Dont use McDonalds support local small businesses

[BigBreakfast]

Are you seeing this a lot too? It makes no sense to me. IME small businesses can be terrible employers with questionable hygiene practices and corners cut to save the owners money.

McDonalds on the other hand is a very fair employer, pays well above minimum wage for the kinds of jobs that would attract exactly minimum wage elsewhere and is absolutely hot on hygiene.

These posters talk about supporting small businesses because that "pays for a little girl's dance lessons" etc, do employees of bigger firms not buy dance lessons?

Obviously people should spend their money as they see fit but the big companies are important to the local economy too and (usually) became big companies by being very good at what they do.

I'm intending on being in the queue for McDonalds when it opens today at 11am!

Before I drive down there I will be picking up my prescription from the village chemist and buying bread and milk in the locally owned shop next door.

I do both. Don't most people?

I will use lot of local businesses but sometimes what you really want is a fast food hit or a branded coffee, and there's nothing wrong with that every so often.

This thread has made me crave a fillet o' fish, 😂

We normally only have McDonalds when doing a long motorway drive in an evening such as to see friends who live down south or an airport run, so we've not done one of those for a long while now!

I’ve seen similar posts and I can see where it’s coming from.

The big names - like McDonalds - are, for the most part, more likely to survive this pandemic than the small local businesses. So asking people to support local small businesses makes sense.

But I don’t think it’s very fair to single out one big name.

Im another on board with the Maccies love, sometimes you just want a cheap burger that tastes good and dont want to be bothered with organically sourced, grass fed 100% angus prime beef, with an aged stilton cheese and honey smoked bacon for £7.50

I like the consistency.
I tried to support a local coffee shop, but the coffee was more expensive than costa and to be honest quite shoddy.
Give me a decent product at a decent price and I'll choose you over consistency.

And McDonalds etc are great when we’re travelling in the U.K. because they’re so consistent.

You know what you’re getting. Small local cafe’s can be very variable.

100% agree OP. Singling out a company is ridiculous, especially one which pays well, and is often a stepping stone for many people.

I've tried supporting local businesses, and whilst some are great, others are much more expensive, for a worse experience and poor service. McDonalds is great for consistency, and the price point makes it much more affordable than some of my local small businesses.

I was going to say similar to @MinorArcana.

There’s definitely a place in my life for both independents and McDonalds. But when I’m not in my town I tend to head to
McD’s (or possibly costa) for lunch because those have wheelchair access as standard. I don’t have to hunt for a ramp or be in disappointed.

In fact on disability forums “look for a McDonalds if you can’t find a disabled loo” is standard advice when anyone asks about travelling, especially abroad.

I think it's quite a clumsy message, as clearly chain restaurants and cafes have a place.

However, I am lucky enough to live in a town with many fabulous independent cafes, greengrocer, a couple of butchers, independent bakers, delicatessen etc. They have all been brilliant during lockdown and have managed to supply goods that the larger supermarkets haven't been able to. I really hope that people who have 'discovered' the town's independent shops in recent months continue to support them as if they have to close, that will be it.

I also love knowing that money I spend in independent shops is directly benefitting the people who work there/own it (most of the shops are staffed day to day by the owners) and not most of the money going to a huge company.

So yeah, of course McDonald's etc have their place, but look beyond the literal message and support local (independent) businesses where possible.

Had my first McDonald's in months yesterday, it was awesome.

The location of the Mcds here has meant that for the past three days, the dual carriageway leading to the main A&E dept has been completely gridlocked with queues. The amount of rubbish chucked out of car windows has been crazy, and a smaller independent that was operating a really successful takeaway service beside McDs has had to close it’s doors.
Why oh why do people not see a queue that is already miles long and still insist on joining it?

My DCs love McDonalds. The habit started early with DS1 because it was easy to get him reliable allergen-free food in there. He now has an ASD diagnosis and appreciates the consistency. They are busy, but he can cope with the constant low hubbub in there. I now understand why we have a long history of meltdowns in independent cafes on holiday. You don't know exactly what the food will be like. Will it have offensive lumps in it? That hideous high pitched whistle from pretentious coffee machines. Fashionable hard surfaces that echo.

Over the past month we have been going to a burger van on an industrial estate and the DCs were rolling around with ecstatic glee at their first bite of greasy burger I have said I'm not queuing around laps of a drive thru!

McDonalds has an unfairly critical reputation. There might have been an absence of McDonalds litter for 10 weeks, but the number of surgical gloves and masks dumped roadside in lieu shows that it's people that are the problem not a brand. Plus the beauty spots left looking like the aftermath of Glastonbury. Litter louts don't care what they abandon.

They are a decent employer with decent progression opportunities. I'd think it was a great start to working life if my DCs got a holiday job in one.

There are healthier options there anyway. Chicken wrap with side salad and water is a well balanced meal for sensible calories. When I'm on a 5:2 fast, I use half my calories for the day on a chicken salad!

The queue for the drive through is always ridiculous. Quicker (usually) to just park up and order over the counter.

That meme though is usually shared by MLM 'business owners' so I generally roll my eyes.

a lot of mcdonalds do community stuff as well, one of my local ones supports a u13s football team

BogRollBOGOF the chicken wraps are my favourite McDonalds meals, but there’s no chicken wraps on their current reduced menu! No salads either.

comparing the sugary muck that is commercial smoothies to what Macdonalds sell really is comparing shit with shit. Both will make you really fat if eaten more than very occasionally.

fast food wrapped in loads of packaging. So zero stuffs given about the planet as normal, eh?

unfortunately tackling climate change and pollution means less choice and job losses. A message that Thunberg either doesn't get or glosses over.

They will survive and all those thousands of jobs will be protected. Shop
Local and what you save 10 jobs compared to 50 plus from one branch. I would choose McDonald’s , but not for the food 😂

What about all the farmers who supply McDonald’s?
My friends dad is one and he certainly isn’t a big business.

fast food wrapped in loads of packaging

When were you at a McDonalds last mencken?

I think it’s possible to do both though I have to say I’ve developed a greater respect and loyalty to the local businesses who adjusted their practices to keep going during lockdown. They managed to keep their staff employed, provide much needed treats to the public and avoid using taxpayer money.

One account I read said that McDonalds had furloughed 135,000 staff under the government scheme. I really think a company that size could have ploughed some money into developing safe working practices and kept open.

Now I really want a Big Mac - damn!

Quick question - are McD's zero hours contracts? DS is approaching the age where he's thinking of after school / weekend jobs.

@iklboo

Quick question - are McD's zero hours contracts? DS is approaching the age where he's thinking of after school / weekend jobs.

I believe they switcehd to fixed hours contracts back in 2018? i remember when an ex worked there they would offer really really flexible hours so they could go to college at the same time.

I can't stand the constant policing of behaviour by people telling others what is right or virtue signalling.
I live in an area where there are lots of wonderful small businesses and I will support them as and when I am able. Mentioned to a friend in passing that I was getting a dominos last week (I'm pregnant and was particularly excited haha) and she made a snarky comment about how 'I mucb prefer to support local small businesses'... Oh do fuck off!

fast food wrapped in loads of packaging. So zero stuffs given about the planet as normal, eh?

Burgers come in a single piece of recyclable paper or a recyclable box. McDonalds separates rubbish and recycled everything it can, including the oil it uses for cooking.

Compare it to other takeaway food and it's on par or better. In fact, I'd bet there's more.waste with supermarket meal deals. Sandwich box, snack wrapper, plastic bottle etc.

I don't use my local McDonald's as it has been identified as a hub for child exploitation. Not ideal