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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that the McDonalds protest is a bloody stupid idea that will not get anyone onside?

301 replies

PyongyangKipperbang · 22/05/2021 15:09

Protester are blockading Maccies distribution centres to try and get them to commit to be fully plant based by 2025.

Now I cansee the argument about meat production affecting the environment but.......McDonalds sell what people want to eat! They are a business and are not going to agree to do something that could decimate their customer base!

And this kind of protest just pisses people off, if you want to take the kids for a maccies on the way home from shopping because you cba to cook then finding out that they have no food in then you are hardly going to feel very well disposed to the people who have caused it are you?

OP posts:
Original poster
PyongyangKipperbang · 22/05/2021 15:52

@tofuschnitzel

Why is it always McDonald's being targeted as the evil corporation that must be stopped? They already offer plant based alternatives. They actually do have decent food standards in the UK, it's fast food standards in the US that are absolutely dire and need to change. Why protest against McDonald's only, why not all the other fast food companies too?
Because I suspect if they tried getting KFC to go vegan they would be shown up as the idiots they are :o

Plus McDonalds has always been the pantomime bad guy in any argument about corporate greed etc

OP posts:
ConfusedAdultFemale · 22/05/2021 15:55

I’m concerned for the mental health of those “protestors”. There’s clearly been a massive detachment from reality for them to believe they’re making any kind of difference whatsoever. I’m gonna go order mcds now

PegPeople · 22/05/2021 15:59

@tofuschnitzel

Why is it always McDonald's being targeted as the evil corporation that must be stopped? They already offer plant based alternatives. They actually do have decent food standards in the UK, it's fast food standards in the US that are absolutely dire and need to change. Why protest against McDonald's only, why not all the other fast food companies too?
This ^^

By comparison to the rest of those in the fast food industry McDonald's is lightyears ahead in terms of ingredients used, job progression and they also do absolutely loads for the community such as Ronald Mcdonald House.

Yet somehow they still seem to be the ones people complain about the most. It's like those complaining don't actually understand they are not the same as they were in the 90's.

As others have quite clearly pointed out these protests are only done because its easier to pretend you're doing something than engaging in actual change.

Sirzy · 22/05/2021 16:00

The protest is rediculous, and it’s going to be making the working day so much harder for the delivery drivers and other staff in the chain who just want to get their day done and then get home

BronwenFrideswide · 22/05/2021 16:00

They are also living in cloud cuckoo land if they think they can feed the entire world on plant based food only, the shortages and starvation would be off the fucking scale.

WomenAreBornNotWorn · 22/05/2021 16:01

By all means eat what what you want, as long as your choices don't have a victim.

KaleSlayer · 22/05/2021 16:02

I’m vegan and McDonald’s is pretty shit. I just don’t eat anything from there, even the stuff classed as vegan as I don’t want to support them.
As long as these people are protesting peacefully then it’s their right. I know people involved in the group that’s doing it and other groups like it and they’re not idiots. They’re just passionate about animal rights. Thats a good thing.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 22/05/2021 16:05

@WomenAreBornNotWorn

By all means eat what what you want, as long as your choices don't have a victim.
Every choice has some victim.

Every choice can actually lead to something bad. It was beautifully explained in The Good place😁 We are all going to hell

Original poster
PyongyangKipperbang · 22/05/2021 16:05

@KaleSlayer

I’m vegan and McDonald’s is pretty shit. I just don’t eat anything from there, even the stuff classed as vegan as I don’t want to support them. As long as these people are protesting peacefully then it’s their right. I know people involved in the group that’s doing it and other groups like it and they’re not idiots. They’re just passionate about animal rights. Thats a good thing.
Being passionate about animal rights is a good thing. But can you honestly say that you think that this will have anything but negative results for the protesting groups concerned?

Anyone who does care about such things doesnt eat at McDonalds, your good self being the perfect example. Anyone who does eat at McDonalds either doesnt care or does care a bit but likes the food and convenience so turns a blind eye. Neither of those groups are going to be influenced to support the protesters, quite the opposite.

OP posts:
osprey24 · 22/05/2021 16:05

They are idiots trying to force others to follow their rules about diet. It will not work and just makes them a laughing stock.

AnExcellentWalker · 22/05/2021 16:05

I’ve not eaten anything from McD’s in decades, literally. If I did it would probably be the veggie deluxe, I just don’t fancy their burgers TBH, I’m not even vegetarian. But TBH I think if people want a fast food restaurant to serve only vegetarian & vegan food, they should be more supportive of the few outlets that do this. If this happened, it would be obvious there was a market for it. TBH I do wish there were more meat free & healthy choices available as fast food. A lot of what’s available is so similar (& often quite boring).

Sirzy · 22/05/2021 16:07

@WomenAreBornNotWorn

By all means eat what what you want, as long as your choices don't have a victim.
Surely by blocking distribution like this then those involved in the supply chain are victims of the protesters?
SchrodingersImmigrant · 22/05/2021 16:07

But TBH I think if people want a fast food restaurant to serve only vegetarian & vegan food, they should be more supportive of the few outlets that do this.

Absolutely this!

Arbadacarba · 22/05/2021 16:07

I'm no fan of Maccy Ds but I'm on their side in this. Why single them out? Are they going to do a similar protest against every single restaurant chain that serves meat? What about supermarkets that sell meat?

Frankly they can fuck off with their 'plant based' nonsense. I don't mind a nice home-cooked vegetarian meal that makes no pretence at tasting like meat, but all these 'plant-based' meat/dairy substitute things are chock-full of absolute rubbish that humans are not designed to eat.

Original poster
PyongyangKipperbang · 22/05/2021 16:08

And.....why not, as PP have said, do something meaningful instead of this pitchfork waving at the panto villain?

Start a campaign to improve animal welfare across all markets, push for better and more palatable plant based alternatives for those that want them. The fact is that a lot of plant based convenience food is horrible, you will get a lot more converts by campaigning for nicer options than by simply blocking access to food you disapprove of.

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 22/05/2021 16:08

the protests are to raise awareness and cause disruption, its doing both & this thread is helping....

Original poster
PyongyangKipperbang · 22/05/2021 16:10

@ivykaty44

the protests are to raise awareness and cause disruption, its doing both & this thread is helping....
They can thank me later!

And so can Maccies for the amount of increased orders they have from hungry MNers :)

OP posts:
sst1234 · 22/05/2021 16:11

Middle class lefties with too much time on their hands and nothing useful to do that would actually help their cause.

PegPeople · 22/05/2021 16:12

@ivykaty44

the protests are to raise awareness and cause disruption, its doing both & this thread is helping....
Raise awareness of what though? Its not like people are unaware that meat comes from animals and sometimes the conditions they are kept in are not the best, although does this apply to Mcdonalds meat?

Its also causing problems for the little people, not the big bosses at the top who can actually enact any changes. Not that I feel McDonald's needs to make changes but let's face it the people being affected are not the ones who would have a say on what the company sells.

WomenAreBornNotWorn · 22/05/2021 16:12

sirzy sorry but my thoughts are with the animals. They suffer horrifically.

AnUnoriginalUsername · 22/05/2021 16:13

I dont think people should eat meat. I think plant based food should be so much more accessible.

But, like you said, I think businesses should be allowed to sell what people will buy. And that by making peoples lives harder you aren't going to get them to want to listen to you.

JoanofQuark · 22/05/2021 16:13

I burst out laughing when I heard the reports of this. Whichever "Sebastian" decided the target for this isn't going to win the love of the ordinary guy on the street on this one. Canning Town Commuters sprang to mind.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 22/05/2021 16:14

As long as these people are protesting peacefully then it’s their right. Peacefully suspended high above athe gate to a loading / distribution area. Suspend in a hammock on stilts, so precarious that whilst it is just about safe it cannot be approached by anyone without fear of harming the people hanging around.

Then issue your daft demands athat are as decirbed "James Ozden, a spokesman for the group, said the action was aimed at challenging the animal agriculture industry for its part in the global climate crisis." so not McDs specifically.

They want a global indiustry to cease to trade in 4 years. No idea how that can be done, even if you ONLY have the animal welfare to consider!

So they are protesting outside a single supplier, to protest a global issue, with demands that cannot be met, no ideas on how to start etc etc.

And they think they are a good thing!

Good would be working with a wide variety of specialists to imagine the pathway to plant based eating across the globe. Workable, sustainable and somehow enticing!

The way they are going I'd be tempted to start up my own company "Logan's Soylent Green"

ResIpsaLoquiturInterAlia · 22/05/2021 16:14

Never a fan of junk food post parenthood as reminder of former university food staple but I do not agree with interference with basic capitalism subject to minimum health and safety standards and local laws. Vote with your feet and put your money where your mouth is as the saying goes. There is no requirement for privileged post woke first world snowflakes et al dictating the choice for society especially as other many other food and drink related businesses are possibly less healthy but escape similar public victimisation. Was pleasantly surprised when visiting Iceland and Montenegro to discover this American and other fast food chains are conspicuously absent!
www.worldatlas.com/articles/countries-without-mcdonald-s-restaurants.html

KaleSlayer · 22/05/2021 16:15

Being passionate about animal rights is a good thing. But can you honestly say that you think that this will have anything but negative results for the protesting groups concerned?

You could ask that about all protests. But they bring attention to an issue. The number of vegetarians and vegans are increasing so things are changing for the better in my opinion.