Is McDonald's under-rated as a bike stop?

[jefmcg]

[QUOTE 4514129, member: 45"]Americano is one shot with hot water to fill, and milk to taste.[/QUOTE]
So why didn't you say that at bk rather than getting into an argument about linguistics with some poor stiff on minimum wage?

 

[Accy cyclist]

Yes i honestly believe they're daft enough to.
"But look at the lovely view and the gardens" said one of the group. In between dodging the swarm of wasps and inhaling the stink of cow sh!t!!

Mind you, compare this to the greasy spoon we've visited on a number of occasions. Somehow the ones who like to visit those expensive tea rooms also like to slum it. The other month one of the group had a quiet word with the greasy spoon's owner,telling her about the mold on the bread. She came back a minute later, but not with a new bacon butty. No. She'd only cut or scraped the mold off the bread before giving it back to him!

 

[mjr]

Really? Given that round here they go out for about half a mile around the local restaurant, your assertion seems to be somewhat fallacious.

Firstly, believe what you like about what they do, but please don't doubt that I've never seen them outside their fence here.

Secondly, the page @User linked conspicuously doesn't say that every of the 1200ish branches does that and "over 380 clean up events" equals less than a third of branches, in a calendar year.

Thirdly: half a mile?!? I'm three miles from the nearest one and their shoot is sprayed down the verge at least as far as where the cycle route leaves the A road, another mile and a half away (edited to make distance more accurate). If they actually are cleaning half a mile from their branch, it would look like a landfill site if they didn't! Not far enough. Fine the farkers for each piece of their litter the council clean-up crew collect.

So why didn't you say that at bk rather than getting into an argument about linguistics with some poor stiff on minimum wage?

I wonder if BK workers are on zero-hour contracts like 90% of Mucky D workers, who have used them since 1974.

 

[jefmcg]

[QUOTE 4515192, member: 45"]The person on minimum wage can read what it says beside the buttons on the coffee machine.

It wasn't an argument about linguistics. I just wanted him to press the right button.[/QUOTE]
Sounds like you are lucky enough never to have worked in a fast food chain.

 

[mjr]

And on that basis you suggested they don't go outside their boundaries elsewhere... which simply isn't true.

Actually, I suggested it's a PR stunt, which I feel is true whether or not every branch goes beyond their boundaries.

How many do Tesco do? Or Greggs? Or Asda? Or Coca-Cola? All names linked to the huge amounts of litter spread across the land...

Dunno and can't be bothered to look it up, although I'm sure Tescos have sponsored litter picks... but let's not let perfection be the enemy of the good and let's deal with the worst first, which means Mucky D here. I see a little Greggs, but not much Tesco or Asda. I speculated earlier that Mucky D's packaging may encourage littering more than the others because it's by far the most common and their branch doesn't seem correspondingly busier than its neighbours.

Unless McDonald's are actually dropping the litter why should they be fined for it? Are you also going to fine every other company whose packaging litters the streets?

Yes, I would fine most of the shoot suppliers, plus allow number-plate-based fines for vehicular littering. Fine both supplier and litterer. Why, what would you do? Let the producers of unsuitable fast-food packaging off scot-free?

 

[clid61]

Porridge coffee and sausage and egg muffin, not ideal but hits the spot !

 

[marknotgeorge]

I wonder if BK workers are on zero-hour contracts like 90% of Mucky D workers, who have used them since 1974.

I worked at McDonald's for several years, and I would say that although it was a zero-hour contract, it was done properly. It's known how many staff are needed for every hour of opening, and enough staff were employed to meet that need. Some staff (like me) were on 5 shifts a week, we had mums who worked between school hours which covered the weekday lunchtime rush, and uni students and sixth-formers worked mainly evenings and weekends. The only time I got fewer shifts than I wanted was one January when it was much quieter than expected. And we just didn't need to have people on the books hanging by the phone just in case. If it was quieter than normal, extra cleaning got done of people were asked (not told - there was usually someone who fancied going home early), and if it was busier someone rang round to see if anyone wanted an extra shift (again, you got to know who was up for that). It worked. Zero-hours contracts don't have to be disfunctional.

And the litter? All restaurants have seating areas (some have them outside in the sunshine too) with bins, and the drive-thrus (like the one @nickyboy mentioned) have car-parks with bins. If people don't use them...

 

[nickyboy]

[QUOTE 4515299, member: 45"]The website invites communication. Why don't you take it up with them?[/QUOTE]

That's exactly how I reached out to McD regarding littering in the Peak District National Park. Not in an aggressive way, more to make them aware that it was happening and maybe it wasn't great PR for them as the litter was easily identifiable

No reply

 

[Andrew_P]

I don't mind a McDonalds, and not ashamed to admit it. Don't often seek one out but would much rather one of their breakfasts than a greasy spoons £4.99 plate full with that rotten bacon, sausages and beans they use and vinegared down ketchup

I think they are going to struggle unless they adapt. I would think the dramatic growth in Coffee Shops have hit them and they look like they are floundering around a bit now. The new ones with table service and tablets on the tables some of those are now doing cooked to order. Some of their stores are now serving burgers that are trying to compete with the Five Guys type of outlet as well.

The one I cycle past every day always seems to have someone street cleaning 100 yards either end of the entrances.

 

[Venod]

Is this like how deaths are all the fault of the killers and the people selling arms to probable killers are completely blameless?

FFS, we are talking about litter, its not hard to dispose of correctley, just leave it in the car untill you get home or see a bin, non of friends or family would drop litter, education to take some responsability for your own actions seems to come second in the blame game.

 

[mjr]

FFS, we are talking about litter, its not hard to dispose of correctley, just leave it in the car untill you get home or see a bin, non of friends or family would drop litter, education to take some responsability for your own actions seems to come second in the blame game.

I wrote earlier that I'd punish both litterer and producer. I think Mucky D's fat-porous packaging is part of the reason that so many people refuse to "just leave it in the car" to spread grease across the upholstery. Do you have any alternative explanation for why their packaging is littered lots more than others?

 

[Tim Hall]

That's exactly how I reached out to McD regarding littering in the Peak District National Park. Not in an aggressive way, more to make them aware that it was happening and maybe it wasn't great PR for them as the litter was easily identifiable

No reply

 

[mjr]

Have you got any evidence that this is the case? Round here, you're more likely to see a Coke can or a Tesco bag...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ear...roportion-of-fast-food-litter-on-streets.html but for some reason I wouldn't possibly guess, Keep Britain Tidy seems not to have reported on that type of survey since McDonalds became a founder member of their "Love Where You Live" campaign.

 

[uphillstruggler]

I don't see how anyone can complain about Mds as a Coffee/Tea stop. the food is piping hot (if it isn't, it goes back) the staff are usually pretty good and the toilets etc are clean.

on a recent ride, I was soaked through, came upon a mcds and sat inside and had breakfast - all the while water was dripping from my shoes and clothes creating a large puddle. no-one mentioned it (I did mop up) but I cant imagine one of the posh overpriced chains or grannies tea shop allowing that to happen.

I would imagine also that if the 50 strong group that is mentioned earlier in the thread had let them know that they would be there at a certain time, they would likely have the doors open and general items ready and waiting.

 

[ianrauk]

I don't see how anyone can complain about Mds as a Coffee/Tea stop

Simple. Snobbery.