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AIBU?

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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:
KaleSlayer · 22/05/2021 21:08

But they are trying to force McDonald's to change, in which case the awareness comes that you so desperately want (otherwise you wouldn't do it) And then people decide to vote with their feet to McDonald's so they don't make this change.
So yes not all protests work the way you want.

I don’t do it. I’m not involved with this group! This protest has got lots of media coverage and there’s a bigger picture here. A few people rushing to McDonald’s for the next couple of days to show their support really won’t change what this group aims to do. So knock yourself out on your burger. 🤪

Mandalay246 · 22/05/2021 21:18

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

Do you really believe this? It's making many of us want to support McDonalds. I will NOT be told what I should be eating by a bunch of (usually) city folk who don't know the first thing about farming. As for plant based substitutes - I've tried them and would rather eat paper.

KaleSlayer · 22/05/2021 21:24

Mandalay246

Again, this group is not interested in changing individuals views. I would link their website but I would get accused of being part of their group, which I’m not. I do know, through people who are involved with them, that they aim to change at a much higher up level than an individual buying a burger. And they’re very open about that on their website or if you talk to members.

BetsyJameson · 22/05/2021 21:26

Yanbu it’s made me want a McDonald’s breakfast tomorrow now!

Mandalay246 · 22/05/2021 21:32

Childlike? The same could be said of the protesters lying in the road having a hissy fit over something they don't agree with. Sounds a lot like a toddler throwing themself onto the floor to have a tantrum.

Totally agree with this. Anyone who thinks these sort of protests will change the way people eat are living in cloud cuckoo land. And I say this as someone who doesn't actually eat a lot of meat.

DinaofCloud9 · 22/05/2021 21:34

I've been a vegetarian for 36 years and a vegan for 15 and I hate these protests. They make us all look like crusty, gobby, unintelligent dickheads.

The vast majority of people now know what eating meat entails and they still enjoy it. It's not for me to harangue them.

Mandalay246 · 22/05/2021 21:38

would be delighted if no-one ever went to McDonalds ever again. I don't want a loved one to have to wait longer in hospital or for a doctor's appointment because someone else has an illness or a medical condition resulting from obesity, which such fast food contributed towards. I dislike the amount of litter from their wrappings which may be able to be recycled, but still seem excessive

Would you be happy if no-one ever went to a supermarket again for the same reason? Every time I go there I see people there with trolleys loaded with unhealthy junk food. I'm not obese but could do with losing weight myself and I can tell you that it is sweet things which I need to give up, not McDonalds. Blaming McDonalds is simply ridiculous.

KaleSlayer · 22/05/2021 21:41

I've been a vegetarian for 36 years and a vegan for 15 and I hate these protests. They make us all look like crusty, gobby, unintelligent dickheads.

If people want to make judgements on all vegetarians/vegans based on this group of people then they are a bit thick aren’t they. These people represent Animal Rebellion, no one else.

QuestionableMouse · 22/05/2021 21:42

@Definately

I actually think the protestors have a bit of a point - McDonald's could try a bit harder to make a decent range of veggie alternatives, all the other fast food chains have managed it. I now eat meatless meatballs at Subway instead of meat because they taste really good, and I'm not vegetarian.
The current range just doesn't sell. Now that could just be because it isn't that appealing to people but I can't see a replacement selling any better. Also many McDonald's just don't have kitchen space to cook such items separately.
picturesandpickles · 22/05/2021 22:28

They've had national coverage all day - therefore it has worked.

PegPeople · 22/05/2021 22:34

@picturesandpickles

They've had national coverage all day - therefore it has worked.
It might have generated media attention but it's got them no closer to their end goal of everyone eating plant based food so I still don't fully comprehend why they felt it was a worthwhile action towards their end goal.
GabsAlot · 22/05/2021 22:41

there will be more plant based places popping up no need to change what mcdoanlds sell

Tambora · 22/05/2021 22:48

Oh honestly, what pillocks. They're obviously not getting enough nutrients in their diet to be able to think this one through.

I'm having a McDonald's at the earliest opportunity.

picturesandpickles · 22/05/2021 22:58

@PegPeople

When you say ^It might have generated media attention but it's got them no closer to their end goal of everyone eating plant based food* generating media attention absolutely WILL move them towards their goal because it will raise the profile of the issue.

Campaigning works. It makes people think and once they think some change their views. All campaigning is aimed at the group of people who will change their minds - so they are not really trying to talk to you if you are a confirmed meat eater.

Mandalay246 · 22/05/2021 22:59

I've said this on threads before, but maybe it's because most of you are in the UK that you don't grasp it. Agriculture provides work for millions of people worldwide, and not just for farmers. Whole towns have their livelihoods reliant on agriculture - if the farmers packed up and moved on everyone else suffers, when there's a downturn in farming everyone else suffers. As for the city people whose only knowledge of farming is what they read on the internet - I won't tell you what I think of them.

At the end of the day, no-one has the right to tell others what they should eat, nor do they have the right to disrupt people who are only trying to do their job. Those who think the publicity from this is going to change the world are sorely mistaken and very naive.

ivykaty44 · 22/05/2021 23:09

A few people rushing to McDonald’s for the next couple of days to show their support really won’t change what this group aims to do. So knock yourself out on your burger.

there aren't going to be burgers, the food on the menu has been disrupted and they'll run out

but the idea was to raise awareness and being nice handing out leaflets doesn't do that - stopping you getting a food you like will get TV coverage

ivykaty44 · 22/05/2021 23:13

Those who think the publicity from this is going to change the world are sorely mistaken and very naive.

it has in the past, so why do you think its different now?

Whammyyammy · 22/05/2021 23:16

Who the hell do these protestors think they are? Trying to force their vegan ways on to people? Ill eat what I want to eat

picturesandpickles · 22/05/2021 23:22

@Whammyyammy

Who the hell do these protestors think they are? Trying to force their vegan ways on to people? Ill eat what I want to eat
They don't care about you - they're not talking to you.

When campaigning there are three groups of people:

  1. Already on your side
  2. Open to persuasion
  3. Never going to change

Group 3 are completely irrelevant. If group 1 + group 2 are bigger in numbers, they'll make good progress.

An issue like veganism, it'll take a while, but rates of veganism are going to go up.

HalzTangz · 22/05/2021 23:27

Protesters should get off their high horses, people should be free to eat or not eat meat.

picturesandpickles · 22/05/2021 23:30

@HalzTangz

Protesters should get off their high horses, people should be free to eat or not eat meat.
Protestors are always on high horses, they want change.

Why are people offended? If you are happy eating meat, just ignore.

But I think we all know that in fifty years we'll be eating less meat, or lab grown meat.

Empressofthemundane · 22/05/2021 23:30

All they’ve done is made me remember how delicious a really dirty breakfast at McDonalds is.

Angelica789 · 22/05/2021 23:34

This protest has the same issues as many of the Extinction Rebellion protests. It’s perceived as being middle class people causing disruption to life for mainly poorer working class people. This time it’s food, previously it’s been public transport.

They need to get out of their bubble and think about how to broaden their appeal. How about disrupting business at Hawkesmoor or another upmarket steak restaurant?

Scrowy · 23/05/2021 00:06

it takes 11 bathtubs worth of water to make a single hamburger patty

This isn't true. But even if it was my 160 beef cows spend most of their summers drenched in northern UK rain drinking out of plentiful streams in fields.

They spend their winters drinking out of troughs in sheds filled by pipe from the same streams they drink out of in summer. They are inside in winter because it's even wetter outside then, and they don't much like being cold and wet.

They can drink as much water as they like as far as I'm concerned.

I can see it would be a problem in dryer countries with less water available, but if you are using 'water' as a stick to beat beef farmers with then it really doesn't 'wash' with the UK beef industry,

PickAChew · 23/05/2021 00:09

It's a long time since I last ate mcd's because I really don't enjoy it but they are definitely not the worst takeaway option, animal welfare wise.

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