# Why is McDonald's so blah/icky? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 19, 2011, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359 "2011-08-19T19:20:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/1 "2011-08-19T19:20:53Z")
I know someone will come in here and say they love McDonald’s, but I think most people agree that it’s near the bottom of the chain burger joints in the “fresh wholesome taste” index. Is it just because the meat has been frozen? It’s almost like an alien approximation of a good burger. It’s a very good attempt, but something’s wrong. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/2 "2011-08-19T19:30:09Z")
It is designed so that there’s a consistency at every location. It’s pretty much foolproof no matter who’s working. They use a lot of automated equipment. Almost like a factory in every location. I’ve eaten at locations in many states. It’s always the same. Very bland, blah and a bit boring. But, I’ve never gotten sick with the shits eating there or gotten a half cooked burger. Their standardized system seems to work. It’s just not good, fresh food. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/3 "2011-08-19T19:40:23Z")
Moving to Cafe Society. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/4 "2011-08-19T19:58:53Z")
I like to think I’m not a snob, but I avoid McDonalds unless I’m with people who want to go there. Generally, it’s blander than any other chain. I suspect it’s because their menu is geared toward the insipid tastes of children, but there are plenty of adults who volunteer to eat there without kids in tow. In any case, I don’t hate it. They serve adequate products that I wouldn’t turn down unless something else was available. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/5 "2011-08-19T20:06:54Z")
> [@Cardinal](#): > > Why is McDonald’s so blah/icky? You mean not counting the Filet-O-Fish, right? ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/6 "2011-08-19T20:07:40Z")
I don’t care for it, or any fast food (Subway’s near the top, but that’s not saying much), but I think there’s a bit of bias. Your average adolescent in (name a major Western-European city), for example, think it’s the shit, and tend to prefer it to local look-a-likes like Quick in France or some others elsewhere. They tend to not travel much, as a rule, at least in the fashion of a business traveler looking for a quick, non-infested bite. There may be – this is just speculation – some desire for local Euroteens to chill with the “cool kids” – immigrants from, say, West Africa who might congregate at your KFC or MacDo because, what the hell, it’s pretty cheap and the French haven’t done them many favors. I guess it’s the branding, the so-unhip-it’s-hip, the “jes folks, down-home” quality. Plus, when I’m on a road trip, I’d never ever turn down a swing through a drive-in for one of those breakfast thingies. Good hangover food, to boot. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/7 "2011-08-19T20:08:30Z")
Which items on the menu have you tried / not tried? Specifically, have you tried the Angus bacon and cheese? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/8 "2011-08-19T20:10:36Z")
It’s really cheap. I generally eat lunch from home, but if it’s a workday and I didn’t bring my lunch, McDonald’s is my default: I can eat lunch for $2.00 there including a drink. Their $1 menu is full of fairly nasty food, but so is their $4 menu IMO, and when I’m looking for a quick influx of hot calories so I don’t fall over, theirs won’t make me gag. Sure, I could go to the local awesome pizza joint and eat delicious pizza until I fall over, but that’s going to cost me about five times as much. That’s not something I’m willing to do. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/9 "2011-08-19T20:15:16Z")
Wendy’s is also pretty cheap, and generally tastier than McDonalds. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/10 "2011-08-19T20:32:55Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > It is designed so that there’s a consistency at every location. It’s pretty much foolproof no matter who’s working. They use a lot of automated equipment. Almost like a factory in every location. > > I’ve eaten at locations in many states. It’s always the same. Very bland, blah and a bit boring. But, I’ve never gotten sick with the shits eating there or gotten a half cooked burger. Their standardized system seems to work. It’s just not good, fresh food. It really is amazing how consistent they are. A Big Mac tastes the same in the US, Canada, Japan, or Brazil (those are the only countries I can personally vouch for). ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/11 "2011-08-19T21:12:25Z")
I’m old enough to remember the mom & pop burger places. You never knew what you might get. A lot of times they served these paper thin hamburger patties. You were really just eating bread and lettuce. Once in awhile, I’d find a good mom & pop burger place. Not very often. At least the chain burger places are consistent. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/12 "2011-08-19T21:44:38Z")
Another vote for consistency. While growing up, our family did fast food on our road trip vacations. I never questioned it then, and now I find my parents probably knew exactly what they were doing. In college, my group of friends would try to hit up mom & pop style diners and restaurants on road trips. They were incredibly hit or miss. The last time we did it was on the way to a wedding in upstate NY. We all had jobs at this point, but we were still young enough to think we knew better. The choice was skeezy diner or McDs. We chose skeezy diner, and we all regretted it for the next day. That was the last food adventure we tried outside our respective home cities. Say what else you will for McDonald’s, you know what you’re getting, and it won’t make you sick. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/13 "2011-08-19T21:49:07Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’m old enough to remember the mom & pop burger places. You never knew what you might get. A lot of times they served these paper thin hamburger patties. You were really just eating bread and lettuce. Are you under the impression mom and pop burger places don’t exist anymore? ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/14 "2011-08-19T21:52:52Z")
> [@BlackKnight](#): > > Which items on the menu have you tried / not tried? > > Specifically, have you tried the Angus bacon and cheese? This is what I was going to say. Their Angus burgers are the best on the menu. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/15 "2011-08-19T21:54:35Z")
Mom & Pop burger places are pretty rare. We have one a few miles from my house. They serves those paper thin burger patties that leaves me still hungry. I go by there for their chocolate dipped ice cream cones. They are easier to find in tiny towns that don’t have any chains. You’ll find the local high school kids hanging out because it’s the only thing open at night. > [@](#): > > Are you under the impression mom and pop burger places don’t exist anymore? > Reply With Quote ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/16 "2011-08-19T21:57:52Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > It really is amazing how consistent they are. A Big Mac tastes the same in the US, Canada, Japan, or Brazil (those are the only countries I can personally vouch for). My experience has been different: Whenever I’m in Rio, I eat at McDonalds a few times because they season their burgers in a Brazilian way, with garlic and more salt than here. And they still fry the apple pies there (yum). They also have banana pies and strawberry pies. India was a whole 'nother thing: they have a full chicken menu. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/17 "2011-08-19T21:59:32Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > They serves those paper thin burger patties that leaves me still hungry. Those are my favorite. Why don’t you just order a double/triple/quadruple if that’s not enough beef for you? ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/18 "2011-08-19T22:56:12Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > …India was a whole 'nother thing: they have a full chicken menu. Well, yeah. I don’t imagine beef burgers would be very popular in India. Don’t they also have seperate kitchens for veg, and non-veg food? The only other McDonald’s I’ve eaten besides the US were in Canada, Australia, & New Zealand. They were all the same as in the US, but the latter 2 countries offered stuff like beetroot, pineapple, or fried egg on the burger. I think that was only on the McOz/McKiwi though. ---
**Author:** ![PhiloVance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e19adc/32.png) [@PhiloVance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhiloVance)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/19 "2011-08-19T23:04:15Z")
IMHO McDonalds is satisfactory. If you want good taste and cheaply go to In-n-Out. But, the wife and I can eat for 6 bucks at Mickey Dees and at In-n-Out its closer to 10. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359/20 "2011-08-19T23:52:17Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’ve eaten at locations in many states. It’s always the same. Very bland, blah and a bit boring. But, I’ve never gotten sick with the shits eating there or gotten a half cooked burger. Their standardized system seems to work. I believe this was one of the secrets to their success. Small town diners are a romantic memory, with Mel frying some mystery meat and Flo yelling, “Kiss my grits,” but eating at one was a gamble. Especially if you were far from home and the comfort and privacy of your own toilet. McDonald’s may be blah/icky, but it’s unlikely to kill you, at least not immediately, which was no small consideration fifty years ago. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mcdonalds-so-blah-icky/593359.md?page=2)