Is McDonald's really the worst thing in the world?

[SoupDragon]

Friendly debate I'm not trying to get at anyone who has decided that their family will never cross the threshold of the golden arches

I'm curious. Is McDonald's really the worst fast foot outlet or does it simply set itself up for bad press by being the biggest and most recognisable?

Are their business ethics worse than any other company out there?

As for Supersize Me - if someone ate at, say, Pizza Express for every single meal for 30 days, what would their health be like at the end of it? Or TGIFridays? Or any other "family friendly" restaurant/food outlet? Have McDonald's been unfairly singled out in this aspect or did they cover other food outlets in the film?

I am an intelligent human being (honest, I am!), I know you can't eat fast food for every meal for a month and remain stick thin and as healthy as a healthy horse but I don't see the harm in eating there once or twice a month provided our chldren are taught that it is simply not possible to eat stuff like that all the time. I certainly don't give in every time DSs ask to go to McDonald's. I can't help thinking that outright banning of something makes them want it even more... but that's just me. We all have differnet ways of parenting

Don't get me wrong, I do understand that they're not a squeaky clean, healthy company but are they really as "spawn of the devil" as they are made out to be and how do they compare to other companies?

i understand that,

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Just an observation about profit.

The largest shareholders in big companies like Tesco are often pension funds. That means that a lot of their profits are funding pensions - for people like you and me.

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I wouldn't think anyone is, dino. But that's the point in a way - how incredibly difficult it would be these days to live a completely ethical/sustainable/green lifestyle (if that's what you wanted to do). It must be becoming harder and harder. So most of us end up cherry-picking, don't we? I don't go to McD's, I get an organic box, I don't shop at Tesco's, boycott Nestle (when I remember to check) I try and buy Fairtrade, organic, recycle etc etc. But I drive a car (when I have to), I bank with one of the big four and never get around to changing, etc etc - there's tons of stuff I don't do.

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Thanks ooops and snafu. I think that perhaps your views carry MORE weight, rather than less, if you actually acknowledge how hard it is to "do the right thing". (Sorry I don't mean you in particular, I suppose I mean "one's views" but that sounds rather pretentious!)

These would be private pensions ooops - but personal pension funds rather than company ones.

And I totally agree with you that the way that companies have got away with raiding their own pension funds and p*ing on their workers from a great height is absolutely scandalous. Totally. Even my father agrees with that and he is a dyed in the wool Conservative.

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No, it's a fair point oops. There are some ethical investment funds around, but the vast majority would be investing in whatever they think will yield the greatest return.

My point was more generally that yes, Tesco makes huge profits but some of that profit does flow back to ordinary people, not rich fatcats.

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No he hasn't himself, but he has seen a lot of other people who worked for the same company get a really rough deal.

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Speaking of evil multinationals, does your PC run Microsoft products Oops?

I agree that they shouldn't advertise and i do think it's wrong to advertise to such a young age. All i am saying is that people do have a choice it's up to them whether they decide to go or not, and if you just want the toys, i think they sell them seperate if you don;t want to buy the meal. i think.

Moomin - that's okay, I reckon I still have pregnancy brain and my "pregnancy" will be 1 year old on the 11th of May Don't really have that excuse any more, do I?!

Another thing to throw into the mix (playing devils advocate with myself) is that Walmart have probably been one of the largest factors for our low inflation at the moment. The supermarket price wars have meant that food and other commodities that they sell stay affordable thus preventing high inflation. It's known as the Walmart effect. Of course the government claims its all their own clever fiscal management

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And how do the products on their shelves stay affordable? By screwing their suppliers and paying their staff just a few pence over the minimum wage...

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Yes snafu

It's a complex problem with no easy solution.

(whispers)....We have a mcDonald's more often than ds

Have to say I am quite parcial to a cheeseburger, large fries and a banana milkshake. But having said that, we probably have one about once every two months. And ds (4.5) even less often than that!

Ds actually seems to have more of an obsession with Burger King than McDonalds. Don't know where he gets it from - although their Spiderman merchandising might have something to do with it (plus it is beside our local multiplex). He's never actually been in one until a month ago, when we took him to see Robots - and then all he had was two chips, the coke and (the following day) the Muller fruit corner. We ate the rest of his meal (which I have to say was disgusting - mcdonalds are much better!)

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