Opinions on Mac Donalds needed for Radio 5 interview tomorrow

Dinosaur, I do try to buy ethically as much as possible but I take your point, there are plenty of unethical companies out there. McDonalds is an easy one to avoid for me though.

But if the insidious power of big corporations is the main reason to avoid, then why single out McDonalds? Why not for example boycott Primark - I can't believe that all those dirt cheap clothes are ethically produced!

To be fair MandM, Justine, who co-runs Mumsnet, did ask for everyone's views for a specific reason.

M&M, because the things large corporations do DO affect us. A company with that much buying power is bound to have an effect on the world and some people don't think it's a good effect. It's not just about eating there/not eating there imo.

Fascinates me how people manage to get their knickers in such a twist over a fast food joint. If you like it - go and eat there, if you don't - go somewhere else. Surely it's simple. Why do people who've never been there or been there once and not enjoyed it feel the need to spout on about it at every opportunity for the rest of eternity and then those that do eat there feel obliged to join in and defend it. Vicious circle forming?
Sorry... just don't get what the big deal is....

There sales in the UK have apparently dropped dramatically (something like 50%) in the past year which has really scared them.
Personally I'm amazed that the message is finally getting through to people although like someone has already said it's all about moderation and can't be any worse than eating a kebab!

Oh and if you want the toys most our local charity shops sell them for 20p each and has most of the latest ones too so Instead of Mcds you could go to the local cafe followed by the treat of going to buy a toy or toys in the charity shop Prob work out cheaper too

Havnet been to McDs since in about 20 years and have no intention of ever taking dd. Never took dss (tho he did go with his mum or other people) and he knew that asking would lead to a 1/2 hour rant re Libel laws in this country and corporations taking single parents to court and freedom of speech etc etc (Thinking back guess he must have found some entertainment value in winding me up too as he never got stroppy if told no).
If I want my kids to have fast food well have fishnchips or a chinese and even then its about once every 3 months if they are lucky. If we are caught out and they are hungry Ill buy sandwiches or bread and humous/ham and give them a picnic. We do occasionally eat out but I like to find somewhere that we can all go and enjoy ourselves, local cafes are normally very good.

also ahve to say thank goodness for M&S oopening in Waterloo station Up till then the only place to get food for dss was BK and now aleast we can get half decent sandwiches (Not taht hes to pleased mind)

Also ahve to say thank

Aloha, it's crap and depressing, that's all you need to know!

I'm listening too, here for anyone who wants to listen on their PC.

You know, the indoor soft play places

When I was growing up we would go to McDonalds maybe once every couple of months or so.

I like eating food from McDonalds . I like having a cheeseburger from there every now and again.

But I am not keen on DS (nearly 17 months) going there for a long time. I think for me he is helping me to reassess my own eating habits. I can see that as he gets older, if I want him to be healthy then I need to be healthy as well.

You know, I don't even know what a Wacky Warehouse is!

I'm listening to 5live at the moment - no mention of a McD's themed phone-in......

Oh no, parties at MacDonalds?? Mind you, the food at the Wacky Warehouse parties is almost equally minging.

Cross-posted Marina...aaargh! Is that why people pay for private education? Don' t think any of my friends would have a party at McD's..

And there is a difference between recognising the logo and wanting to go there, surely? Ds not v interested in visiting B&Q (though he LOVES Ikea....v strange)

aloha, wait til he starts school and one of his best friends has his party at McDonalds. That's how it happens.

Wordsmith...if your ds could recognise Waitrose you clearly live in a smarter area than we do! Ds can recognise B&Q!

im loving it...... and so is ds... it dosent happen very often but when he does get 1 its a (TREAT) i have the flat bread chicken with a salad.....
ds has the chicken nuggetts and last time had the chicken breast pieces (not enough though) and even had the carrots but said wheres my chips?

MacDonalds? Bleurgh.

DS's have had it about 3 times on the way back from somewhere when we've been late to cook tea - they don't even like it thankfully. Probably ate about a quarter of the chips each time and I'm not surprised. It's minging.

I'm sure it doesn't do any harm to have it now and again as a 'treat' but then I wouldn't class that as a treat anyway cos I think it's gross.

My DS could recognise the McDonalds arches at the age of 3! But that's because they're ubiquitous. He could also recognise Waitrose, Boots and Burger King.

People say their kids like Mcdonalds....but how do their kids get to know about it. My ds has NO idea such a place exists (he three and a half). As I said, it's not the food that bothers me - though I do find chips in a greasy paper bag on a brown plastic tray a profoundly depressing idea - but the whole ambience of the place. Hard plastic chairs, grim lighting etc etc. There are so many other nicer places, why take your kids there in the first place and get them to like it? Why not go to a place that looks like a real cafe/restaurant and where YOU can enjoy it too? Obviously none of this applies if you are the one who really loves Mcdonald's and its lovely plastic chairs

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