I’m on the Atkins diet – all meat, no carbs. I get a lot of my meals from McDonalds. I usually order two sausage mcmuffins (no muffin) for breakfast, and 2 cheeseburgers (plain, no bun) for lunch or dinner. And I usually use the drive-through.
I am hyper-aware of all the garbage I am creating when I eat fast food – a bag, a couple of containers, plastic forks and knives, a wad of napkins, etc. I’m making an effort to reduce my waste when I can. So when I make my order, I ask if they can put both burgers/sausages into one small container. But 9 out of ten times, I open my bag to find each individual order placed in separate containers (sometimes, placed in containers larger than a cheeseburger would normally come in, and in bags larger than necessary).
It drives me batty.
I completely sympathize for McDonalds workers who are just trying to get food out the door as fast as possible. My request surely seems like an odd one – both the food and the way in which I would like it packed. And so I can’t hate on anyone, really. It just really drives me batty.
I feel like fast food has really gone the way of Burger Kings’ “Have it your way.” FF restaurants seem quite willing nowadays to make special requests. Anyone ever worked in fast food? If I came to your window and asked for two plain cheeseburgers, no bun, and by the way, can you just put them both in one container, you know, stack 'em up on each other?, would you think I was absolutely crazy? Should I explain why I’m asking? Would you care?
And I’m prepared for the inevitable people on this board calling me a psycho bitch because I have the tenacity to bother fast food workers with my crazy requests, but I am of the belief that anything we can do to reduce our waste is a good thing.
You’re not crazy, but you’re falling prey to the “it’s not on the menu” problem. In a two-window setup, one person at the back window keys your order into the computer, and that shows up on a screen at the front window, where people are assembling orders etc. Anything that can’t be keyed into the menu means that the people up front are just going to have to remember it (if they are even listening in over the headset) or the person at the back is going to have to tell them specifically, or something. It’s out of the normal routine, and therefore it is highly likely that it’s going to get screwed up.
If you’re really serious about reducing your waste, you should consider parking the car and going inside the restaurant. In a face-to-face order you’re much more likely to get what you requested. (And you’ll be saving on gas. )
I don’t think I’d be saving on waste if I went inside the restaurant and got my order to go, which is what I usually have to do.
But you’re very right about the communication lines between the order taker, the order maker and the cashier. I hadn’t really thought of that. And I think I certainly would have better luck making my request face to face.
Yes, because somehow fast food breaks the laws of physics.
Whether Atkins works or not, where you get the food doesn’t matter in the least. I know at least one girl who got all her food at McDonald’s and lost weight. She eventually had to start eating more than one hamburger a day.
McDonald’s, due to their small portions and healthy choices, is probably better food than quite a lof of people eat.
Buddy, I’ve spent 34 years trying to eat healthy and excercise. I’m sure a lot of other people have as well.
While the Atkins is in no way an ideal diet, it’s perfect for me to lose weight. I am a type 1 diabetic, so the fewer the carbs, the better my blood sugars. Fewer carbs means less insulin I have to give myself. And because I’ve dropped weight so quickly, I’m finding it a lot easier to work out, which I’ve been doing in addition to the diet.
I did the Atkins once before, lost a lot of weight, but gained it back because I was adding healthy carbs to fatty, unhealthy protein and not continuing an excercise program. This time, I hope to do it differently.
Atkins can also be a pricey diet, because meat is more expensive than, say, a box of Special K bars or Weight Watchers frozen meals. McD’s offers meat and cheese for a buck.
Also, I have an eating disorder. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve wanted to stuff my face with food. It’s difficult for me to eat small portions. Being on the Atkins was the first time in my entire life that I did not have a big appetite. You can lecture me all you want about will power, but I found a solution to my problem and I am doing my best. I was not telling others to jump on the Atkins bandwagon, so keep your snide sarcasm to yourself.
I’m assuming you’re in the U.S. of course.
It used to be a double cheeseburger for $1, so basically the equivalent of two cheeseburgers on one bun. Then they got they decided to save some money by removing one of the slices of cheese, leaving one, and rebranding it as ‘the Mcdouble’.
The dollar menu is kind of ridiculously cheap. A result of the poor economy and a bit of fast food war action. If you get two mcdoubles for $2, you end up with more meat and more cheese than you get with a quarter pound burger which costs $3.25 I think.
They also have the Mcchicken on there for a dollar. good deal.
smaje1, I think amphetamines will work just as well and will be just as healthy for you. Think of all the money you’ll save not eating for days!
I could point out all the ways you are deluding yourself, but someone admitting to an eating disorder should know they can’t handle this and get some help.
In any case, McDonalds is the least of your problems.
You know, I was about to jump in with a comment about using McDonald’s to lose weight, but having read this, I support you 100%. Two things stand out:
After years of struggle, you have found something that works for you. No matter what anyone else says, as long as it continues to work for you, you should stick with it.
You are not telling anyone else what to do. There is no one-size-fits-all weight loss solution, and as long as you recognize that, no one else should be telling you what to do.
That said, I have worked at McDonald’s, and special requests, either for the food or the packaging, just don’t fit into the process. I think that’s one battle you’re not likely to win.
I agree - order the McDouble no bun, or even a double quarter pounder with cheese, no bun (if you want two slices of cheese with that.) I bet it’ll go in one container that way.
We sometimes get McDonalds as a special treat, and my gluten free daughter gets the Cheeseburger Happy Meal, no bun. I know what you mean about those little plastic containers they put it in. On the plus side, they have about half a dozen reuses in them before they crack.
I started typing out the same thing, and then saw that you’d already said it, and better than I was gonna. (As soon as I saw the OP, I thought, “McDonald’s … diet … does not compute …”) So all I’m gonna do is add to MsWhatsit’s suggestion to go in instead of using the drive-through, because, hey, at least it’s a couple minutes’ walking (bonus points!) instead of idling and burning gas (double bonus points!)
At this point, the only real dietary issue with using McD’s for Atkins is the salt content of their food. Then again, I have low blood pressure and get a little :rolleyes: at people who comment on my salt intake (protip: when I’m drinking soy sauce straight-up, it means I really feel like crap, so back off) so I’ll leave this between you and your doctor.
I miss gettin’ it animal style! (hee) There aren’t any in-and-outs around here, unfortunately, but I used to get that in LA.
I appreciate the votes of support I’ve seen here. I know it’s not an ideal diet, but it’s not something I’m going to do for the rest of my life. Some people get the lap band - that’s a pretty extreme weight-loss measure, but it has saved lives. I’ve already lost a fair amount of weight, but I’m not starving myself at all (I’m counting calories too) and I’m getting a lot of exercise. I also don’t eat McDs or fast food for each and every meal. I eat tons of salad with low-carb vegetables, and I eat plenty of lean meats like chicken and turkey. The McDs thing is an easy, cheap way to get food on the run – food that is, oddly enough, appropriate on my strange diet.
this is why I love internet message boards. whenever someone posts a thread about weight loss or diets, suddenly the board is just teeming with people who fancy themselves dietitians or doctors.
Sitnam, it appears you saw the word “McDonald’s” and immediately turned off your brain. Don’t do that.
ETA:
I would venture a guess that at least the final “phase” of atkins is pretty close to an “ideal” diet.
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