Somebody has put together a collection of ‘Horrifying’ McDonald’s reviews on the Web. I usually take the side of the critics who pan the chain restaurants, and champion the fresh food, freshly made approach. But I just can’t agree with these downright nasty comments about McD’s…
McDonald’s had been struggling – continuously and successfully – to keep
its menu items consistent and wholesome in spite of its world-wide foot print
since this legacy print ad was current, back in the 60s.
The post, on Business Insider, lists what seems like an endless supply of complaints about McDonald’s locations in many different locales. I guess the geographic distribution was to emphasize the McD’s is the same all over. Well, folks – that exactly the idea. McDonald’s – and other big chains – have always worked hard to ensure that if you walk into one of their restaurants in Minneapolis or Moscow, you’ll get the Burger, Fries or other menu items you’re expecting. And that’s a huge challenge.
It’s also why some folks take exception to McD’s food, compared to what you’d get at a higher price after a longer wait at more conventional eateries. If you’re McD’s or Burger King or Wendy’s or A&W, you’ve got to institute rigid standardization to ensure product consistency. And to do that means you have to centralize production of key ingredients, like Meat Patties, condiments, rolls and other baked goods. And you’re almost certain to rely on machines, vacuum packing and deep freezing to ensure that the consumables get to your outlets in safe, wholesome condition.
Next, I ask myself why people who rant about Fast Food joints go there in the first place. Only a few of the commenters in the Business Insider post actually said they’ll never patronize McD’s again. And how many of them will actually keep that commitment?
And then, there are those who complain about the cleanliness of the restaurant and, especially, the washrooms. I submit that this is a universal issue with high-volume, fast-service eateries.
So… Why McDonald’s? Simply because it’s the biggest target. It’s easiest to ‘shoot’ at.
Let’s all take a breath, step back from the ordering counter and put down the insults for a moment.
~ Maggie J.