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In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

theguardian.com

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Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

#131

Post by ghaff »

balls187 wrote: post #114
greenspot wrote: post #102

McDonalds is the master in orchestrating food. I love McDonalds and I think their hamburger is the best hamburger, their french fries are the best and all the other menu options have this typical McDonalds design--everything, every single piece and ingredient is meticulously thought through and the final dish has a perfect taste. The taste you get for the carb in-take is unmatched. It's cool to hate McDonalds, I know…

Have you tried making your own mcdonald's french fries? This process was tedious, but surprisingly effective: http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2010/05/the-burger-lab-h... I did not have an accurate way to measure the temp of the oil, which is important. Also I reused peanut oil, fresh oil would make the color nicer and a more pure taste.

I do like their fries--though that's about the only thing. To me, McDonalds has better fries than places like In-and-Out but their burgers are far inferior.

Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

#132

Post by stcredzero »

Retric wrote: post #121
stcredzero wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People finding community of some form is not just a good thing, it's an essential thing to human life. It should always be lauded. However, there is a lot of socioeconomic and sub-cultural in-group/out-group judgement in US society, all of which feels absolutely justified by those doing the judging. http://www.vox.com/2016/4/21/11451378/smug-american-liberali... In reality, it's all exactly the same sort of crap that…

You can find deeply troubling things about all cultures. White, black, brown, rich, poor, middle class, young, old, doctors, brick layers, or welfare recipients. Atheists, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and Buddhists all have beliefs that seem wrong to people both inside and outside of those groups. Pretending groups are somehow above criticism is more about manners than fact. PS: I have watched several people be…

People need to be aware of the distinction between criticizing cultural/sub-cultural mores/ideologies and criticizing individuals. In the US, the two seem to get very often confused.

Individuals are individuals. Sub-cultural mores are products (distortions) of the media. The two are not the same. However, the latter seems to have tremendous power in framing public debate.

Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

#134

Post by zepto »

smokey_the_bear wrote: post #122
zepto wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He's not talking about once in a while - he's talking about several times a week.

We take them approximately once a month.

How often would you go without the stigma?

Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

#135

Post by amelius »

balls187 wrote: post #114
greenspot wrote: post #102

McDonalds is the master in orchestrating food. I love McDonalds and I think their hamburger is the best hamburger, their french fries are the best and all the other menu options have this typical McDonalds design--everything, every single piece and ingredient is meticulously thought through and the final dish has a perfect taste. The taste you get for the carb in-take is unmatched. It's cool to hate McDonalds, I know…

Have you tried making your own mcdonald's french fries? This process was tedious, but surprisingly effective: http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2010/05/the-burger-lab-h... I did not have an accurate way to measure the temp of the oil, which is important. Also I reused peanut oil, fresh oil would make the color nicer and a more pure taste.

(That link is hilarious and informative at the same time.)

Do you also have a recipe for the sauce?

Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

#136

Post by sturmen »

ghaff wrote: post #131
balls187 wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you tried making your own mcdonald's french fries? This process was tedious, but surprisingly effective: http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2010/05/the-burger-lab-h... I did not have an accurate way to measure the temp of the oil, which is important. Also I reused peanut oil, fresh oil would make the color nicer and a more pure taste.

I do like their fries--though that's about the only thing. To me, McDonalds has better fries than places like In-and-Out but their burgers are far inferior.

I agree that McDonald's has the best fries in the game.

Although In-N-Out's fries (when ordered plain) are some of the worst. As is custom, Animal Style is the way to go!

Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

#137

Post by Kalium »

RodericDay wrote: post #2

Reminds me of this 2014 article about a "standoff" between McDonald's Employees and elderly Chinese people using it as a community space http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/McDonalds-Elderly-Senio... Also, chess players being evicted from a Vancouver mall after 50 years of congregation http://www.timescolonist.com/chess-players-offered-new-play-... I have an ideological axe to grind here, but I can't help but think…

> but it's really not hard to imagine something superior to both McDonald's and shelters, just real community space.

Depends a great deal on how you define "superior". McD's has the singular advantage of being generally self-funding.

Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

#138

Post by d883kd8 »

DanielBMarkham wrote: post #91
stcredzero wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People finding community of some form is not just a good thing, it's an essential thing to human life. It should always be lauded. However, there is a lot of socioeconomic and sub-cultural in-group/out-group judgement in US society, all of which feels absolutely justified by those doing the judging. http://www.vox.com/2016/4/21/11451378/smug-american-liberali... In reality, it's all exactly the same sort of crap that…

I agree. I have noticed a strange flip-flop over the last 30 years or so. While the most prominent in and out groups have changed, the folks who used to talk the most trash about outsiders are now much more reticent. Now many of the folks who used to complain about getting put down are now the ones (mostly in private, but many times in public) with all the trash talk, i.e., acting like they always thought all the oth…

I've seen it called the "regressive left" in a few places.

Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

#140

Post by mikeash »

tobltobs wrote: post #103
RankingMember wrote: post #55

I remember driving through a Native American reservation in the Southwest and stopping at a McDonald's after seeing not much of anything for miles and miles. I walked in and it was like everyone in the reservation was there hanging out it was so alive with conversation and activity. I'm not a McDonald's fan, but I'm glad they exist to serve purposes like that, because I'm not sure where else the people in that one wo…

The interesting question is, if this is a sign for an achievement of McDonalds or a failure of the society?

Yes.
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