McDonald's Launches "Fresh Beef" for its Quarter Pounders (USA)

[Xelor]

I hardly ever go to McDonalds, but when I do I set my expectations pretty low, and just hope it won't be too terrible.

I don't go to Mickey D's often either, but I do like the food. Not because I think it's great food, but because I grew up in a household in which nothing was like McDonald's food, and there wasn't a McDonald's particularly close to our house. So getting someone to take us kids to the Golden Arches was sort of "a thing." That was at home in D.C. as well as at the shore where, even today, there's no McDonald's. (There was in the late '70s (IIRC) a row about it one being built, but the residents were not having it.) There's plenty of places to eat, but no Golden Arches or anything like it ("corporate" fast food...Burger King, Wendy's, KFC, etc.), though there is an Orange Julius.

I have come to accept that I might receive a burger that seems like it has been under the warming lights long enough to turn the bun to an almost stale or toast-like texture, or that I might receive fries that are no longer hot. It's just par for the course there.....as if I had ordered something special, which McDonalds is known for not being too keen on providing.

Wow. The McDonald's in your area are quite different from those I've been to, pretty much anywhere....airports, the few I've been to in and around D.C., Tokyo, Shanghai, Vail, Montreal, Paris, FR, etc., really just, everywhere. Where are you? I'm only asking so that if I ever end up there, I know not go to McDonalds.


Truly, one of the fun things about McDonald's is that in many countries (maybe all countries?), they have something on the menu that's unique to that country and that is "typical" local food. It's just nifty to see what it is and try it. You know it's not going to be the most "elevated" version of "whatever," but it's still fun to give it a try and it's usually tasty enough.

• http://www.businessinsider.com/mcdo...tems-2015-7#mcdonalds-koreas-shrimp-burger-10
  
• http://www.complex.com/life/10-mcdo...eat-in-other-countries/western-gourmet-burger
  
• https://www.buzzfeed.com/spenceralt...perately-needs?utm_term=.ypWGvKdV6#.trPEDvXNR

All sorts of things taste okay if one has no idea of how it's "supposed" to taste and just eats it. Don't ask what it is; don't ask what's in it. Just eat it. I'll never forget being at a business social in the PRC. There was a buffet that had pale tan-colored parallelogram shaped things that had something of a honeycomby-lookin'-like texture on them. I saw other folks going for them and I wondered what it was. I asked my translator, Eva, who replied, "Try it, and I'll tell you." I did; it was decent. Had a little tang, a touch of sweetness and a firmish smooth texture similar to octopus or escargot. What was it? Tripe! Never in a million years did I think I'd eat tripe! I went back to the "tripe station" several times.

I started getting into it...I was like, "Eva, would the tripe be good if I dip in some of the sauce from the rabbit."
She said, "Wow. You really like it. I bet if I'd have told you what it was, you'd never have eaten it."
I told her, "Damn, skippy. That'd sho' 'nuff be a bet you'd win."

Aside:

As kids, we didn't, for example, say, "We want a burger from McDonald's," we said we wanted "McDonald's." That verbiage tacitly reflected the fact that we knew damn well that McDonald's food tastes like nothing else, not even the things it's alleges to resemble. The only thing on McDonald's menu that tastes like it tastes anywhere else is the soft drinks.​

I hardly ever go to McDonalds...except when desperate. ...I have come to accept that I might receive a burger that seems like it has been under the warming lights long enough to turn the bun to an almost stale or toast-like texture, or that I might receive fries that are no longer hot. It's just par for the course there.

Well, I was desperate today, so I [went to McDonald's].

Jesus! Where were you? It seems you really don't like Mickey D's. Is it the only place where you were that sells food?

Surely where you are/were there's some sort of carry-out place; there's no such thing as a restaurant that doesn't do carry-out. After all, any restaurant that'll give one a "doggie bag" will happily prepare the meal and put it in the same "doggie bag" container for one to come pick up. All one has to do is call, order something, give them a credit card number, give them time to cook it (they'll tell you how long it'll take), and go pick it up.

Near havoc ensues.

Now that I read your anecdote. Would you please tell me what part of it struck you as "near havoc?"

Then, after you get your food, you have to back up into the traffic of the other cars trying to navigate their drive-thru system. Then you have to merge with the other cars in order to leave the parking lot in the same direction that the other cars are going. See the red arrows in the image below.....These are just some of the reasons I would prefer not to have McDonalds cook my patty after it is ordered. I guess next time I will try a McDouble or something.

Dude, you absolutely are the first person I've ever seen or heard identify a restaurant's (Or any place's) traffic pattern as a reason for preferring not to have them cook a burger patty after s/he'd ordered it. And I had been thinking all this time that I'm a little on the "high maintenance" side. Truly, I wish you could be the person in front of me in every line in which I find myself. The counter persons/cashiers, etc. would think I'd just left a Grateful Dead concert or something. LOL I guess now I know why you thought that "adventure" was "near havoc." LOL

 

[Neddy Bate]

I don't go to Mickey D's often either, but I do like the food. Not because I think it's great food, but because I grew up in a household in which nothing was like McDonald's food, and there wasn't a McDonald's particularly close to our house. So getting someone to take us kids to the Golden Arches was sort of "a thing."

I had a similar childhood. And I do like McD's food too, when it happens to have hot fries and a soft bun, it's good. Unfortunately, the odds of that are pretty low at the one location that I pass daily, which I try to avoid. (Unless I need something really fast, in which case I would use their drive-thru, since they are on my way.) Like I said, I only do it a couple of times per year, on average.

I'll never forget being at a business social in the PRC. There was a buffet that had pale tan-colored parallelogram shaped things that had something of a honeycomby-lookin'-like texture on them. I saw other folks going for them and I wondered what it was. I asked my translator, Eva, who replied, "Try it, and I'll tell you." I did; it was decent. Had a little tang, a touch of sweetness and a firmish smooth texture similar to octopus or escargot. What was it? Tripe! Never in a million years did I think I'd eat tripe! I went back to the "tripe station" several times.

I started getting into it...I was like, "Eva, would the tripe be good if I dip in some of the sauce from the rabbit."
She said, "Wow. You really like it. I bet if I'd have told you what it was, you'd never have eaten it."
I told her, "Damn, skippy. That'd sho' 'nuff be a bet you'd win."

Wow, you make tripe sound pretty good. I've never had it, and probably wouldn't try it, unless I didn't know what it was, like your situation. You were lucky in a way, in that respect.

Jesus! Where were you? It seems you really don't like Mickey D's. Is it the only place where you were that sells food?

Surely where you are/were there's some sort of carry-out place; there's no such thing as a restaurant that doesn't do carry-out. After all, any restaurant that'll give one a "doggie bag" will happily prepare the meal and put it in the same "doggie bag" container for one to come pick up. All one has to do is call, order something, give them a credit card number, give them time to cook it (they'll tell you how long it'll take), and go pick it up.

There are plenty of other places I could go, and I usually do, because I usually have enough time for that. The only reason I would go to McD's is because it is on my route, so if I am running late and starving, I can do the drive-thru and be on my way quickly. I am even willing to settle for cool fries and a stiff bun, if it will be fast. So that is why I would not want to have to wait extra time, (parking and shutting off the car!), for something that is still going to have cool fries and a stiff bun anyway.

Now that I read your anecdote. Would you please tell me what part of it struck you as "near havoc?"

I guess it wasn't really "near havoc" but the whole experience was different than ever before. It seemed like the quarter pounder had become almost like a special order, such as if I had ordered one "medium rare with no salt" (which I would never do, because that's just not what McD's is about for me).

Dude, you absolutely are the first person I've ever seen or heard identify a restaurant's (Or any place's) traffic pattern as a reason for preferring not to have them cook a burger patty after s/he'd ordered it. And I had been thinking all this time that I'm a little on the "high maintenance" side. Truly, I wish you could be the person in front of me in every line in which I find myself. The counter persons/cashiers, etc. would think I'd just left a Grateful Dead concert or something. LOL I guess now I know why you thought that "adventure" was "near havoc." LOL

LOL! I guess I do sound like a high maintenance person, but I really don't think that I am. I didn't get mad or complain, and I am always very polite, regardless of how bad my service might be. I used to work in restaurants, so I understand how things can go.

As a customer, I just noticed a significant change in McD's business practices, (as I had to park and wait, and during that time I noticed the "fresh beef" posters for the first time). So I researched it, and found out they claim the quarter pounder's beef will be cooked after it is ordered, and that means the drive thru no longer functions well for that particular product, since parking and waiting would become standard procedure. It really does change the whole drive-thru experience, and seems to defeat the purpose somewhat.

I also showed the traffic pattern of a different burger place near here which has always cooked their beef after it is ordered. I wanted to show that their drive-thru was designed around the fact that cars would have to park and wait. Whoever designed their drive thru took that into consideration, so clearly I am not the first person to consider it. And I think McD's ought to consider it too. But even if McD's had those parking spaces along the drive-thru path, I would still rather order something else where I would not need to use them. My reason for going to McD's is convenience, not the fine quality of the sear on the patty. (The other place has that, if I want it.)

But I'm glad you seemed to enjoy my tale! I tried to make it at least a little entertaining.

 

[Xelor]

I had a similar childhood. And I do like McD's food too, when it happens to have hot fries and a soft bun, it's good. Unfortunately, the odds of that are pretty low at the one location that I pass daily, which I try to avoid. (Unless I need something really fast, in which case I would use their drive-thru, since they are on my way.) Like I said, I only do it a couple of times per year, on average.



Wow, you make tripe sound pretty good. I've never had it, and probably wouldn't try it, unless I didn't know what it was, like your situation. You were lucky in a way, in that respect.




There are plenty of other places I could go, and I usually do, because I usually have enough time for that. The only reason I would go to McD's is because it is on my route, so if I am running late and starving, I can do the drive-thru and be on my way quickly. I am even willing to settle for cool fries and a stiff bun if it will be fast. So that is why I would not want to have to wait extra time, (parking and shutting off the car!), for something that is still going to have cool fires and a stiff bun anyway.




I guess it wasn't really "near havoc" but the whole experience was different than ever before. It seemed like the quarter pounder had become almost like a special order, such as if I had ordered one "medium rare with no salt" (which I would never do because that's just not what McD's is about for me).




LOL! I guess I do sound like a high maintenance person, but I really don't think that I am. I didn't get mad or complain, and I am always very polite, regardless of how bad my service might be. I used to work in restaurants, so I understand how things can go.

As a customer, I just noticed a significant change in McD's business practices, (as I had to park and wait, and during that time I noticed the "fresh beef" posters for the first time). So I researched it, and found out they claim the quarter pounder's beef will be cooked after it is ordered, and that means the drive thru no longer functions well for that particular product, since parking and waiting would become standard procedure. It really does change the whole drive-thru experience, and seems to defeat the purpose somewhat.

I also showed the traffic pattern of a different burger place near here which has always cooked their beef after it is ordered. I wanted to show that their drive-thru was designed around the fact that cars would have to park and wait. Whoever designed their drive thru took that into consideration, so clearly I am not the first person to consider it. And I think McD's ought to consider it too. But even if McD's had those parking spaces along the drive-thru path, I would still rather order something else where I would not need to use them. My reason for going to McD's is convenience, not the fine quality of the sear on the patty. (The other place has that, if I want it.)

But I'm glad you seemed to enjoy my tale! I tried to make it at least a little entertaining.

Wow, you make tripe sound pretty good.

If I'm honest, had someone asked me what I thought tripe would taste like before I'd tried it in China, I'd have responded that I supposed it was similar to chitterlings, which, I really can only just barely bear with hot sauce and mixed with really, really good collard greens. I was quite surprised. It doesn't stink like chitterlings do. In fact, in the PRC at least, it tastes like whatever sauce/seasonings it's prepared with. In that sense, it's like tofu.

One thing I can say about food in the PRC is that it benefits from some 5000 years of unbroken food culture. That much time, that long a history of good times and bad times, of times of both plenty and paucity, has given the Chinese a very good sense of how to make pretty much anything taste good. I guess that shouldn't surprise one for taste buds are the same everywhere; acculturation, not what something actually tastes like, is, I think, what makes one amenable to "this or that" food item or preparation. Once one gets past the food notions with which one was raised, many a thing becomes edible, palatable, and, often enough, tasty, even in comparison to what one's used to. For someone like me who travels a lot, it's good that one's taste buds work that way because not always is so-called Western food available.

I'm glad you seemed to enjoy my tale!

It did give me a chuckle or two. LOL

I tried to make it at least a little entertaining.

Mission accomplished.

 

[RainbowSingularity]

i went to KFC
the person filling the order
put the chicken into paper bags, folded the top over once
then put those into a plastic shopping bag
then dropped the fries in which was in an open top paper bag so they spilled out in the bag,
then threw the chilled colslaw in on top

it helped to prove my point that when you go and buy food from places like KFC you are risking your health and you deserve what ever you get(like crossing the road without looking for traffic).

 

[Neddy Bate]

i went to KFC
the person filling the order
put the chicken into paper bags, folded the top over once
then put those into a plastic shopping bag
then dropped the fries in which was in an open top paper bag so they spilled out in the bag,
then threw the chilled colslaw in on top

it helped to prove my point that when you go and buy food from places like KFC you are risking your health and you deserve what ever you get(like crossing the road without looking for traffic).

LOL, yes I suppose it is our own fault for even giving these places a chance.

I admit I did go to that same McD's again since I made this thread. But I did not get the 1/4 pounder this time, because I was in a hurry again, and I was afraid it would take too long if they were going to cook the patty after I ordered it. So I ordered a Bacon McDouble for the first time in my life, instead of my usual order. It was on the $2 menu, so it saved me quite a bit of money. It was pretty fast too, since they did not have to cook it from fresh, and I was not asked to leave the drive thru lane and park this time.

If I am ever not in a hurry, I would like to try to order the 1/4 pounder from the drive thru again, and see if they ask me to park the car and wait again. It would be a good test to see if they have figured out how to do it faster by now.

 

[RainbowSingularity]

LOL, yes I suppose it is our own fault for even giving these places a chance.

I admit I did go to that same McD's again since I made this thread. But I did not get the 1/4 pounder this time, because I was in a hurry again, and I was afraid it would take too long if they were going to cook the patty after I ordered it. So I ordered a Bacon McDouble for the first time in my life, instead of my usual order. It was on the $2 menu, so it saved me quite a bit of money. It was pretty fast too, since they did not have to cook it from fresh, and I was not asked to leave the drive thru lane and park this time.

If I am ever not in a hurry, I would like to try to order the 1/4 pounder from the drive thru again, and see if they ask me to park the car and wait again. It would be a good test to see if they have figured out how to do it faster by now.

"time as a false commodity of quality sold at a premium as a sell-down for quality"

it is an odd concept yet perfectly normalised.

it was a useful wake-up call for me to remind myself of all the horrendous trans fats & chemicals and human disease that you get with buying fast food from fast food places like mcdonalds & kfc & pizza hut.

no sneeze gaurds
no gloves
double handling food items with gloves being used to handle money and the till

those places are such a breeding ground of sickness and poor quality.

meanwhile the actual quality of the food is low, high sugar, high trans fats and high on environmental cost.

the tax payer is paying to clean up the unpaid environmental cost of peoples fast food production.

have you noticed how many people who buy fast food also litter.