# Imagine this…if you McWill. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 17, 2000, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204 "2000-10-17T01:28:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/21 "2000-10-17T07:42:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AudreyK \* > On a related note, it’s amazing how much information customers can convey simply by pointing at the menu and hand signaling. I tried that once. It didn’t work. Maybe if I had gone inside, instead of using the drive-through, it would have worked better. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/22 "2000-10-17T14:40:46Z")
I wish to confess to having eaten at McDonalds. My excuse is that it’s clean, cheap and pupils (on my school trips) think they’re getting a gastronomic treat. I notice they do everything by the book, wherever you go in the world. But in Russia, it’s hard to get the staff to smile as they serve you. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/23 "2000-10-17T14:46:08Z")
The issue at hand would seem to be which is the primary noun and which is the modifying noun. Are you ordering eggs, with muffins included, or are you ordering muffins, (OK, “McMuffins”) with eggs included. It is also worth considering that the processed egglike product in this foodlike commercial product is a continuous, rather than discrete, item. It does not contain exactly 1 egg, but some finite portion of a mass of egglike product, making the singular-vs.-plural distinction moot. The muffins, by comparison, are singular and discrete, and it is proper to speak of “1 muffin” or “2 muffins” etc. The logic is inexorable. The plural is “Egg McMuffins.” That is NOT a corollary to “Eggs Benedict”, where Benedict describes a style of preparation rather than the actual inclusion of a portion of Benedict. Now, can anyone tell me what part of the chicken is the “McNugget” ? ---
**Author:** ![Tymp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Tymp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tymp)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/24 "2000-10-17T14:49:59Z")
“Item: Egg McMuffin Quantity: Two” Problem solved. ---
**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/25 "2000-10-17T15:07:22Z")
Next time you go to the counter, try saying for(i = 0; i \< 2; i++) { Egg McMuffin; } ---
**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/26 "2000-10-17T16:06:58Z")
Has anyone else seen the recent Arby’s commercial where they basically make fun of Mcdonald’s calling their chicken food product ‘McNuggets’. Asking what part of a chicken is the nugget. Then they go on to promote Arby’s own ‘properly named and not silly at all’ chicken food product: “Fingers” I laugh at them every time I see it. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/27 "2000-10-17T21:27:36Z")
The Onion did a story about this once titled “William Safir orders two Whoppers Junior”. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/28 "2000-10-17T23:21:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kat \* > \*\*You could always try “I want 2 of them Egg Muffin thingies.” \*\* Some folk’ll never lose a toe, But then again some folk’ll Like Cletus the slack jawed yokel ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/29 "2000-10-18T00:00:12Z")
If you ever need to determine the correct grammatical usage of anything on a McDonald’s menu again, call me. I’ll help you. Of course, my help will probably consist of repeatedly slapping you until you are unable to open your mouth to consume McDonalds food, or, until you scream out “Dear God! Why was I trying to order this cow-eyed, millworm infested grade F horsemeat? I must be insane to like McDonalds. Thank you Ender, for showing me the light.” ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/30 "2000-10-18T00:26:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Punoqllads \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by AudreyK \* > > On a related note, it’s amazing how much information customers can convey simply by pointing at the menu and hand signaling. > > I tried that once. It didn’t work. > > Maybe if I had gone inside, instead of using the drive-through, it would have worked better. \*\* 😃 😃 😃 ---
**Author:** ![desdemona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@desdemona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/desdemona)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/31 "2000-10-18T01:19:08Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Bibliophage_ > > > [@](#): > > > > _Originally posted by Desdemona_ > > **Personally, I’m of the brothers-in-law school of thought.** > > \*\*I used to be too, until I needed to call my brother-in-law and realized I didn’t know my brother’s-in-law telephone number. You can’t imagine my sense of relief when I finally realized all I needed was my brother-in-law’s number. \*\* I understand what you are saying, but that’s for one relative in a possessive situation. If you have 2 married sisters and are looking in the phonebook for both their husbands’ numbers, you’d be looking for the numbers of both brothers-in-law. Yes, you probably noticed that I did everything in my power to avoid brothers-in-law’s. The possessive occurs at the end, but the plural occurs at the primary noun (like Elvis said). ---
**Author:** ![jessicala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb9ed0/32.png) [@jessicala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jessicala)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/32 "2000-10-18T01:27:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ElvisL1ves \* > **It is also worth considering that the processed egglike product in this foodlike commercial product is a continuous, rather than discrete, item. It does not contain exactly 1 egg, but some finite portion of a mass of egglike product, making the singular-vs.-plural distinction moot.** Sorry, as a McVet I must take issue with this. There is one and exactly one egg per McMuffin (disregarding any seepage from eggs being cooked in adjacent rings, of course.) The egg is a standard egg, of the sort that can be purchased in any egg retail outlet, and comes fully enclosed in its own standard eggshell. It is my understanding that the contents of one eggshell, regardless of variances in volume, are still considered “one” egg. I would also like to take this opportunity to point out that it was while cracking eggs into egg rings one morning, many many years ago, that I truly learned and understood that objects, when launched upward at a less-than-90-degree angle, DO travel in a parabolic path. But that’s another story. 😃 Re the OP: we insiders called them “Egg McMuffins” as opposed to “Eggs McMuffin.” However, we called the Sausage McMuffins with Egg “SMeggs” after the abbreviation on the drive-thru screen. I wouldn’t try ordering it that way though. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/33 "2000-10-18T03:57:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JayLa \* > **However, we called the Sausage McMuffins with Egg “SMeggs” after the abbreviation on the drive-thru screen.** Okay, now you’ve got me thinking about it. How does it appear on the cash register screen? I’ve kinda forgotten… and what I do remember is blurring with my recollection of the abbreviation for the Sausage McMuffin _meal_… ElvisL1ves- You don’t want to know where McNuggets come from. Really. Trust me. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/34 "2000-10-18T04:36:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Padeye \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Kat \* > > \*\*You could always try “I want 2 of them Egg Muffin thingies.” \*\* > > Some folk’ll never lose a toe, > But then again some folk’ll > Like Cletus the slack jawed yokel \*\* Some folk’ll never eat a squirrel But then again some folk’ll Like Cletus the slack jawed yokel! ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/35 "2000-10-18T13:46:22Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by JayLa There is one and exactly one egg per McMuffin (disregarding any seepage from eggs being cooked in adjacent rings, of course.) The egg is a standard egg, of the sort that can be purchased in any egg retail outlet, and comes fully enclosed in its own standard eggshell. It is my understanding that the contents of one eggshell, regardless of variances in volume, are still considered “one” egg._ My apologies for the error. My knowledge of Eggs McMuffin comes only from occasionally eating them, and my impression was as stated. Perhaps if I had the opportunity to consume a more expertly prepared one, from your hands for instance, the difference would be clear. Thanks for the information. Now, excuse me, I have to go order some SMeggs. ---
**Author:** ![jessicala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb9ed0/32.png) [@jessicala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jessicala)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/36 "2000-10-18T16:51:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AudreyK \* > \*\*Okay, now you’ve got me thinking about it. How does it appear on the cash register screen? I’ve kinda forgotten… and what I do remember is blurring with my recollection of the abbreviation for the Sausage McMuffin _meal_… > \*\* Yikes … it’s been too long, but wasn’t it something like “EggMcMf” ? I know they could get at least 6 letters on there because the abbreviation for a big mac was BIGMAC. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by ElvisL1ves_ > \*\*Perhaps if I had the opportunity to consume a more expertly prepared one, from your hands for instance, the difference would be clear. > \*\* Bwahahaha! You’ll never drag me back there, never, never!!! From the time I was 16 to the time I was 24, there was not a year that I didn’t work for a least a couple months out of the year at McDonalds. (scary thought, huh?) So I could probably tell you some good stories. But I won’t. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2000, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/37 "2000-10-19T01:08:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JayLa \* > **Yikes … it’s been too long, but wasn’t it something like “EggMcMf” ? I know they could get at least 6 letters on there because the abbreviation for a big mac was BIGMAC.** Is it possible we had different systems? It’s been a while for me, too, but I’m pretty sure the abbreviations we had were different. They made much less sense than yours did. Thanks though. 🙂 Augh! Must forget! Must erase McMemories! ---
**Author:** ![andygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2000, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/38 "2000-10-19T01:34:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Enderw23 \* > \*\*"Dear God! Why was I trying to order this cow-eyed, millworm infested grade F horsemeat? \*\* Now, now, Ender. They use grade D beef. ---
**Author:** ![jessicala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb9ed0/32.png) [@jessicala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jessicala)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2000, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/39 "2000-10-19T05:22:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AudreyK \* > \*\*Is it possible we had different systems? It’s been a while for me, too, but I’m pretty sure the abbreviations we had were different. \*\* I know we switched systems a couple times while I was there. I think individual restaurants can choose how to abbreviate the menu items on the screens and receipts. The last system we had was some sort of POS (?) system … the registers had little monitors with three columns showing the current and past two orders, I think. > [@](#): > > **Augh! Must forget! Must erase McMemories!** I am _right_ behind ya on that one! ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2000, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204/40 "2000-10-19T06:25:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JayLa \* > **I think individual restaurants can choose how to abbreviate the menu items on the screens and receipts. The last system we had was some sort of POS (?) system … the registers had little monitors with three columns showing the current and past two orders, I think.** Hmm, we definitely had different systems. On the cash registers, we had something similar, but IIRC it was only two columns, for the current and previous order, but if you pressed one of the buttons repeatedly, it’d scroll through the last seven orders or so. The drive-thru had something different, too. Weird. Oh well. I’m just glad to be free of the place. 🙂 And what’s up with all the McD threads in here lately? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-this-if-you-mcwill/37204.md?page=3)