Opinions on Mac Donalds needed for Radio 5 interview tomorrow

No problem, do you want to start a thread, or CAT?

whatsername I'd be really interested to find out more about home ed. I very interested for a number of reason. First we are about to move to Italy and they won't start my dd until September. She finished school last week. Secondly because she will be attending an Italian School so I will need to maintain and develop her spoken English and her reading and writing abilities. She's 7 now, any info would be great.

Oops, yeah we home ed. I'm not going to type here as it's taking about 15 minutes to load each time, but if you want to start another thread, or CAT me then I'd be more than happy

Justine, I had been listening from 10am, listened through all the boring stuff then the plumber turned up and I missed you. Sorry.

Thanks very much for your input everyone. Was on quite briefly as conversation seemed to be a bit usurped by Man United. Wierdest thing was the person put up to give the business side of the argument turned out to be an old friend of mine - think we were both a bit non-plused by that. Basically said that most go for the toys/ treat value for kids rather than for nutritional or atmospheric reasons.

M&S sarnies cheaper than McD's though, and mean that lunch for 3 of us won't cost more than a fiver. And also marginally more edible than all other sarnies - had a Boots one the other day, it was horrible!

aaaaahh, that explains it! Thanks!

Used to be Moomina, www. Got a bit confusing though, what with Moomin and that strange Marthamoo personage

Snafu, it was me asking for good fast food. Leon sounds fab. But is in London (did you used to be someone else btw? I feel I 'know' you)

Sounds very Little Britain.

Enid, do you seriously use a knife and fork to eat cheese on toast?!

Kentucky is proof that there are worse things than McD's What about Wimpy's, same food but garnished with a lovely dose of 2nd hand cigerette smoke.....

Did anyone listen to the radio discussion? What did Justine say?

macdonalds is shite as a cafe.

As cod knows, I love to take my kids out to cafes

I'd much rather take them to the old dears tearoom in our local tiny town where they can have cheese on toast, a slice of cake and a milkshake than to MacD's. Probably marginally more expensive but at least they get clucked at by sweet old ladies and I can have an enormous apricot flapjack and a marginally acceptable coffee. AND I don't have to listen to hideously loud rave music, and it doesn't smell, and the children get to eat off PROPER PLATES and use a knife and fork rather than eating out of some kind of kid's cardboard nosebag.

some M&S have a cafe

and I don't think it's that cheap!

I would have thought M&S was one of the more expensive places to get sandwiches!!

Yes I'm sure the cost is probably the biggest factor. When I get stuck somewhere where I know we absolutely have to eat and am not feeling it's OK to spend £15-£20 on lunch, I will try and find a M&S and buy sandwiches, because they're better than McD's and cheaper than anything else. But that's not really good if you actually want to sit at a table and relax (OK if you're near a park with seats and it's summer, though!).

it's just too bright
it smells of grease and the food is nasty
had its day imo

You should SEE the SE15 branch of Kentucky...OMG

I suppose the Peckham branch of ANYTHING isn't going to be flagship!

Maybe the restaurants vary alot from area to area. Up here there are several that are really very pleasant, nicely designed, big and airy, CLEAN, free newspapers, pleasant enough staff, who quite often will wander round handing out balloons and flags to the kids. As good as any other eateries, better than some, and cheaper than most. And as long as you don't go in on Saturday lunchtime, waiting time to be served is a couple of minutes, and if something needs to be cooked, they then bring it over to your table. Someone mentioned Starbucks - again I'm sure they vary vastly from branch to branch, but the one I've been in up here was extortionate, queueing time about 15 minutes, and the staff were as snooty as anything, and although the cakes were yummy, I wouldn't be in a rush to go there again.

I don't want to sound too much like Ronald McDonald's greatest fan, but "nothing over £6" could mean that lunch for three cost £24.

I am sure that the comparative affordability of McDonalds is one big reason why it's so popular.

Who was it who was asking for a 'good' fast food restaurant? What about this ? Yes, it's in London, sorry...

Robin, seriously? I'm not trying to be sniffy, but even as a child I'm not sure I found McD's stimulating (over stimulating, maybe) or appealing!

I also think people get passionate about it because they're targeting children, and anything which targets children specifically, is bound to raise passions beyond normal.

I reckon a great many restaurants could learn from McD's on how to provide a stimulating and appealing environment for children. Why can't someone take the format but serve decent food?