AIBU to think McDonald’s has lost the plot

[ChristineCricket]

So I always have the odd McDonald’s with the kids in the holidays, so twice this week I have been in there. Both times they forgot the fries and both times it was cold and tasteless. My chicken sandwich was so thin with barely any mayo.
Now I have been eating fairly clean recently so maybe my taste buds have changed, or has anyone else noticed a decline?

Because clean eating is a buzz word it's really meaningless, especially when people say they are doing it but have a macdonald's, same as when people say they are doing a detox which is also meaningless.

It's like they don't want kids to read

Whenever I've been recently, huge delays due to delivery drivers. Drive-thru even worse. Food is tepid and bland. The only thing I would still say I like is the apple pie.

Bring back sundaes!

Legally its meaningless but in common popular culture its not a stretch too far to say that home cooked fresh food is "cleaner" than fast food. It's a common phrase that really doesn't bother me.
Now what does bother me is people saying FULL FAT COKE. It's full sugar, not full fat! Argh!

We went to one today that I didn't think was up to the usual standards - it was a franchise and they were so slow, yes due to so many delivery drivers. I agree, who wants a McDonald's delivery? (obviously lots do but it must be so cold and soggy, they are only nice really fresh and hot).
Anyway, the usual chips and burgers were fine but I had a spicy chicken burger and the burger was so thin and small and seemed to consist of the reformed chicken you get, rather than a chunky breast fillet I was expecting. I was really disappointed as we don't go that often. There was also far too much bread cob for the amount of chicken so I ripped some off and left it.
Sorry for the long post but another thought, McDonalds need to prioritise their in person customers so why don't they set up delivery driver only branches on industrial estates where the public can't go.

Its no different to it’s always been here. It’s cheap, fast food that serves a purpose occasionally. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Glad they do the McPlant now but as far as takeaways go, McDonald’s is low on my list.

At mine you can never get a milk shake or McFlurry . Rubbish.

Lost the plot? Not according to the accounts for my local franchise operation.

My friend and I were discussing this just the other. There are two different McDonalds we used to go to, they were good a year ago, now they are shite.

Forgotten items, scrimped ingredients and cold food. And as PP have said it's not all that fast anymore.

I don't think our local one has ever got a drivethrough order right.

The food is just cold cardboard now. Even their sausage and egg mcMuffins 🙄

Teen dc works their pt but won’t eat the food (she’s entitled to a free meal)
In their branch the kitchen is staffed by 16 yr old boys.
They have put restrictions on customisation I think for allergy/dietary reasons - she can’t add normal cheese to a mcplant (vegan) I think in case they get mixed up and a vegan gets dairy cheese.
Grown men shout that the milkshake machine is broken again.

I haven't had a McD for a while but I'm noticing the taste and quality of many foods is changing and not for the better. Chocolate bars are now tiny and taste different, for example. Some things hardly feel worth buying any more but some things are necessary - such as meal ingredients - but far less satisfying than once were in taste/amount.

I haven't noticed a decline in the food but some items had gone up in price by 50% last time I was there (in Ireland) so it's really not worth it anymore.

I think Brexit has had an impact.

They’ve had to change suppliers.

And there have been shortages of ingredients and labour.

And hikes in running costs of course: heat, light, electricity.

The kids commented on how disappointing their meals were back in Feb half term. We went to BK instead this time and it was lovely, fresh chips, sauce everywhere, piping hot. I think it helps that it’s not massively busy and there was only 1 delivery person I saw while we were there, whereas the McD is in a busy location with massive drive thru business, loads of delivery people waiting. There’s just too many ways to place an order and I don’t think some of the locations have really got a handle on how to manage that just yet.

We haven’t been really since they removed Chicken Legend. Such heresy! 🥺

I can't say if it's gone downhill but I don't get why people love McD's. I have a friend who gets it for breakfast a few times a week, people at my work get it, my kids love it.
I'm not a fast food snob, I'll eat an occasional BK, favourite thing ever is fish & chips.
But I got McD's twice with my kids in the past year and both times couldn't eat mine. It's DISGUSTING.
How it passes for food is beyond me.

@universityhelp you are correct it is the prioritising of drive thru and delivery orders causing most of the issues. Look after the customers in front of you.I always liked an occasional McDonald’s. I posted on MN some time ago about my last experience. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger. The bacon was icy cold. I queried it and was told it’s bought in like that! It’s precooked but just plonked onto the burgers cold. They offered to heat up the bacon for me which I accepted but surely you shouldn’t have to ask for it be heated? It’s always shown sizzling and hot in their advertising. In a reply to my post a poster said ‘oh yes that’s right’ ‘you only get hot bacon in a bacon McMuffin’!

Those saying it is a franchise are missing the point. Thew hole point of McDonalds is that it should taste the same wherever you go.

Now I have been eating fairly clean recently so maybe my taste buds have changed, or has anyone else noticed a decline?

Depends what that means - we had a prolonged period with extremely limited salt and sweeteners and then went back to "normal" eating and many things were off - too salty too sweet.

But McDonalds do vary between outlets and Burger king has always been much better.

Exactly right @AskMeMore !

We said the same when we went the other day.
I thought it was just an off day but seems not.

I’m sat in one right now. Bought the kids after swimming. They had a happy meal each and I’ve just finished their fries which were stone cold whilst they play on two of only four (out of 16!) of the screens available.
I’m trying to decide whether to say anything or not, but I probably won’t as I mindlessly ate the fries whilst thinking ‘these are shite’ but then I looked and I’d scoffed the lot! 😬

YABU McDonalds has always been cardboard.