Restaurant Review
McDonald’s
By Crystal Hutchens and Geoff Bederson
Reviewed by Crystal Hutchens
If Morgan Spurlock didn’t change the face of McDonald’s with his documentary, Super Size Me, he made a profound impact to say the least. Like countless others, I’m sure, I didn’t eat there for months after I saw the film. More notably, McDonald’s dropped the up-selling phrase, “Would you like to super size that?” and added a selection of healthier choices, including salads, grilled chicken sandwiches and options other than fries for kids meals.
Eventually, I succumbed to its beckoning convenience; I decided that since I eat a very healthy diet, once or twice a month of indulging in greasy comfort food probably wouldn’t affect my health. That, and I was in a real time crunch. McDonald’s was right inside Walmart, where I was shopping with my daughter when the overwhelming hunger that comes with pregnancy kicked in. Walmart and McDonald’s, hand in hand, is the picture of American “culture.” We want it fast and we want it cheap.
So what is it, besides the convenience, that keeps us going back to a place we know isn’t the best choice for our bodies? The price sure is nice. The way they whip out your order as soon as you get to the window in the drive-through, or mere minutes after you order at the counter helps. The cheap plastic toys based on the cartoon character of the moment can occupy a kid for a glorious reprieve in a long, stressful day of parenting, and most locations have a fun park that kids love. In Alaska, this is a big deal during the winter, since our outdoor parks are rendered useless by the weather.
During my first pregnancy, I developed an insane craving for Sausage McMuffins. Pregnancy inspires an intense desire for comfort food from my childhood. My parents both worked, and we ate a lot of cheap greasy foods--Hamburger Helper, fried frozen things, fast food. When I was old enough to choose my meals I tried to make healthier choices. I worked in the service industry quite a bit and picked up a lot of interesting cooking tips and flavor combinations. So when it came to the Sausage McMuffin craving, I tried like the dickens to fight it. I attempted to concoct a healthier version at home, but it was no use. The greasy, cheesy, squishy original, with it’s crunchy, oily hash brown counterpart had some unexplainable power over me, and the craving persisted.
The only other item at McDonald’s that I really like is the Chicken McNugget. Its crunchy batter with moist, soft chicken inside dipped in sweet BBQ sauce does the trick. I don’t mind sometimes finishing my daughter’s cheeseburger, or munching a few fries, but generally a trip to McDonald’s is a trip of convenience. To venture outside my comfort zone, I recently tried the Big and Tasty. I was not impressed. The burger itself tasted bland and fried. Mayonnaise was obviously applied in large globs. I found myself wishing it was a Whopper, which is what it looked like on the picture menu.
The biggest drawback to the food itself is the half-life of anything deep fried. The french fries, especially, begin to decompose as soon as they are served. So short is the time between its delicious crunchy treat phase and the moment it transforms into a soggy, boring mess that you have to gobble your meal almost immediately in order to fully enjoy it. And don’t even bother trying to reheat french fries for later. Once they are dead, they are gone. Salvaging leftovers is a waste of time here. But for the price, I suppose it hardly matters.
By Geoff Bederson
Like most American children, I loved McDonald’s. One of my happiest childhood memories is the night I challenged my brothers to a contest over who could eat the most McDonald’s french fries. Ten large size servings were poured into a huge wooden bowl in our living room, and I ate them all. To me they were the most delicious food in the whole world.
I still eat at McDonald’s, though I try to limit myself to limit myself to times when I am in a huge rush. I also sometimes try to choose healthier items. But when I found out that Chicken McNuggets have thirty ingredients, including the anti-foaming agent dimethylpolysiloxane (quite delicious, by the way), I gave up on that approach. I have to admit that I love McDonald’s desserts, especially the chocolate dipped cones. The dessert selection at McDonald’s is far better than at any other fast food restaurant.
McDonald’s is a representation of American culture (and has been a significant force in creating it): speed, efficiency, cleanliness, abundance, on one hand; and sterility, lack of quality, and a controlled environment, on the other. Those who despise American culture usually hate McDonald’s, too. Every year there is a Worldwide Anti-McDonald’s Day on October 16th (also the UN World Food Day). In 1999 there were 425 protests and pickets in 345 towns in 23 countries.
It is possible to have fast food that is also delicious and healthy, as is demonstrated by stores like Au Bon Pan (widely available on the East Coast). In the meantime, in Alaska we are stuck with mediocre fast food choices.
Here is a summary of the broad range of criticisms typically leveled at this company. Some of these problems (those concerning the origin of the food) apply equally to local, independent restaurants, but McDonald’s is in the spotlight, and it should be.
Most of the information below was culled from mcspotlight.org. Visit the website for more details:
Unhealthy food
McDonald’s advertises that their food is nutritious, but most of it is processed junk food: high in fat, sugar and salt, and low in fiber and vitamins. This kind of diet is linked with a greater risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other diseases. The food also contains many chemical additives, some of which may cause illness, as well as hyperactivity in children.
The carrot sticks in its Happy Meals are dipped in hydrogen peroxide (commonly used in the past as hair bleach). The chemical is mixed with acetic acid and sprayed on the carrots. This keeps them looking fresh, and it has been shown to be safe and non-carcinogenic.
Damage to the environment
McDonald’s has admitted to using beef reared on ex-rainforest land, preventing its regeneration. Forests throughout the world are being destroyed at a high rate by multinational companies. In addition, the use of farmland by multinationals and their suppliers forces local people to move on to other areas and cut down further trees. The intense use of chemicals in modern agriculture destroys wildlife, plants and the soil. Every year McDonald’s use over a million tons of unnecessary plastic and paper packaging.
Cruelty to animals
McDonald’s claims that “humane treatment of animals is an integral part of a world class supplier system.” But it is unclear about the extent to which this is actually occurring. According to mcspotlight.org, “The menus of the burger chains are based on the torture and murder of millions of animals. Most are intensively farmed, with no access to fresh air and sunshine, and no freedom of movement. Their short lives are cruel and their deaths are barbaric.”
Harassment of free speech rights
In a notorious fifteen-year battle, McDonald’s sued London Greenpeace activists for distributing a brochure criticizing the company. The “McLibel” case was finally thrown out of court this year by the European Court of Human Rights.
Exploitation of the poor and of workers
Sweatshop workers in China produce McDonald’s Happy Meals toys. Demand for cheap food results in the exploitation of agricultural workers throughout the world. Great areas of land in poor countries are used for cash crops or for cattle ranching, or to grow grain to feed animals to be eaten in the West. This occurs at the expense of local food needs.
The majority of McDonald’s employees are people who have few job options and so have no alternative to being bossed around and exploited--and they’re compelled to “smile” too! Staff turnover at McDonald’s is high, making it virtually impossible to unionize and fight for a better deal.
Rating:
The norm: 2 eggs
Spirit: 0 eggs
Justice: 1 egg
Community: 0 eggs