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Opinions on Mac Donalds needed for Radio 5 interview tomorrow

215 replies

Carriemumsnet · 14/04/2005 17:13

Hi all

Justine's going to be on the Victoria Derbyshire phone in tomorrow morning 10-11am

The topic is:

It's now 50 years since McDonald's opened its first store in the US. Obviously since then its become a global power?but with the film super-size me and the anti-obesity campaigning, we are asking - "Has McDonald's had its day?"

Obviously because of how McDonald's markets itself towards kids and families, parents opinion is vital in this. Does the parent of today still take the kids to McDonald's for a birthday treat?once a month treat?or do we really now feel too worried about what's in the food? Do we think giving our kids a bit of what's bad for them as a treat is actually a good thing?or is it that we're actually impressed with the moves McDonald's have made to introduce healthier options..and after all - they know how to keep the children entertained!

Your views please!

Thanks as always

OP posts:
Punnet · 14/04/2005 17:58

Nutritionally it's OK if you use it as a once a month treat. But we live pretty much opposite one, and despite hardly ever going in we still get a tantrum every time we walk past. I have serious bones to pick with the advertising! Their stuff isn't healthy, it may be healthier than before but that isn't the same. Their toys are rubbish and cause the toybox to overflow with 'precious junk' that I can't get rid of.
Yet they (the kids) think it is the ultimate luxury. Even today we had' Eric's going to Maconalds, Mummy!. Can we?'
The answer had to be no, sorry we can't afford it today as Daddy is on sick leave- cue emotional tantrums.

And if we had gone? They wouldn't actually eat it, they don't like it. They LIKE salad and salmon and healthy things, not greasy odd tasting burgers in abnormally sweet rolls. What they also like, unfortunately, is the idea of MacDonalds.

Punnet · 14/04/2005 17:59

Oh yes, and the 'fixed' seats i many macDonalds are useless for breastfeeding, but you can't take two toddlers into the loos with you to B/F. Useless.

Blu · 14/04/2005 18:00

Psycho - fine, if you like burgers and you fancy a burger, you need to know what's in it. But if you eat out at cafes, it's easy for staff to know what a lamb chop or a chicken leg or an omlette that they cook from scratch has in it, isn't it?

I don't pay to eat processed food in cafe's /restaurants - that defeats the point for me.

Oh breastfeeding! I'm all wistful now - that was the last time I could go out with DS and enjoy a meal without him creating havoc! Cafes / cheapish local restaurants / expensive-ish restaurants - I never encountered an evil look. What part of the country are you in, Psycho?

PsychoFlame · 14/04/2005 18:05

I am in bournemouth, and admittedly the evil looks were a few years ago now. Didn't get that problem having DS2 (baby no.5) anywhere. Having said that tho, I will admit to now knowing the better places (at least, more child n breastfeeding friendly).

As for the staff surely being able to 'know' what is in their food...apparently not. BUT, I do know that they often 'coat' either the food or frying pan first with flour, which DS2 isn't allowed!!!!

Blu · 14/04/2005 18:10

It must be really tricky, Psycho.
My brother took his kids to Burger King where they were marketing some burger with a 'secret ingredient'. He asked wht the secret ingredient was, the staff said they didn't know, or couldn't say!
Actually my work organisation runs a cafe and by law (or maybe local authority regs?) we HAVE to be able to list the ingredients of everything we sell. We sent the cafe staff on a course about allergies etc, too. Poorly customers are not hapy customers - and our publlic liability insurers don't think so either!

beachyhead · 14/04/2005 18:14

We were McD regulars (and I was always quite keen as I have visited Hamburger University in Chicago and met the head chef - who is from Belgium). However, my children have weaned themselves off them as friends of theirs have told them there is poo in the burgers - so they go for the nuggets occasionally, but it is now just a last resort venue......

I have been known to go on my own though......

My mum is Canadian and she took me to the first one in the UK in Woolwich when it opened in 1974 so I feel quite a life long thing here.......

I'm up for the once or twice a month route (and the toys are a lot better than BK - now known as TOYS OF SHAME in our house)

bosscat · 14/04/2005 18:14

My 3 year old doesn't like it, doesn't even like the chips which is really strange because I have tried McD's when I've been desperate ie. driving to grandparents and its tea time and we've got stuck in traffic or something like that. He isn't fed a pure diet of organic home cooked food although more often than not he gets home cooked. He'll happily eat frozen chips at home though. So my answer would be, I would use them from time to time if I needed to, not as a treat but purely for convenience like the example above, but toddler has more refined tastes!

sobernow · 14/04/2005 18:14

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Roobie · 14/04/2005 18:18

Yeah, sobernow.....the fact that the whole experience is so obviously not a treat brings out the conspiracy theorist in me - they must put some kind of mind altering drug in their food that leaves people gagging for more

nutcracker · 14/04/2005 18:18

We use Mcdonalds about once a month, why ????? well because we like it.

Every other day of the month the kids get nutrionally balanced food at home so i really don't see the prob with it at all.

snafu · 14/04/2005 18:19

I agree with everything in moderation. But as long as it's up to me what ds eats, he won't be going to McDonald's.

It's not so much the food (I do get the odd craving for a Big Mac but have resisted for a couple of years now!) but the marketing. It's cynical at best and downright harmful at worst. I hate all these bloody tie-ins and promotions, I hate junk food being marketed to kids, I hate pester power for a bloody chicken nugget, I hate this 'No, no we serve grapes and carrot sticks now, we're a healthy choice.' Bunch of arse. I know the older he gets the harder I'll find this battle but while he's still young...

triceratops · 14/04/2005 18:22

ds likes the toys and he likes the greasy fries and the icecream and the shakes. We have only been in about three times and always as a last resort. This is because I find the tables etc are always a bit sticky and the people serving the food do not look clean, and the food is just so unhealthy. It has its place, where would backpackers go to the loo in foreign countries if there were no macdonalds?

People who don't like it are free not to eat there. Having said that I do object to their marketing. We cancelled our subscription to NickJr mainly due to ds singing macdonalds adverts all day, he is learning to read at the moment and mmmmm is one of the few letters he always gets right due to macdonalds signs.

Roobie · 14/04/2005 18:23

Seriously though...it doesn't do of course to get too sniffy about people's choices (I have been known to wolf a quarter pounder with cheese on occasion). Personal responsibility must be a big factor rather than demonising McD's. BUT some of their tactics and targeting of children do leave parents vulnerable. Also their food is so lacking in bulk that we are encouraged to eat more of it (you don't exactly need to chew their food much do you?!).

snafu · 14/04/2005 18:25

PMSL @ toys of shame, beachyhead

tiptop · 14/04/2005 18:25

We used to go to McDonalds regularly as it was convenient at that time but now we only go there in desperation when everywhere else is closed. I'm concerned about the quality of the ingredients, the way it is cooked, the calorific content of the food and the low nutritional value. We have a local McDonalds and Burger King (in Wales, morningpaper ) and we hardly ever go there. I think that bringing in so-called healthy options when the back lash got too great is too little too late.

aloha · 14/04/2005 18:26

I am another person who doesn't think it's a treat. I am not taking some moral position here, or even talking about the food particularly, it's just that bleak striplighting, dirty floors, plastic chairs bolted to the floor, queing with a plastic tray for food in paper bags, plus the lack of wine (!) does not in my opinion add up to a great place to go.
Yes, my ds eats chips and chocolate and he might even enjoy Mcds but I wouldn't and while I'm in charge and he's too young to know any different, we won't go. Agree with Blu about the merits of a cafe rouge lunch - and I've breastfed both ds and dd there perfectly happily. ds gets chips with mayo and loves it. we also go to local independent cafes. Can I recommend Petitou in Peckham for the ultimate in child friendliness, breastfeeding friendliness and excellent coffee and cheesy muffins!

ambrosia · 14/04/2005 18:27

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

aloha · 14/04/2005 18:27

Oh, and Petitou even does organic wine!

sobernow · 14/04/2005 18:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

serenity · 14/04/2005 18:33

Why do we go to McDonalds?

Well, we like it. We don't eat burgers, chips etc at home so we have them there or at BK. I obviously wouldn't go in there if we all thought it tasted foul!

Mmmmmm McTasty, yum yum.

WideWebWitch · 14/04/2005 18:41

I haven't read the other responses but I very rarely take my children to McDonalds. Ds is 7 and has been there, what, 7 times maybe in his life and then only because other people we were out with wanted to go. Dd has never been and maybe she never will. I don't consider McDonalds a treat. A treat is chocolate or home made cake or the cinema or a toy or an outing or, actually, another restaurant, one serving decent food. I dislike them for McLibel, for peddling unhealthy food, for exploiting workers, lying to the public and for being arrogant. I think they've had their day and I think they know it. Supersize me and Fast Food Nation were both fascinating on the subject but in my case were preaching to the converted. Looking forward to reading the other responses now!

lummox · 14/04/2005 18:42

one small part of our decision to move to France was the thought that we just might be able to avoid taking junior to McDonalds

marthamoo · 14/04/2005 18:48

I love "toys of shame"

We don't have a Cafe Rouge, but we do have a Pizza Express and I nearly had that salad in foxinsocks link last time I ate there (glad I didn't now!)

We do go to McDonald's very occasionally (maybe 4 times a year). I don't really think of it as a treat - it's fast, cheap and convenient. If there was a nicer, child-friendly alternative round here I would go there - but, honestly, Macclesfield is the back of beyond!

serenity · 14/04/2005 18:48

No, they have McDonalds in France.

You can get garlic Mayo for your fries

I don't think there is anywhere you can escape to, although Ireland didn't have any to my recollection but that was a while ago.

marthamoo · 14/04/2005 18:49

I agree, www - I think McD's days are numbered.