravitate, without fail, towards the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese. Is this good for me? All signs point to no.

I do appreciate that McDonald’s is trying to add variety to its menu. Chicken nuggets used to be a great way to sate any appetite, but again, they just look too small. The introduction of the McChicken Sandwich is great but if it can now be found in the dollar menu item, chances are that it won’t be filling. What I do like is the new Premium Sandwich items with a selection of either grilled or crispy chicken, but I can do without the enormous amounts of mayonnaise that comes with this sandwich. Note that all chicken served is white meat.

I think more fondly of the breakfast that is served, though that has changed as well. Recently, I wanted to see what was in the Big Breakfast these days and ordered one. It came in the usual Styrofoam container consisting of scrambled eggs, pancakes, a sausage patty, hash browns and a biscuit. Also included as butter, syrup, and jelly. To say that the Big Breakfast was even big would be funny. A breakfast like that at IHOP is recommended. Plus, the sausage patty tasted a lot differently from when I remember. I think it might have been leaner without as much fat in the content that reduced the taste. Then again, I also believe that real beef was also used a long time ago.

Usually, when I do order breakfast from McDonald’s, it will always be the Sausage, Egg and Cheese McGriddle. This has replaced the Sausage, Egg and Cheese McMuffin for me as that extra syrup taste really makes a difference. Of course I learned that the McGriddle is also one of the highest calorie content item on the entire menu. I guess that’s why it tastes so good. But when I do order the McGriddle Value Meal, I never get the coffee. I substitute it with orange juice for a few cents more. I would change it for hot chocolate but none is served in any New Jersey McDonald’s, unlike the ones back in British Columbia. Still, as greasy as it is, I can’t get enough of the hash browns. Well, actually I can because I can’t eat more than one every time I order one despite how good it tastes.

McDonald’s has been introducing new menu items and becoming a bit more health conscious. Yes, the main staples such as Hamburgers, Big Macs, Quarter Pounders, French fries, and the like are still ever present, but not the menu has expanded to include salads, fajitas, soup and muffins, depending on the location of your local McDonald’s. People are becoming more and more aware of what they are putting into their bodies and, even though McDonald’s may taste good, it’s anything but healthy. As a result, alternatives are given to people who don’t want to ingest all that grease and fat into their system. It should be noted that all fast-food restaurants have adopted this policy, but McDonald’s is usually singled out since it is the largest fast-food franchise in the world.


“Good Times, Great Taste”

Growing up, McDonald’s was this magical happy place, a faux Disneyland that was in your backyard so to speak. Using Ronald McDonald as its spokesperson/mascot with his gang (remember the likes of Hamburglar, Big Mac, Mayor McCheese, Grimace, Birdie the Early Bird and the Fry Kids?) really made it appealing for kids. Some McDonald’s would have a playground of sorts in which kids would drag their parents to take them to all the time. I know the one in Richmond, BC had a huge adventure playground that was incredible. Lots and lots of birthday parties were spent at McDonald’s

And who could forget those wonderful Happy Meals. There was something neat about having your own meal come in something that resembled a cardboard lunch box. Plus, there was always an extra treat, a toy of something similar, which was included.

However, as expected, things change. The Happy Meals are still present. The treats are a bit more elaborate but don’t look like anything substantial. Of course, I have been divorced from Happy Meals for a while so I really don’t know what is really being offered these days. And Ronald McDonald is still present he has over the years been following the way of the dinosaur. I know his friends have completely disappeared (though that was a legal matter that occurred).

The look of the restaurants has changed over time and I’ve noticed how I never eat in these restaurants anymore. The feel is completely different and most of the times quite uninviting. Then there are the people who work at McDonald’s. I don’t usually have a problem with them but why is the place always understaffed. Maybe that accounts for their cantankerous, moody behaviour. Most McDonald’s has a drive-through window if it is a standalone place. Otherwise, if located as part of a strip mall or other, don’t expect to be doing any ordering from your car.

There is one thing that really, really bugs me. I expect menu items to be the same price, or at least within reason, when going from one McDonald’s to another. Here in New Jersey, this is not the case. One McDonald’s restaurant may charge $3.99 for a Cheeseburger meal, but if I go down a few miles to another McDonald’s, that same item is now $4.49 or even higher. I’ve noticed these price differences in at least five McDonald’s. And the ones in New York City are even more outrageous. It’s hard to gauge what I’m going to pay all the time.

McDonald’s has replaced gift certificates with gift cards, or have been trying to phase out gift certificates. It wouldn’t be a bad idea if McDonald’s weren’t involved with Upromise. Upromise is a program to help save for a child’s education. Each gift certificate has a code that can be entered on the Upromise site for some savings. For a year I’ve been trying to find out how McDonald’s is still involved with the program if they don’t carry gift certificates anymore. Every time I ask for some they always say they don’t have any. Recently, I was informed by Upromise that McDonald’s still have gift certificates on the premises as indicated by the letter I received. Here is an excerpt I received:

“Although McDonald's corporate cannot control the availability of gift certificates, they state that these are considered to be a regular menu item, and they should be available at all locations. McDonald's corporate is in the process of re-educating the management of all locations as to the importance of carrying gift certificates for purchase by McDonald's guests. Further, McDonald's corporate suggests asking the manager of McDonald's locations to make sure that there are no gift certificates in the store safe (where they are typically kept), as they have found that more times than not the stores do actually have gift certificates available for purchase.”

Over the years my stops to McDonald’s has decreased. Still, I do myself wandering inside from time to time. I really can’t eat the food there as much as I used to as I find some of the things just don’t agree with me anymore. The size of some of the burgers is smaller than I remember. I don’t know if this is a good or bad thing. I do know that there is no more “super-size” options, though asking for a large on any Value Menu (usually for another 40 to 50 cents more) seems awfully familiar to a super-sized meal.

McDonald’s has been around for a long time. Do they sell the healthiest of meals? Not even the slightest but they are trying to improve on what they serve. This is a very image conscious business and McDonald’s is at the forefront of it all. With a health-crazed society, trying to marry a healthy meal without compromising taste and the efficiency of production is something that they are still working on. But it’s safe to say that McDonald’s isn’t going anywhere at all.


Trivia fact: the first McDonald’s to open outside of the United States was in Richmond, BC back in 1967… and it’s still there!


Related Reviews
Upromise.com


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A movie about a fast-food restaurant and McDonald's seem like the perfect marriage. And that concludes "Connecting the Dots".




Recommended: Yes