Mac -Donald's - sales continue to decline
 

You know this story is everywhere recently and got me to thinkin a bit............................Mickey-D's core business seems lost in their current model; namely good burgers / fries quickly and served piping hot. They are all over the place and seem to be playing catch-up with other more modern / trendy joints. The number of items on the menu continues to grow but today a Big Mac costs a whopping $5 ! AND more importantly the taste is gone by the wayside as well.


I know my taste buds have evolved since I was 16 but d@mn! the food is different / worse. I know because I worked at the local MD back in the day as a teenager and something with the burgers have changed. They do not taste 'fresh' anymore. When I say 'fresh' it is from frozen patties, but then fried on the grill top back then. Also the buns seem to have changed too..............for the worse. Today more dry / flaky where years past they were moist / dense.

We have discussed this before but I really do think the quality / taste of their core product is the problem these days. John Q public now rates Mickey-D's as the worst tasting burger compared to their direct competitors. Ouch!

The last time I ate at McDonald's is the last time I'll eat at McDonald's.

McD's is fast breakfast food only for me. There's an In-N-Out just as close as the nearest McDs. Whataburger, Five Guys and Sonic are all nearby too. I can't believe anyone buys McD's burgers anymore. They suck.

The last time i went there they told me i had to go wait over there for 5 minutes while they made me a burger with no onions.
Yep, that was the last time I went there. I believe that was back in the early 90's.

I have not eaten at one of those artery clogging crap baskets in twenty years, and I don't miss it. They should stop calling it a big mac and just call it a mac.
Lets all remember that in Europe the quarter ponder is called the Royaaaaal

There is a McDonald's within a 1/2 mile of my house. I have not ever set foot in the place after 19 years of living in the area. I do stop at McDonald's while on road trips. The bathrooms are decent and the breakfast quick food is OK. My last visit to a McDonald's was in Monterey before hitting the road back home.

So does anyone here know why or what has changed specifically (other than my observations)? Any restaurant / business people chime in?

The burgers have gotten so full of salt I can't stand them. They don't sell hot mustard for the chicken-like nuggets any longer and the Big Mac gives my GI tract some serious fits. Like fetal position on the floor fits.

They still have pretty good fries. Can't make a meal of fries though.

Oh yeah, the last time I was at one the bathroom was pretty clean. Good thing since I was throwing up at the time.

They stopped using pink slime, so that's a point in their favor.

I might eat in a McDonalds maybe once a year if I'm starving and there is no readily handy roadkill to strap to the top of my engine and cook while I drive.

That **** is not food.

On the rare occasions I have it within 15 minutes I encounter some really uncomfortable intestinal distress that lasts for hours.

I'm guilty of stopping by and getting one or two cheese burgers from the cheap menu from time to time. Mostly when I'm starving and want something fast & filling and don't mind it feeling like a lump in my gut for the rest of the day. If you're old enough, you see this happening with everything - and I mean everything. Food wise, not only can't you cook things in good old butter or lard anymore (mmmm!), but you have to start cutting every corner you can to produce a product that's still competitive price wise. This means cheaper ingredients, fillers, and who know what else. It's only going to continue down hill through time. Just think how the kids from now will fondly remember fifty years from now the good tastes of things they are eating now. Sad. Maybe by then there will be artificial food they can make taste like old time food.

intelligent people don't eat at McD's. It is ridiculously expensive considering what you get and unhealthy.

McD's - "Making Stupid People Fatter Than They Already Are"

I have had their cheeseburgers a couple of times I the past few months and each time resulted in similar issues with my tummy as others have posted here.

I would rather sit at a "coney island" type place than be sick. On the rare occasion that we HAVE to eat out we go anywhere but McDs. I make supper every night now anyway.

it's simply awesome if you and your kids are fat...
or you want to just shut them up..
were else can you find comfort and camaraderie...
for your rolli polli self and 150 lbs 10 yr old..
the place is full of wannabee diabetics...
and the staff just smiles when you...
when you order that 32 oz bucket of diet coke..

Rika

krikey, we called them "gut bombs" 40 years ago:)
Jim

Haven't eaten at McD's in eons....but in my youth, they were the "good stuff"....
Krystal/White Castle's at 4am were the "gut bombs" :D.

I don't consume a fraction of the burgers I did as a youngin', but there are a several REALLY good local burger chains/joints that put all the national chains to shame....
Just had one yesterday as a matter of fact :D

for one there is a lot more competition these days, and quite frankly their food is terrible when compared to their competition.

McDonald's is the world's largest: commercial real estate owner, cattle company, toy distributor, etc. They market the burgers so their franchisees can make their lease payments.

World's thinnest book - Ronald McDonald's book on nutrition.

I confess a liking for their fries though....

I admit the burgers are way too salty and way too expensive... we used to have one literally a few feet from my work and I have to also admit to giving in to a junk food fix there now and then.
However that McD's closed and I won't go out of my way for a Big Mac or quarter pounder.
But after all we are talking fast food burgers here... not exactly health food... sure 'In and Out' tastes WAY better, however not really good for you either.

+10,000 they are marketed to children

I'm on the road a lot for work and hate making lunch so a couple times a month I'll go and get 2 chesseburgers and a small frie it costs under 5 bucks and its filling
but I won't spend 10 bucks to get a Big Mac cause I'm usually hungry an hour later
I don't even like joints like 5 guys etc just to expensive imo but I'm liking the Wendy's burgers the baconator etc so good and tastes good and your full for hours

unhealthy, expensive bad food is why mc donald's is having a tough time.
(relatively) healthy, cheap, good food is why chipotle is doing well.

Pass on the breakfast too. Its been over 30 years since AND I don't forget. Ate a 'big breakfast', the one with sausage patty, scram eggs, hash browns. The sausage patty tasted odd, 15 minutes later had the schitz like crazy. Had to skip work and went home. Cleared out overnight.

The other was Chili's. Ordered for lunch pick-up / takeout a burger and fries. Meanwhile back at the office, starving for lunch, opened the Styrofoam container and right on top was a green / grey bun of mold! What kind of moronic food company is that? Complained and they gave me gift card only in the amount of the lunch. In the trash that went.

They all suck. Who knows what carcinogens that science will later warn us from these fast food junk outlets.

I remember back when I was a little kid, we didn't eat fast food.

The only exception was about 2 or 3 times a year the parents would pack up my three brothers and I and we'd hit the Dee's drive-in in Kearns Utah (west valley).

Back then the burgers were 19 cents and were a little bigger and better than mcdonald hamburgers now.

Anywho my parents would order about 20 burgers and we'd go to town on them. Man that was a big deal. Sure it was under $4 but that was almost 2 hours of wages back then!

Nowadays kids are so used to fast food it's the same old same old.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1418170206.jpg

in 1962
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+ 3.28% dividend for 2014. I am holding long term. To me the food is road fuel. Just like Wendy's. Never Burger King - except at Nashville airport. It really sucks. Five Guys is getting my love.

Ian

$15/hr minimum wages?

To me, that was the A&W in Kingston, Ontario - across the road from the Collin's Bay Penitentiary.

Ian

I stop at one almost every morning....their coffee is my favorite take out coffee right now. I will admit to picking something up quick at a drive thru when required but never for breakfast....all fast food breakfast is horrible. But I know what the OP is saying, I had a craving for a Big Mac a couple weeks ago and went out of my way to get one....incredibly underwhelming it was. I don't find it expensive at all....I am amazed at how cheap it is to eat there, that's why the poor amongst us continue the journey to obesity and diabetes.:(

can't eat McDonalds can't drink Bud. I think I'm better off.

I take my statement back. Not all FF suck.

I DO like Portillo's. Excellent menu and food. Crazy efficient. They also ship food to 50 states. Always busy they often have the local PD direct traffic in/out during lunch hours. Believe just last summer, Berkshire Partners was buying them out for $1b.
Portillo's Restaurants - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

OK, I get it.
If I eat fast food, I'm gonna die.
If I don't eat fast food I'll live forever....just like youz' guys that are so sure of your selves. Ya'll & the Wookie can't be mistaken, eh?

I still love Arby's roast beef sandwiches

+1 I almost stopped for one today but passed on it for a salad at home.

Jeezus, everything is too salty these days. It's like there's a sodium chloride arms race in the restaurant industry.

I hate it.

I like the Spicy Chicken at Wendy's. THe new steak sandwich at Arby's is alright too. Sourdough Jack though, mmm, I would die satisfied with one of those.

If I'm going to kill myself eating rubbish food; my choice is KFC. If not KFC, Burger King.

Plain old Wendy's 1/4 LB, Red Robin Royal or a Fatburger built like the Royal....

No soft drink, fat fries or med. size

McDs lost site of their bread and butter, the kids. They don't market to the happy meal consumer anymore and IMO that is where they went wrong. Now they're trying to compete with euro cafes?

I still go to McD about once a week. Usually when I forget to eat and need something fast. It is the same thing every time lunch or dinner, 1 double cheese burger and an ice water $1.58 with tax.

I think everyone here is smarter than me. They dont eat fast food, watch tv, or drive GM cars & trucks. I do all three, and I'm not fat, only moderately stupid, and I love my 2015 Tahoe.