McDonald's is pure garbage.

[pellius]

I will agree that the Whopper and Jumbo Jack are much better burgers that the Big Mac and Quarter Pounders. I like the bigger patty, sliced tomatoes, crispy leaf lettuce and whole sliced onions and not that diced stuff you get at McDonald's. But there are many other reasons why a person picks one thing over another. And there are several aspects that has me going to McDonald's several times a week.

A big one for me is convenience. I tend to hit the fast food places right after the gym. I pass right by McDonald's on my way to my car. Sure Burger is just across the street. I posted a pic where you can see it's logo on the right side of the screen. It's right at an intersection so I have to get in my car, get to one intersection and wait at the light, and drive to the intersection where BK is at which is a left-hand turn. Going home I would be turning right and going in the opposite direction. Coming out I can't take a left and head home but now have to turn right, drive about a half of mile, make a U-turn. Again wait at the light before I am on my way.

Now on the way home there's both a Jack-in-the-Box and a Taco Bell, both of which I prefer the food over McDonald's but, again, they are on the opposite side. There's also a KFC right to the left of the picture that I also go to as it's in the same parking lot as MCD and I go there maybe once for every ten times I go to McDonald's. Love greasy fried chicken and I always get the extra greasy crispy fired but feel I should go easy on that.

[pellius]

Now, this is what I see right when I leave the gym walking to my car. It's like an Oasis in the parking lot just beckoning me to enter. I mean, it's just right there. Right there waiting for me.

Hard to resist. Damn hard.

[pellius]

There are also other things McDonald's does that others don't. One of the main things for me is that they have a full-time custodian always there. Keeping the tables clean, ice machine full of ice, always inspecting the bathrooms. They do a major cleaning on the bathrooms every hour plus constant inspection and touchups. I like the self-serve napkins. Take as many as you want. At BK and Jack in the Box, you have to ask for extras. Also, I like free unlimited access to the bathrooms and not to have to stand in line or cut in to ask for a key or code like you do at the other two drive ins. I understand why they do it because of the homeless people that use it and leave a mess. MCD just accepts that and the custodian understands it's part of their job. Even better I like that MCD provides those free sanitary wipes so you don't even have to go into the bathroom to wash and dry your hands. I just take a couple of those to clean my hands and I'm all set. Also, I can order right from my phone. As I leave the gym I tap in my order and pay through my card and by the time I get there, it's ready to go. Today it was crowded as hell and a long line but I just grabbed the first open table, got my napkins, and water, sat down and caught up on the news until my order was called out. I worked my way through all the people standing in line and waiting for their order and bypassed them to get my tray.

Easy. No stress.

[pellius]

Oh, and I almost forgot one of the most important thing. Value. Value to me is not just the fixed cost of a product, but what you get for your money. BK and Jack in the Box have better burgers but how much better? Theirs is over $5 whereas at McDonalds there QPs and Big Macs I always get for a dollar.

Like everything in life, whether choosing a new car or a new girlfriend, it's total package that seals the deal.

Taking in totality. McDonald's is hard to beat.

And for those who think McDonald's is garbage and too expensive for what you get please tell me exactly what is garbage about this meal I just bought. I see 100% beef, pickles/cucumber, onions,
potatoes, wheat. That's 40 grams of protein all for barely over $4.00.

[Primemuscle]

Had no idea you had a drinking problem.

It's not  something I'm proud of. I am happy that I've made the decision to do something about it and I'm pulling for my success in getting and keeping this problem under control. So far so good.

It's a shame that I waited so long to take charge of this piece of my life. Like most alcoholics, I convinced myself that I didn't have a problem. I was in denial. My wife hated that I drank. Wherever she is, I know she's in my corner. 

I'm very lucky that drinking to excess for so long hasn't compromised my health. Luck can run out when you least suspect it. I don't want to wait until mine does. Better safe than sorry.

[Primemuscle]

Now, this is what I see right when I leave the gym walking to my car. It's like an Oasis in the parking lot just beckoning me to enter. I mean, it's just right there. Right there waiting for me.

Hard to resist. Damn hard.

Did you know that you can order one or several cheeseburgers without the bun?

[pellius]

A few weeks ago I was questioned by a friend about the eating a McDonald's. He told me that more than any fast food place, or maybe more than anything in general, McDonald's is one of the main reasons people are fat. He showed me scientific studies and statistics that showed that as the fast food industry grew so did obesity and that since McDonald's was the leader in the fast food game they are the most responsible.

So just having more McDonald's makes people fat? Nothing to do with people simply eating too much. Sure, easy and cheap access to food will make it more likely that people will eat more but who's fault is that? Should the government start tearing down McDonald's and place a limit to how many there should be in a given area?

And to make it worse, my friend insists that McDonald's food, in and of itself, makes people fat. It's the food itself, not the quantity of food, that has more to do with people being fat. Like there's some magical or sinister force that makes a carb and protein 8 calories per gram instead of 4 and the fat calories just go straight to the belly or hips.

And the irony of it all that as he sits there lecturing, I keep glancing at his pot belly and wonder if he has any self-awareness at all as his boycotting of McDonald's and other fast food places have not resulted in any real world difference in his body composition.

I thought of this sitting on the bench in the locker room after I just tapped in my McDonald's order. I mean, these things do kind of catch up with you. After all, I don't compete in sports anymore and not even remotely close to being as active as I use to be and I have cut down my workouts to just twice a week. So, I walked over to the sink and took a quick look at the gut. Though I'm nowhere near stage ready and don't pay as much attention to these things as I use to, I thought that despite my advanced age and increasingly decrepit state, I still have, to use Shizzo's words when describing his folds of fat, "a hint of abs.


 

[Primemuscle]

It looks like you stole my belly button. 

[pellius]

Did you know that you can order one or several cheeseburgers without the bun?

I toss out the bun on the hamburger and add the patty and pickles to the OP. I really loathed making special orders. Those workers have it hard enough without having to deal the special instructions for a damn fast food sandwich. I was behind someone a while ago walking through the cashier on how he wants his Fudge Sundae. "OK, a shot of fudge before anything, then some ice cream, another shot of fudge, more ice cream, then top it off with more fudge."

I'm like, "Oh for fuck's sake, it a $1.50 ice cream!"

I am tempted to say no salt on the fries, because not only is it better for you but you guarantee they are right out of the fryer. But, I just don't have the gall. It's a fast food drive for chrissakes! This is about fast and cheap. Save the special requests for restaurants where you don't have a line of people waiting for you to get the hell out of the way.

[pellius]

It looks like you stole my belly button. 

I had surgery to fix an umbilical hernia about twenty years ago.

[Primemuscle]

I had surgery to fix an umbilical hernia about twenty years ago.

Mine got that way from a prostatectomy several years ago.

[Griffith]

I will agree that the Whopper and Jumbo Jack are much better burgers that the Big Mac and Quarter Pounders. I like the bigger patty, sliced tomatoes, crispy leaf lettuce and whole sliced onions and not that diced stuff you get at McDonald's. But there are many other reasons why a person picks one thing over another. And there are several aspects that has me going to McDonald's several times a week.

A big one for me is convenience. I tend to hit the fast food places right after the gym. I pass right by McDonald's on my way to my car. Sure Burger is just across the street. I posted a pic where you can see it's logo on the right side of the screen. It's right at an intersection so I have to get in my car, get to one intersection and wait at the light, and drive to the intersection where BK is at which is a left-hand turn. Going home I would be turning right and going in the opposite direction. Coming out I can't take a left and head home but now have to turn right, drive about a half of mile, make a U-turn. Again wait at the light before I am on my way.

Now on the way home there's both a Jack-in-the-Box and a Taco Bell, both of which I prefer the food over McDonald's but, again, they are on the opposite side. There's also a KFC right to the left of the picture that I also go to as it's in the same parking lot as MCD and I go there maybe once for every ten times I go to McDonald's. Love greasy fried chicken and I always get the extra greasy crispy fired but feel I should go easy on that.

Beautiful scenery in the background.

[pellius]

Mine got that way from a prostatectomy several years ago.

I don't like the sound of that.

[Primemuscle]

I don't like the sound of that.

Neither did I. It was one option the doctor offered, another was radiation and the third was "watchful waiting". Waiting for what? Waiting for the cancer to metastasize and then you die. So far, I picked the best option. No prostate and no cancer.

[dr.chimps]

I remember when TA was touting McD's. He came around and gave us some serious, good recipes. I still use some o
f his flavor when turning.  

[Notomorrow]

Its American culture in general....As a country without any real history..just a mishmash of a country started just a few hundred years ago...we have no rich culinary, artistic or any other quality contributions to mass culture...

When people want to go fine dining they say there might be a great Italian, Thai, even authentic Mexican restaurant but very rare anyone anywhere in the world looks for some real good American food....its cheap crap designed to make the most profit..making up for quality with disgustingly large proportions to keep American kids bloated, fat little consumers....

[Go 4 It]

Oh, and I almost forgot one of the most important thing. Value. Value to me is not just the fixed cost of a product, but what you get for your money. BK and Jack in the Box have better burgers but how much better? Theirs is over $5 whereas at McDonalds there QPs and Big Macs I always get for a dollar.

Like everything in life, whether choosing a new car or a new girlfriend, it's total package that seals the deal.

Taking in totality. McDonald's is hard to beat.

And for those who think McDonald's is garbage and too expensive for what you get please tell me exactly what is garbage about this meal I just bought. I see 100% beef, pickles/cucumber, onions,
potatoes, wheat. That's 40 grams of protein all for barely over $4.00.

You can get a pound of ground beef 80/20 at Costco for $4.29, how is $4.00 cheap for that tiny meal?

[Disgusted]

You can get a pound of ground beef 80/20 at Costco for $4.29, how is $4.00 cheap for that tiny meal?

Agreed, a double quarter pounder costs over $5 and I'm doubting it weighs that much. So basically you are paying about $20 a pound for the burger minus the bun and condiments.

[Go 4 It]

Agreed, a double quarter pounder costs over $5 and I'm doubting it weighs that much. So basically you are paying about $20 a pound for the burger minus the bun and condiments.

Exactly, no way that burger weighs a quarter pound, next time Pellius you should bring a food scale and weigh the burger, if its not a quarter of a pound threaten to sue

[SOMEPARTS]

Its American culture in general....As a country without any real history..just a mishmash of a country started just a few hundred years ago...we have no rich culinary, artistic or any other quality contributions to mass culture...

When people want to go fine dining they say there might be a great Italian, Thai, even authentic Mexican restaurant but very rare anyone anywhere in the world looks for some real good American food....its cheap crap designed to make the most profit..making up for quality with disgustingly large proportions to keep American kids bloated, fat little consumers....

In general maybe - but some of us didn't grow up in the city and had mothers that knew how to cook from scratch.

[Primemuscle]

You can get a pound of ground beef 80/20 at Costco for $4.29, how is $4.00 cheap for that tiny meal?

Your comparing apples with oranges. One meal you have to cook and the other is ready to go. Also, ground beef does not make a full meal as compared the McDonald's. Where is the bun, pickles, ketchup, special sauce, fries and a drink? I'll give you that a pound of ground beef yields 4 quarter pound hamburger patties.

Anyway, how often do you need to buy or fix your own meals while your at work on a cruise ship?

[Primemuscle]

Agreed, a double quarter pounder costs over $5 and I'm doubting it weighs that much. So basically you are paying about $20 a pound for the burger minus the bun and condiments.

1 pound of raw ground beef yields 3/4 pound of cooked beef, no matter who cooks it. If you want to get the full pound, order steak tartar (not available at McDonald's).

[Go 4 It]

Your comparing apples with oranges. One meal you have to cook and the other is ready to go. Also, ground beef does not make a full meal as compared the McDonald's. Where is the bun, pickles, ketchup, special sauce, fries and a drink? I'll give you that a pound of ground beef yields 4 quarter pound hamburger patties.

Anyway, how often do you need to buy or fix your own meals while your at work on a cruise ship?

Im comparing it price wise, food is free and unlimited on the ship.

[Vince G, CSN MFT]

Haha lol

We can then head to Vince Goodrums bachelor pad and share some Arby fries with him while he tells us about his 200 online business and Caliber Fitness Solutions. 

Rarely eat out and if you were to drop by, it would be Grilled Ahi Tuna or Flank Steak with an Asahi.  


McDonald's isn't too bad though and if I decide to eat there its usually a Big Mac and a water.

[Disgusted]

1 pound of raw ground beef yields 3/4 pound of cooked beef, no matter who cooks it. If you want to get the full pound, order steak tartar (not available at McDonald's).

That all depends on the fat content. According to McDonald's they use 80/20? Regardless you're paying well over $15 a pound just for the meat. I'm not knocking them as I occasionally go there and get a DQP. That's the only thing that I have ever eaten from there. I think the meat tastes great and is of good quality. I never eat the bun but that's just because I'm not a big fan of bread. No doubt in a pinch it's very convenient to be able to grab a burger when you are on the go.