What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

McDonald's year over year sales were terrible. How would you fix (1 Viewer)

General Malaise said:
I just think the name brand has diminished for a few reasons, the most obvious being that competition is fierce and the other is that the medical community has beaten into our heads that fast food and soda are BAD FOR US. You can try to sell salads or make your food items healthier, but it doesn't turn the tide of bias against the brand name. McDonalds is unhealthy and the audience is listening.

I have 3 kids. The first two are 12 and 10 and loved McDonald Happy Meals. At the time, their mom and I would occasionally treat them to a Happy Meal because it was fast, cheap and the boys would eat it. Good for them? No. But come on, we weren't feeding them kale shakes and Fiber All at home. Plus, some kids can be tough to feed and when you find something they will devour in the midst of a busy day/life/career, you get over the "BAD FOR YOU" message.

But my 2.5 year old daughter has never been to a McDonald's. Her mom prefers that she not eat McDonald's and chooses to feed our daughter healthier foods that she makes. Now, we'll go out to eat and she'll eat stuff off the kids menu that I'm sure isn't on top of the pyramid of healthy foods, but there's a stigma against McDonald's that my wife objects too, so that's out. I think the fact that my wife is 8 years younger than me and grew up in an era where the message of food health was quite clear and strong plays a part in this.

Blah blah blah....I think newer generations of parents care about what to feed their kids and some are opting to stay away from McDonalds. :shrug:
Click to expand...
The bad food my daughter gets is the occasional In N Out cheeseburger or a pizza/hotdog from Costco. Healthy food is always in the back of parents' minds today, leaving no room for a place like McDonald's which screams in your head "I'm a ####ty parent".

 
joffer said:
make food that doesn't suck ###
Click to expand...
Has the quality gone south as much as I suspect it has? I used to eat the 10 piece 'Beaks & Claw's' back in my 1980's college days and the quality back then was way better than now.

The fries now seem like ####ty quality too.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
[icon] said:
Agreed with the two headed monster of price and brand perception.

Americans are finally starting to give a #### about what we eat... unfortunately some nutjobs are taking it too far with these gluten-free nonsense (for non celiacs) but in general folks are eating better. Parents are trying to avoid the blatant pitfalls on crap like taking their kid to mcdonalds 2-3x a week.

And the pricing... I don't eat at these places often.... but we hit one on a road trip a couple weeks ago. WTF is up with a "value" mean being $7-8?! :o Pretty much every casual restaurant has a solid $6-8 burger and fries these days that dwarfs MCD's offerings on both quality and size.
Click to expand...
This should probably go in the Five Guys thread.

 
shader said:
Even though I'd argue it's ten times worse to take your family to Chili's/Friday's/Outback or any of the sitdown chain restaurants that are absolutely LOADED in calories.
Click to expand...
This is a sad fact as well. A Chilis burger has as many calories as 4 McDonalds Big Macs.

 
shader said:
I think the "parents not taking their kids to McD's" angle is big. For whatever reason, when i take my kids to McDonald's, I feel like a failure as a father. Like if my friends see me doing it they'll think "man what a loser, takes his kids to Mcdonald's". It's all in the image, I know...but that's the image they have now. Crap food that is horrible for you.

Even though I'd argue it's ten times worse to take your family to Chili's/Friday's/Outback or any of the sitdown chain restaurants that are absolutely LOADED in calories.
Click to expand...
:lmao:

So true.

McDonald's needs a complete redesign of its menu to get rid of as much saturated fat as possible, no trans fat, fresh beef, etc.

Do that and maybe parents won't have to sneak their kids into McDonald's like it's a whorehouse.

 
cstu said:
General Malaise said:
I just think the name brand has diminished for a few reasons, the most obvious being that competition is fierce and the other is that the medical community has beaten into our heads that fast food and soda are BAD FOR US. You can try to sell salads or make your food items healthier, but it doesn't turn the tide of bias against the brand name. McDonalds is unhealthy and the audience is listening.

I have 3 kids. The first two are 12 and 10 and loved McDonald Happy Meals. At the time, their mom and I would occasionally treat them to a Happy Meal because it was fast, cheap and the boys would eat it. Good for them? No. But come on, we weren't feeding them kale shakes and Fiber All at home. Plus, some kids can be tough to feed and when you find something they will devour in the midst of a busy day/life/career, you get over the "BAD FOR YOU" message.

But my 2.5 year old daughter has never been to a McDonald's. Her mom prefers that she not eat McDonald's and chooses to feed our daughter healthier foods that she makes. Now, we'll go out to eat and she'll eat stuff off the kids menu that I'm sure isn't on top of the pyramid of healthy foods, but there's a stigma against McDonald's that my wife objects too, so that's out. I think the fact that my wife is 8 years younger than me and grew up in an era where the message of food health was quite clear and strong plays a part in this.

Blah blah blah....I think newer generations of parents care about what to feed their kids and some are opting to stay away from McDonalds. :shrug:
Click to expand...
The bad food my daughter gets is the occasional In N Out cheeseburger or a pizza/hotdog from Costco. Healthy food is always in the back of parents' minds today, leaving no room for a place like McDonald's which screams in your head "I'm a ####ty parent".
Click to expand...
according to the CDC more than a third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese. I guess 'always' can be taken with a grain of salt

 
Last edited by a moderator:
msommer said:
cstu said:
General Malaise said:
I just think the name brand has diminished for a few reasons, the most obvious being that competition is fierce and the other is that the medical community has beaten into our heads that fast food and soda are BAD FOR US. You can try to sell salads or make your food items healthier, but it doesn't turn the tide of bias against the brand name. McDonalds is unhealthy and the audience is listening.

I have 3 kids. The first two are 12 and 10 and loved McDonald Happy Meals. At the time, their mom and I would occasionally treat them to a Happy Meal because it was fast, cheap and the boys would eat it. Good for them? No. But come on, we weren't feeding them kale shakes and Fiber All at home. Plus, some kids can be tough to feed and when you find something they will devour in the midst of a busy day/life/career, you get over the "BAD FOR YOU" message.

But my 2.5 year old daughter has never been to a McDonald's. Her mom prefers that she not eat McDonald's and chooses to feed our daughter healthier foods that she makes. Now, we'll go out to eat and she'll eat stuff off the kids menu that I'm sure isn't on top of the pyramid of healthy foods, but there's a stigma against McDonald's that my wife objects too, so that's out. I think the fact that my wife is 8 years younger than me and grew up in an era where the message of food health was quite clear and strong plays a part in this.

Blah blah blah....I think newer generations of parents care about what to feed their kids and some are opting to stay away from McDonalds. :shrug:
Click to expand...
The bad food my daughter gets is the occasional In N Out cheeseburger or a pizza/hotdog from Costco. Healthy food is always in the back of parents' minds today, leaving no room for a place like McDonald's which screams in your head "I'm a ####ty parent".
Click to expand...
according to the CDC more than a third of children and adolescents are overweight and obese. I guess 'always' can be taken with a grain of salt
Click to expand...
Sounds more like a tub of lard.

 
ChainsawU said:
McDonalds is revolting the way they treat and process the animals they use to make their food. It's offensive to say this, and I apologize, but you have serious problems if you put the stuff McDonalds sells into your body. And God bless you if you feed it to your kids. It is convenient, but your priorities are out of order if saving time is your reason for eating there.
Click to expand...
Nice - from a guy named "Chainsaw."

This is clearly a pissed off national accounts manager for Poulan that lost the McDonalds account.

 
boots11234 said:
I knew they had a problem 3 years ago when my kids refused to eat there saying it's gross. True Story.
Click to expand...
This. Has nothing to do with price or quality of food, IMO.

Ask most affluent kids where they want to eat nowadays and they'll say Subway or Chick Fillet because McDs is gross.

 
Start pumping MSG into everything they sell.

Or reduce their prices to be competitive.

I'd vote for the former.

 
I'd say [icon]'s post was spot-on as a summary, as were Lambskin's posts about advertising.

That is all.

No, it's not all. The sodium in the meat. It's something you can taste immediately. It's that bad. I love salt. I destroy saltshakers at home. They don't last. But I can barely stomach McDonald's sodium content. And what's weird is, they don't put enough sodium on their fries. It's stupid.

 
rockaction said:
I'd say [icon]'s post was spot-on as a summary, as were Lambskin's posts about advertising.

That is all.

No, it's not all. The sodium in the meat. It's something you can taste immediately. It's that bad. I love salt. I destroy saltshakers at home. They don't last. But I can barely stomach McDonald's sodium content. And what's weird is, they don't put enough sodium on their fries. It's stupid.
Click to expand...
If its not about fake football Dan seems to know a few things.

 
msommer said:
cstu said:
The bad food my daughter gets is the occasional In N Out cheeseburger or a pizza/hotdog from Costco. Healthy food is always in the back of parents' minds today, leaving no room for a place like McDonald's which screams in your head "I'm a ####ty parent".
Click to expand...
according to the CDC more than a third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese. I guess 'always' can be taken with a grain of salt
Click to expand...
Depends where you are - at my daughter's elementary I haven't seen a single fat kid.

 
most importantly make their food taste good and not give you gut rot within an hour of eating it.

Aside from that, the fast food market is totally fractured now and they cannot be the one-stop-shop they'd like to be. There's no way they embrace any of those new niches and become only a "bad food is good" type outlet. Or a healthy nut place. Or fast casual a la Chipotle. I think they need to fracture their brand, break it up and change locations to suit the market that surrounds it. Even create different brand names.

Expensive, risky, and no chance it ever happens. But the market is going to shut down a % of their stores in due time anyway, so might as well try

 
E-Z Glider said:
boots11234 said:
I knew they had a problem 3 years ago when my kids refused to eat there saying it's gross. True Story.
Click to expand...
This. Has nothing to do with price or quality of food, IMO.

Ask most affluent kids where they want to eat nowadays and they'll say Subway or Chick Fillet because McDs is gross.
Click to expand...
My daughter hates Mcdonald's. I think it's because someone showed her the pink slime video and she is convinced that everything there is made of pink slime. She's only 10, and she is NOT a health-food rich girl, as she always begs for Taco Bell...

But the effects of Supersize me and the pink slime pictures both did a lot of damage to MCD.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Most have hit the important points on the head here.

Value. It isn't there anymore. McDonald's used to be that cheap option people would run to because they didn't feel like spending a bunch when out and about. We were travling over Thanksgiving and for 4 of us to eat a McD's was almost $30. 3 value meals and a kids meal, that was it.

Quality. When I'm craving a fast food burger, I'd much rather just go to Five Guys. I'll pay a smidge more, but I know it's going to taste a hell of alot better than a McD's cheeseburger. That and people seem to be more conscience about what they're putting in their bodies nowadays. They don't want all that processed crap, they'd rather have the real thing. Look at Chipotle.

Choices. There's so many more fast food places anymore. Personally, if we're out and about, our go to fast food place in CFA. I know the quality and service will be good everytime. Then you have other burger places like Wendy's, Burger King, Five Guys, In 'n Out, etc. They aren't the only game in town anymore.

Health. They either need to go go all out in on the healthy wagon or embrace the fact they aren't healthy. Be honest, no one goes to McD's because it's a healthy option. Everyone pigs out every now and then. Like other said, Hardee's seems to embrace the whole our food is terrible for you, but it tastes good so who cares. McD's food is bad for you and doesn't taste good. They need to fix that.

 
What the hell do you people eat where McD's is $8 for lunch? I go there with my 2 daughters a few times a year and the total is always $12 and change.

 
Officer Pete Malloy said:
Sell McRibs and Shamrock Shakes 365 days a year?
Click to expand...
I loved the McRib and I've been trying to make my own without all of the, you know, organs and stuff. :X

General Malaise said:
I just think the name brand has diminished for a few reasons, the most obvious being that competition is fierce and the other is that the medical community has beaten into our heads that fast food and soda are BAD FOR US. You can try to sell salads or make your food items healthier, but it doesn't turn the tide of bias against the brand name. McDonalds is unhealthy and the audience is listening.

I have 3 kids. The first two are 12 and 10 and loved McDonald Happy Meals. At the time, their mom and I would occasionally treat them to a Happy Meal because it was fast, cheap and the boys would eat it. Good for them? No. But come on, we weren't feeding them kale shakes and Fiber All at home. Plus, some kids can be tough to feed and when you find something they will devour in the midst of a busy day/life/career, you get over the "BAD FOR YOU" message.

But my 2.5 year old daughter has never been to a McDonald's. Her mom prefers that she not eat McDonald's and chooses to feed our daughter healthier foods that she makes. Now, we'll go out to eat and she'll eat stuff off the kids menu that I'm sure isn't on top of the pyramid of healthy foods, but there's a stigma against McDonald's that my wife objects too, so that's out. I think the fact that my wife is 8 years younger than me and grew up in an era where the message of food health was quite clear and strong plays a part in this.

Blah blah blah....I think newer generations of parents care about what to feed their kids and some are opting to stay away from McDonalds. :shrug:
Click to expand...
Me too and I've poisend them against McDonald's because of it. If they want a burger, we'll hit Steak N Shake or Culvers. It isn't something we do on a regular basis though. Cal is overweight from all of the fruit he eats (he hasn't touched his Halloween candy since 10/31 but will sneak a quart of strawberries) so we are already trying to keep his calories and sugar low.

 
There is not much they can do because this isn't the 70's any more. There are many more options now than back then. Back then you had a few fast food places and then your Denny's type places and that was it. Today there are dozens of quick options and everybody knows they are all better than McDonalds. I haven't been there in years but last time I stopped there the menu had about 200 things on it. Go back to that small basic menu and keep the prices down. Hamburger, cheeseburger, Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, Mcnuggets, apple pie, fries and drinks. Don't serve anything like salads or anything wrapped in a tortilla.

 
shader said:
I think the "parents not taking their kids to McD's" angle is big. For whatever reason, when i take my kids to McDonald's, I feel like a failure as a father. Like if my friends see me doing it they'll think "man what a loser, takes his kids to Mcdonald's". It's all in the image, I know...but that's the image they have now. Crap food that is horrible for you.

Even though I'd argue it's ten times worse to take your family to Chili's/Friday's/Outback or any of the sitdown chain restaurants that are absolutely LOADED in calories.
Click to expand...
This

 
Willie Neslon said:
There is not much they can do because this isn't the 70's any more. There are many more options now than back then. Back then you had a few fast food places and then your Denny's type places and that was it. Today there are dozens of quick options and everybody knows they are all better than McDonalds. I haven't been there in years but last time I stopped there the menu had about 200 things on it. Go back to that small basic menu and keep the prices down. Hamburger, cheeseburger, Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, Mcnuggets, apple pie, fries and drinks. Don't serve anything like salads or anything wrapped in a tortilla.
Click to expand...
McDonald's salads are the suck.... but I really like the BK salads if I have my own dressing.

 
TheIronSheik said:
Dentist said:
Hilts said:
I don't think it's terribly difficult. One, accept there are loads more competitors than ever before.

Two, stop trying to be what you're not. They're cheap, fast, consistent, mediocre meals. Keep the prices low as possible and advertise, advertise, advertise. More product placement in children's shows, and tie ins with kid's products.
Click to expand...
Wait.. you think they need to advertise more? If there is one thing I can't watch a show without seeing, it's a mcdonald's ad.. they have this covered.
Click to expand...
And they are terrible. Possibly the dumbest commercials on TV. Time to hire a new advertising firm.
Click to expand...
Agreed. The I'm Lovin' It jingle has grown old and it was terrible from day 1.

 
cstu said:
msommer said:
cstu said:
The bad food my daughter gets is the occasional In N Out cheeseburger or a pizza/hotdog from Costco. Healthy food is always in the back of parents' minds today, leaving no room for a place like McDonald's which screams in your head "I'm a ####ty parent".
Click to expand...
according to the CDC more than a third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese. I guess 'always' can be taken with a grain of salt
Click to expand...
Depends where you are - at my daughter's elementary I haven't seen a single fat kid.
Click to expand...
Always is absolute. It doesn't 'depend'. ;)

It seems there is still a great deal of market to play for...

 
Such as the Yum-bo has risen from the fryer like a Phoenix from Arizona....thus too should McDonalds reinstall that sacred mantra of "keeping the hot side hot and the cool side cool" amd bring back the McDLT.

 
rockaction said:
Soulfly3 said:
Bring back the mother####ing Big Xtra

And the mother####ing Pizza.

/discussion
Click to expand...
And you want your opinions on Josh Gordon and Tre Mason taken seriously?
Click to expand...
Man, their pizza was the cat's ### when I was a kid.

I grew up in an Italian/French household, and I would BEG for that zza.

Especially with the side of fries.. That stuff is such a trip down memory lane, no way kids today wouldnt go bananas for it

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hilts said:
I don't think it's terribly difficult. One, accept there are loads more competitors than ever before.

Two, stop trying to be what you're not. They're cheap, fast, consistent, mediocre meals. Keep the prices low as possible and advertise, advertise, advertise. More product placement in children's shows, and tie ins with kid's products.
Click to expand...
You mean everything they have been doing for the last 10 years that has been failing miserably?

 
Olaf said:
Soulfly3 said:
rockaction said:
Soulfly3 said:
Bring back the mother####ing Big Xtra

And the mother####ing Pizza.

/discussion
Click to expand...
And you want your opinions on Josh Gordon and Tre Mason taken seriously?
Click to expand...
Man, their pizza was the cat's ### when I was a kid.

I grew up in an Italian/French household, and I would BEG for that zza.

Especially with the side of fries.. That stuff is such a trip down memory lane, no way kids today wouldnt go bananas for it
Click to expand...
Jesus, man, school cafeteria English muffin pizza is better than that ####.
Click to expand...
Just a question - how old are you guys? Id have to say they stopped making that pizza when I was.... 8?

So ya, maybe if I was older and ate it Id not be impressed... but as a kid, we ALL were ordering that ####. as often as we were allowed. pizza was all the rage and they only stopped w it cuz it took to long

 
is there something I don't know about the quality of MCD's beef? Last I heard, they buy their meat from local farms. Not sure what's so different about their beef vs. Wendy's or whatever.

For everyone saying PRICE, PRICE, PRICE...I think you're wrong. Fast food prices have risen across the board from my personal experience. I spent $15 yesterday at Wendy's for two combo meals. No supersizing or anything. Prices are through the roof in all areas related to food. Ground beef is like $5/lb now.

 
Willie Neslon said:
I haven't been there in years but last time I stopped there the menu had about 200 things on it. Go back to that small basic menu and keep the prices down. Hamburger, cheeseburger, Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, Mcnuggets, apple pie, fries and drinks. Don't serve anything like salads or anything wrapped in a tortilla.
Click to expand...
:goodposting:

Waaay too much on the menu. The McDonalds around us all have several new coffee-making machines each that probably take up 30 feet of floor space. What comes out of these machines is inconsistent and the workers struggle to maintain the machines.

And I think the Value Meal concept has run its course. Someone upthread recommended going back to a la carte ordering ... I can get behind that.

 
90% of the time when I get a burger there, the patty is luke warm and rubbery like it's been in a hot well for an hour. You know why? Because it's been in a hot well for an hour.

Cook to order

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

GordonGekko
Food Supply Contamination: How Much Microplastics Are You Eating And Drinking? (15/30)
Replies
2
Views
349
rockaction
rockaction
GordonGekko
What Valuable Lessons Have You Learned From Other FBG Posters Over The Years? (28/30)
Replies
27
Views
830
GordonGekko
GordonGekko
DJackson10
Trying to End a friendship thats over Twenty Plus years but not sure how to end it
2
Replies
65
Views
2K
DJackson10
DJackson10

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Top