To ask why some people think McDonalds is the devils food?

[lalaland3008]

What have some people got so against it?

I use macdonalds not so much as a treat but more when I really cannot be bothered or we're back really late which usually comes once a month. Everytime I go it's always really busy, weekends it's absolutely full of kids so people must be eating it and they're not all dead/obese/chav scum. So why is it so frowned upon by some?

It has nothing to do with class as that implies that only the middle class have an ethical conscience or care about healthy eating.

It is, however, shit food and I do not understand why someone would choose to eat there. I don't demonise but I don't understand.

I haven't eaten in McDonalds for years but all the arguments to not go to McDonalds can be levied at countless other food outlets.

For example, sandwiches and soups in places like Pret, M&S etc are absolutely loaded with fat and salt yet they try to project a healthy image.

As for the chopping down the rainforests issue - what about the tons of bananas that are sold every year in supermarkets that are grown in South America? Acres and acres of rainforests have been chopped down to grow these non-native plants. Yet no one has an issue with it.

Besides, surely everyone knows KFC is the devil incarnate?

We go there about once a month. I always have the Qtr pounder medium meal with OJ (yum) as does my 11yr old DD. 9yr old has chicken nuggets Happy meal with OJ. Am I poisoning them? I don't think so. They have quite high standards these days (I admit, probably brought about by people power) but there are two things that make me uncomfortable about it. Number one, it cannot be denied that the place is stuffed to the gills with obese people gorging on fat and cheese and two....all those useless plastic toys that get played with for two mins then tossed in bin.
There is something about the sight of a baby under two being fed a packet of fries that makes my heart sink.

Talking about the impact on others (think it was wotnow that said that) can you truthfully say nothing in your life that you do has a negative impact on others?

It has nothing to do with class as that implies that only the middle class have an ethical conscience or care about healthy eating.

No, of course they don't - but it is only the middle class that try and use spurious moral high ground as a lever for proclaiming social superiority.

One problem is that the food does not fill you up and yet is highly calorific.

Although I totally take on board all the reasoned genuine arguments against McDonalds, it does seem to me there is a significant cohort of people who don't like it as a knee-jerk received idea connected with a sense of precarious middle classness.

I haven't brought the dds up to despise it because a) sometimes you're on a peage and it's 4pm and you are going to miss your ferry if you're not careful and you're hungry and there's a McDonalds. Bite me and b) sometimes children are invited out and another parent generously buys them a McDonalds as part of a trip to town, cinema, whatever. I don't want mine being the precious little so-and-sos who say 'urg, no, we HATE McDonalds in our family c) I quite like McDonalds food once in a while.

my younger daughter's friends all do the Urg No! we HATE McDonalds - but when asked why, they say 'they LEAVE THE SKIN ON THE CHICKEN! DisGUSTing' - which is what makes me think they've picked up a notion that the Done Thing is to sneer at McDs, without really having any idea why - and I don't think they're the only ones.

Panda people do have an issue re bananas. Deforestation for bananas is better than for beef but that aside fair trade and organic bananas are widely available,they only would be if they sold so clearly people do care. Even Sainsbury Savers bananas are Fairtrade ditto there el cheapo Savers tea bags.You can buy small organic bananas more easily now which go further when on a budget like me.

Rockpool My point is that MC parents seem to get stuck in these rigid ways of thinking e.g Burger & chips = BAD, Pasta=GOOD. Not necessarily!

You are right about the chicken though it is 'Barn' chicken but they do use Free range eggs & organic milk and all their chicken is breast meat so I think it is way above the standards of many outlets, even those that purport to be healthy as Pandawatch says.

McDonalds has always been the students villain of choice but as someone said earlier, it is the devil you know and there are MANY out there in sheeps clothing (mixing metaphors wildly here!) No-one is asking you to live on it but the reaction of some to it is a bit stuck in the past imo.

Number one, it cannot be denied that the place is stuffed to the gills with obese people gorging on fat and cheese

Really? What you and your children included?

That is nonsense though isn't it? And hypocritical when you've just said you eat there!

I agree with dessert my 3 kids are 8,8 and 7 and a Happy meal doesn't fill them up.They're used to filling up on masses of fruit/veg and wholegrains,actually have quite small appetites-6 nuggets and a bag of fries just doesn't cut it as a meal even though it would be a huge part of their daily calorie intake.

Spot on SteamingNit

LucieMay "yep not visiting McDonald's will surely contribute to saving the planet. If you're going to rebuke me for not having beliefs, get off your arse and do something about them rather than tapping away furiously on an internet forum about how virtuous you are."

As a pp pointed out, yes, if a lot of people do avoid McDonald's - and all the other fast food/low cost food chains, they're much of a muchness in my eyes - then it will contribute - albeit a tiny, tiny bit - to saving the planet. Better than doing nothing?

And as for me sitting on my arse and doing nothing about my beliefs, you know nothing about my life and what I do or don't do, thanks very much.

Also, I wasn't judging anyone for eating at McDonald's. But I was judging you a bit for saying you don't give a shite about climate change etc.

Waves at Steaming Nit. Spot on.

If you don't like don't eat there. Simples. Quit banging on about what other people eat, so dull...

Oooh thank you!

Amber No it isn't. My point is that eating burger & chips now & then is fine but as with all food (and I love all food!!), you have to strike a balance. Sadly there are people who eat in fast food restaurants all the time because they can't cook (but that's another thread)

You'll be pleased to hear that myself & family are pictures of health

solo - that film was french fries that don't decay - niiice.

I like the milkshakes - but apart from that haven't been to md's since about 2004/5. I just don't think about going as not keen on the taste of the food and just to pop in for a milkshake doesn't occur to me.

I use my local fish and chip shop though haven't recently as we used to go on a friday for chips and sausage on the way home from swimming - but swimming night has changed so haven't been

Rockpool the fact that the bananas are fairtrade or organic doesn't change the fact that they are grown on rainforest land. The only reason supermarkets import bananas from S. America rather than the Caribbean is because they are cheaper and therefore the profit margin is higher. How is that any better than what McDonalds do? And why is that not as bad as deforestation for the purpose of raising cattle?

I'm not accusing anyone who has an opinion on it of being spurious, or saying they must prove everything about their lives is ethically impeccable.

Just that I do think that some of the 'urg no not McDonalds' is a tad overblown and not everyone who expresses revulsion at it is quite as clear on why.

Don't know all the ins and outs of bananas but organic bananas have standards of sustainability and environmental cooperation,they also I think don't use those blue bags in pesticide control. With Fairtrade if the workers are getting paid better one would assume they need to grow less so less impact on the environment.Maybe not.

The fact is there is clearly a demand,people do care and with pressure things could improve more.They won't if people just say everything is bad lets throw our hands in the air and do nothing.

Re cattle they cause vast swaths of ground given over to pasture(no trees),huge footprint re feed,transport, etc,etc.Others will be able to inform better.

There is a broad spectrum of acceptability in terms of what can be considered organic. As for fairtrade workers being paid more - I don't understand why this would mean they would need to grow less?!

It's not a question of saying everything is bad so let's give up, it's more that to gain perspective consumers shouldn't be fooled into thinking that just because something is labelled organic or fair trade that it is automatically environmentally sound and anything considered fast food is, by default, far worse and therefore all negative attention should be focussed on that.

Pret is a prime example of a genius marketing campaign that has convinced its consumers that it provides healthy food because. However, in terms of nutrional content, a lot of its food is on par with McDonalds.