# McDonald's, oh how ye have fallen (with photgraphic evidence) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 25, 2007, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298 "2007-06-25T06:53:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/1 "2007-06-25T06:53:07Z")
The McDonald’s across the street from my apartment has a scrolling marquee they use to advertise the latest specials, when they are hiring, and even display the current temperature. Pretty cool mostly, as the city just wouldn’t be the same without the abundance of gaudy flashy signs like this one that make me feel at home. But as I was walking by on my evening stroll earlier, I saw a couple of messages on it that shook me to my core. The pictures are here, but I must warn you: what you are about to see may induce serious lack of faith in humanity and/or brain seizures. [Picture 1](http://www.flickr.com/photos/39234337@N00/619549808/in/photostream/) [Picture 2](http://www.flickr.com/photos/39234337@N00/619549834/in/photostream/) (the full text on the bottom is “Angus Third Pounders”) It almost doesn’t need words. But I just can’t help speculate on how exactly those messages got up there. Was it a mischevous teenage wage-drone playing a prank? Or have the McD’s advertising executives so much contempt for their customers that they know it doesn’t matter worth a damn how they advertise anymore, because people will buy their product anyway? (which they will, obviously, as based on the number of cars in the drive through business didn’t seem to be suffering) I remember the Glory Days of Advertising. When it took a reasonably catchy jingle _and_ a zany fun cartoon mascot to win the consumer base over. Speaking of mascots, what the hell happened to Ronald McDonald anyway? I haven’t even seen his face in years. And now we have “TRY A SALAD. IT IS COOL !!”? You know what? I’m not even going to fight it. I don’t have the energy anymore. I can only embrace it. Dopers, all I have to say is: Try a salad. It is cool!! ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/2 "2007-06-25T07:16:29Z")
[QUOTE=Rigamarole] What the hell happened to Ronald McDonald anyway? I haven’t even seen his face in years. [/QUOTE] Oh, he gets around. Just a year or two ago, my friend and I walked into a McDonald’s that had Ronald McDonald there, live, in the flesh. It was surreal. Since we couldn’t comprehend it, we turned and walked right back out and went to Burger King instead. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/3 "2007-06-25T07:20:00Z")
[QUOTE=Red Barchetta] Oh, he gets around. Just a year or two ago, my friend and I walked into a McDonald’s that had Ronald McDonald there, live, in the flesh. It was surreal. Since we couldn’t comprehend it, we turned and walked right back out and went to Burger King instead. [/QUOTE] Was the Burger King there? _That_ dude is seriously scary. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/4 "2007-06-25T07:28:11Z")
**Rigamarole** , please make my night and tell me that was in Little Tokyo. ---
**Author:** ![Manatee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@Manatee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manatee)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/5 "2007-06-25T07:28:56Z")
Man, that’s like the anti-slogan; are they even trying? Hey, McDonald’s, may I propose a few new slogans for you? “Hungry? We have food!” “Try a hamburger. It is hot!” “Come in and eat” ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/6 "2007-06-25T07:31:40Z")
[QUOTE=fetus] **Rigamarole** , please make my night and tell me that was in Little Tokyo. [/QUOTE] I’m afraid not. It was in… Van Nuys. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/7 "2007-06-25T07:32:20Z")
[QUOTE=Rigamarole] Was the Burger King there? _That_ dude is seriously scary. [/QUOTE] Thankfully, our visit was before the era of the creepy king. ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Pumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@Ms.Pumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Pumpkin)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/8 "2007-06-25T07:34:25Z")
That’s just pathetic. At least it didn’t say “It is kewl.” ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Captain\_C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_C)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/9 "2007-06-25T07:39:15Z")
[QUOTE=Manatee] Man, that’s like the anti-slogan; are they even trying? Hey, McDonald’s, may I propose a few new slogans for you? … “Come in and eat” [/QUOTE] This makes me laugh because this is actually on a banner at a McDonalds I pass on the way to work. I’ll see if I can find someone with a digital camera who can get me a picture of it. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/10 "2007-06-25T09:18:37Z")
Mr. Rilch and I regret to this day that he never got a photo of the marquee in McKeesport that said simply: GO PENS BEER ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/11 "2007-06-25T11:50:08Z")
> [@](#): > > Oh, he gets around. Just a year or two ago, my friend and I walked into a McDonald’s that had Ronald McDonald there, live, in the flesh. It was surreal. Since we couldn’t comprehend it, we turned and walked right back out and went to Burger King instead. Why it couldn’t be more than two years ago that, he personally gave an interview on MSNBC. I was thinking, wait a minute…you guys do realize he’s fictional right? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/12 "2007-06-25T13:23:06Z")
My guess is that English is not the primary language of the person responsible for the adverts on that sign. That could, of course, include American teenagers… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/13 "2007-06-25T13:44:58Z")
What? You mean we can no longer rely on fast food workers for the witty eloquence that they’ve always been known for? Well, then, I guess there’s no one else left to turn to. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/14 "2007-06-25T14:10:26Z")
One weekend my husband and I had lunch at Taco John’s. While we were sitting there I looked out the window and saw this on their sign: Fire Sale Eat here or people will be fired. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/15 "2007-06-25T15:21:57Z")
On a road trip, a McDonalds in southern Minnesota had a sign painted on plywood that said “Our People are our most important ingredient”. Hi, I’ll have the soylent green burger and a side of fries please. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/16 "2007-06-25T15:38:35Z")
[QUOTE=Manatee] Man, that’s like the anti-slogan; are they even trying? Hey, McDonald’s, may I propose a few new slogans for you? “Hungry? We have food!” “Try a hamburger. It is hot!” “Come in and eat” [/QUOTE] [Denny’s. A Good Place to Sit and Eat](http://www.dailyping.com/archive/2004/05/13/) I’m just happy it didn’t say “ITS COOL!” ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/17 "2007-06-25T15:40:13Z")
[QUOTE=yellowval] One weekend my husband and I had lunch at Taco John’s. While we were sitting there I looked out the window and saw this on their sign: Fire Sale Eat here or people will be fired. [/QUOTE] I would eat there just because that’s a cool sign. ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/18 "2007-06-25T15:50:02Z")
For the briefest of moments, in the nanoseconds before my brain had properly taken it all in and parsed it all out, the second sign appeared to me as: * * * ## VERY BIG!!! **ANUS** Try it! It is cool! _ahem_ I don’t know why, but I can’t help but read those signs in either a thick Slavic or middle-eastern accent. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/19 "2007-06-25T15:57:45Z")
One time we were sitting in a family-type restaurant next door to a Burger King, watching a uniformed drone change the sign. When he got done it said: HERE’S FOR YOU \ A few minutes later he came back out with (presumably) the manager, who was pointing at the sign, waving his arms, and generally not happy. We didn’t get to stay long enough to find out what it got changed to. “Here’s for you”? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298/20 "2007-06-25T16:03:48Z")
[QUOTE=An Arky] My guess is that English is not the primary language of the person responsible for the adverts on that sign. That could, of course, include American teenagers… 😉 [/QUOTE] That could be very true. Van Nuys is a heavily hispanic area, there are a lot of places where almost all of the signs are in spanish only. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-oh-how-ye-have-fallen-with-photgraphic-evidence/409298.md?page=2)