McDonald's possibly under Lawsuit for Happy Meals

[Hulavuta]

Well, they have to drive there....

But, like I've said many times before, should we not help them just because they were bad parents?

[ParadiseCity]

I have to say that I agree whole-heartedly with the lawsuit. I personally find that most marketing towards little kids is overdone, if not totally unneeded. If it was up to me, companies wouldn't be able to advertise to kids under a certain age.

However, in a system like the US's, an outright ban on advertising for McDonald's in any way would be bad. Why? Because it causes a legal precedent. Doing something that extreme may not neccessarily cause a loss of freedom, but it would make it a hell of a lot easier to start down that road.

For similar reasons, a ban on unhealthy food would be a bad idea. McDonald's in totally within its legal rights to sell bad food.

The unique thing about McDonalds is that is has:
a) A product that has proven negative side effects.
b) Is heavily advertised for.
c) Targets an age group with no self control

This results in an extreme want for a dangerous product by those who can't help themselves.

Because of these three factors, it is only right that any solution to the problem addresses all three of them. Something like this:
-"All advertisements for products that are proven to be unhealthy by 'X' reasoning that target children under the age of 'Y' are illegal."

With a law like that, you wouldn't set a dangerous legal precedent, you wouldn't limit the sales of the food, and you wouldn't take the ultimate responsibility out of the hands of the parents. The results would be either:
1) Kids stop wanting McD's
2) Kids still want McD's, but that's not a problem b/c now it's healthy (-er)

Just some thoughts on the issue .

[johndh]

The unique thing about McDonalds is that is has:
a) A product that has proven negative side effects.
b) Is heavily advertised for.
c) Targets an age group with no self control

This results in an extreme want for a dangerous product by those who can't help themselves.

Unique? If you take out the name, it sounds exactly like a certain other harmful product that has heavily restricted advertising.

[Gambit]

My favorite sketch comedy group has finally responded to this issue. The Butterbar
(minor swearing at the end)

It's hard to tell with these guys, but they appear to be blaming the employees for not fighting back. I guess it is true that McDonald's doesn't have full control of their stores. These places could stop being McDonald's's. I can't say I agree with this view though. It'd be economic suicide.

[johndh]

My favorite sketch comedy group has finally responded to this issue. The Butterbar
(minor swearing at the end)

It's hard to tell with these guys, but they appear to be blaming the employees for not fighting back.

Maybe it's more like "if you're going along with it, then you're part of the problem", which I guess is kinda the same and also completely true. Drug dealers can claim that they aren't responsible for what customers do to their bodies, but they're still dealing death all the same, and often they're dealing it to children.

I guess it is true that McDonald's doesn't have full control of their stores. These places could stop being McDonald's's. I can't say I agree with this view though. It'd be economic suicide.

One of the main reasons why McD's is so successful is because of the consistency between franchises. Every store around the world has almost exactly the same menu, so people know that they're going to get two "all-beef" patties, special sauce, lettuce, pickles, and onions on a sesame seed bun. If somebody is new in town, are they going to take a chance at the local "Jack's Burger Joint" they've never heard of, or are they going to with what's familiar (and probably not going to give them food poisoning)? Personally, I'd go with the local place because I don't think there's any way it could possibly be worse than McDonald's, but I'm not most people.

Going back to the original topic of the thread:

Pic related:

From Cracked's If Restaurants Were Honest contest

[Hulavuta]

I clicked on the link and lol'd. Especially the Taco Bell one with all the toilet paper.

[Herduk]

These places could stop being McDonald's's. I can't say I agree with this view though. It'd be economic suicide.

Ehm... not true at 100%

http://www.organicconsumers.org/btc/slowfood010906.cfm

You just need to find the right way to work and the right product to sell...

But maybe this isn't true for a country like USA where the most tipical food is hamburger

[AtemTheLightning]

Um, Hulvuata. You might want to log out, open the page and set the link to it... Because the current one gives away your real name.

[Midnight_Carnival]

I don't care what Hulvuata's real name is, I wasn't planning on stalking him/her, but hey, that's only me. I believe the best security is having nothing to hide. I've sent people attachments with some of my real names on in the past and not become paranoid over it, if people want me, they know where to find me, it's not like I'm hiding or anything.

But back on topic... sort of:
I heard a story about mc donalds facing a lawsuit because a woman suffered an alergic reaction to one of their chicken burgers. They say the esteemed corporation avoided prosecution by proving that there are absolutely no traces of chicken whatsoever in their chicken burgers! Is that just an urban legend?

[Gambit]

These places could stop being McDonald's's. I can't say I agree with this view though. It'd be economic suicide.

Ehm... not true at 100%

http://www.organicconsumers.org/btc/slowfood010906.cfm

It's entirely different.
He built that place and hired his employees and bought all the equipment to make what he's making. He set out to be a bakery.

Imagine a typical McDonald's already built to be a McDonald's. Already with employees trained to do McDonald's things. With equipment for making those things. With McDonald's logos and colors and design everywhere. How long and how much money would that take to undo? How long to get back on your feet with whatever you decide to do afterwards? And you'll probably still be doing unhealthy burgers anyways, but now without the benefit of the brand.

That's why I said it'd be economic suicide. And by the time you reopened (if you could even afford to), McDonald's would probably have bought another place in town.

[Hulavuta]

Um, Hulvuata. You might want to log out, open the page and set the link to it... Because the current one gives away your real name.

2 things:

1: Where?

2: I don't really mind my name up, I doubt anyone her is a kidnapper or anything, (mostly because most generate content, which someone in disguise wouldn't take the time to do) plus when I went to Sea World and they looked up my name in the computer, there were like 500 people with the same first and last name.

[Gambit]

Let's be honest with ourselves. Who would want any of us? Except maybe Jet or tsi... Yeah... they'd be nice to have. I bet if I went in through the window at night...

[johndh]

http://www.organicconsumers.org/btc/slowfood010906.cfm

Something similar happened in my little hometown. There is this local chicken place called Fryer's that has been a staple of the community for years, and then a KFC opened up less than a mile down the road, hoping to cash in on the new traffic from the new four-lane going through town. They got a few customers here and there, but for the most part everybody stayed true to Fryer's because it was the place they knew and loved, and where many of them had worked in high school. The KFC went out of business very quickly.

[thespaceinvader]

Sadly for many places, consumers tend to be more taken by cheapness and standardisation than localness and skill. I've been guilty of it myself, more than a few times. And it's a vicious cycle - as chains become more common, it becomes more difficult to eat anywhere else.

[Herduk]

Ehm... not true at 100%

http://www.organicconsumers.org/btc/slowfood010906.cfm

It's entirely different.
He built that place and hired his employees and bought all the equipment to make what he's making. He set out to be a bakery.

Imagine a typical McDonald's already built to be a McDonald's. Already with employees trained to do McDonald's things. With equipment for making those things. With McDonald's logos and colors and design everywhere. How long and how much money would that take to undo? How long to get back on your feet with whatever you decide to do afterwards? And you'll probably still be doing unhealthy burgers anyways, but now without the benefit of the brand.

That's why I said it'd be economic suicide. And by the time you reopened (if you could even afford to), McDonald's would probably have bought another place in town.

As johndh says, in my town same thing happen some time ago.
Mc built a new store about 1km from another well know place...
Next month this mc will be closed.

So, come back maybe it's suicidal. Give to customer an alternative (hope it's the right word/spelling) it's possibile.