Why do people love to sneer at McDonalds so much

[FinnyStory]

And blame them for obesity?

A Big Mac has 508 calories, a lot but not excessive if that's your lunch once in a while. A Costa Brie and Bacon panini has 517 calories, a no more satisfying or nutritionally valid choice surely?

In Prezzo, their hummus starter has over 600 calories! They have mains at over 1000 calories and their menu is similar to many other restaurants more acceptable to MNetters, which is why I looked them up, not because I have anything against Prezzo.

At least in McDonalds you can choose a salad or a lighter wrap if you want it, very many coffee shops and cafes don't even offer those things.

IMO McDonalds have made far more effort on these things than most and yet as soon as people talk about obesity, it won't be long before families who frequent McDonalds are vilified, although a gastropup or more upmarket restaurant chain seems to be considered OK?

@JustGettingStarted
“Only eating Big Macs isn’t ideal”
That’s the understatement of the century.

“Healthy food has loads of good stuff”
“That’s absurd”.

Er...why? McDonalds is way too high in fat, sugar and salt. Beef isn’t good for you, full stop. Don’t trust me, trust the hundreds of studies done on red meat. There are far better choices for getting your iron, protein and vitamins.

Once or twice a month - McDonalds is fine. Anymore than that and you’re not doing your body any favors. I eat there occasionally myself, but I’ll call it junk because it is junk.

Yeah mcdonalds always gets the worst rep of all fast food companies and i dont get it. For one as an establishment ronald mcdonald house is owned by mcds and its a fantastic hospice that helps so many sick children and their parents. Another thing mcds staff are well paid and apparently have excellent training and also consistently mcdonalds restaurants score higher for cleanliness than other fast food counter parts. No one forces people to eat loads of mcds food every single day morning noon and night so i really cant see why they get such bad press and such snobery.

Snobs that's why.

McDonalds actually has very strict standards on hygiene and food standards. Sometimes the local pretty little cafe could learn a think or two.

If you don't like it don't eat there that's all. It doesn't make someone superior by sneering it just makes that look pathetic really. I don't feel the need to be negative about places I wouldn't eat at or things I wouldn't eat.

This is just absurd. It has no basis for in science. Obviously, only eating big macs a day isn't ideal, as there will be some vitamins and minerals missing from the diet, but I don't think you'd easily find any one food item that would satisfy every need.

A big max is not empty calories/devoid of nutritional value

I really think you could do with looking at some of the actual science.

@Devlesko

'You can't call that meat, it's horrible chemicals'

I think you need to step away from the fake YouTube videos. The meat is meat and not artificial and made from chemicals as per the rubbish online. I don't work or own a MD franchise either I just laugh at people or spread utter rubbish because they saw it on a youtube video.

@MoreListeningLessChatting
Perhaps, but beef is absolutely terrible for the environment. Red meat is proven beyond doubt to contribute to all kinds of serious illness. And raising and slaughtering intelligent mammals in horrible factory farms isn’t great either. Definitely not my go to food!

MN is sneer central again at the moment, on any subject.

As if McDonalds was the creator of fast food, FFS! Fast food was going strong in the UK well before they arrived.

This has always baffled me too. I don't have burgers, I used to be huge!!
I know what i can and can't eat. We take the DCs. My DD5 will only have fries and a strawberry milkshake whereas my DSs ( 12 ) will demolish whatever it is they like.

MNs pretend that McDonalds is the scum of the earth - reality is if you want a Big Mac then go for it.
Doesn't make you any less worthy of dining out in a NICE restaurant at any point.

I love Mac Donald's

Doesn't taste greasy to Mei was once in a course with someone who was a cook at McDs and one who was a chef at a 4 star hotel.

Guess which I'd rather eat in

MoreListeningLessChatting

A, they're on youtube too, oh good.
I just read professional peer reviewed research.
It's common knowledge, and people carry on giving their kids this shit, it's depressing.

@Devlesko

MoreListeningLessChatting

A, they're on youtube too, oh good.
I just read professional peer reviewed research.
It's common knowledge, and people carry on giving their kids this shit, it's depressing.

I'd be delighted to read any peer reviewed journals that said meat from mcdonald's wasn't actually meat but in fact horrible chemicals care to share some...

I’m not a massive fan of their burgers and would rather have a five guys which is probably much higher in calories (and quality mind you!). But I love a sausage and egg McMuffin and there have been many a drunken night in London where a McDonald’s has sorted me out on the train ride home.

Is it ideal food? No but neither is lots of food sold in takeaways and restaurants. As long as it’s something you have once in a while and not regularly then who cares.

I have to agree it is snobbery!

I totally agree OP. We have a few Maccy Ds and KFCs. I think it's what you choose but at least the portions aren't enormous, like you get a chippy or often at the pub. I everyone knows it's not the healthiest if people want to have a Big Mac, larger fries and full fat coke followed by a McFlurry then that's kinda their fault!

McDonald's doesn't taste greasy to me either...I mean chips are fried so always slightly greasy but that goes for chips wherever you get them from. Even high end restaurants do chips.

@hamstersarse

This is just absurd. It has no basis for in science. Obviously, only eating big macs a day isn't ideal, as there will be some vitamins and minerals missing from the diet, but I don't think you'd easily find any one food item that would satisfy every need.

A big max is not empty calories/devoid of nutritional value

I really think you could do with looking at some of the actual science.

You mean the studies that make no effort to seperate the consumption of red meat and processed meats? The American studies that focus on a population of grain-fed beef consumption (beef is grass fed in the UK)? The observational, srlf-reporting studies that only show correlation but not causation?

Or do you mean the handful of actual controlled studies in which diets high in red meat showed no correlation with heart disease and a negative correlation to obesity?

www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-red-meat-bad-for-you-or-good#section8

@Pinkypie86 do McDonald's do smaller, child-portion sized milkshakes? Or is your 5yo having a regular adult-sized milkshake?

I think it's more that it just isn't good food? It's super bland. The fries are usually cold and floppy. If you have no choice - it's that or a service station pasty - then fine. Also if you're on a very tight budget then it's a good choice, super cheap food.

But if you're an adult, and have your choice of a town's restaurants and you have expendable income (for instance demonstrated by spending more than my weekly wage on posh stationery), and you want McDonalds...

I love MacDonalds occasionally. It fills a spot when everyone is tired and hungry. It’s cheap and reliable and clean. I like the fillet o fish rather than the beef burgers though.

I used to love mac d , but it's really processed food full of junk , same with kfc , Burger King, subway , 5 guys

@haba

The one you get with a small childs meal. She likes the "brain freeze" effect.

Why?

I really like McDonalds' coffee, salads, and wraps. I also love their burgers but don't let myself eat them anymore!

I live in a naice market town and I'd love us to get a McDonalds but I suspect the council will never let us ☹️ It'll just be more estate agents, hairdressers, coffee shops, and charity shops.

Regarding cold and floppy fries:

Two ways to avoid this. One, send them back and demand freshly ones. They won't mind. Two - for the less confrontational - order them without salt. They'll fry a fresh batch for your order. You can then salt your own.

Same goes for the burgers--make a small change to the order (pickles on the side, for example) and yours will be fresh made for you.

@Pinkypie86 because a small milkshake contains three times a five year old's daily sugar recommendation. (It has 30g sugar, which is an adult's recommended daily amount). If you were overweight yourself, and successfully lost that weight (which is what I read from your post, sorry if I got that wrong) I'm surprised you would give your child so much sugar, unless we're talking once every six months or something?

@BogRollBOGOF

I once got the wrong order in a drive-thru. I'd ordered a chicken wrap & fries, and by the time I opened the bag at home it contained a Big Tasty, two double cheese burgers and one fries. I am inferring from one fries that it was intended for one person and they'd have got a shock if they were expecting that and just got a puny wrap!*

Not necessarily. In our family I'm the only one who likes the fries, the rest wil order burgers without fries.