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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

#171

Post by smokey_the_bear »

blastrat wrote: post #92
smokey_the_bear wrote: post #6

McDonalds is the only restaurant I enjoy eating at with my 2 and 3 year olds. Every other restaurant is a slog to get through the meal. Honestly I'd eat there more often if it weren't for the social stigma of it. (I live in Berkeley). I am pretty sure the cheeseburger, apple slices, and chocolate milk are not much worse, and probably better, than the typical fare on a slapped together kids meal. When I was a kid, my…

In terms of dining with small children, do you mean fast food or do you specifically mean McDonalds, compared to Burger King, etc.? just curious.

I'm not sure we've eaten at any other fast food restaurants with them! McDonald's tends to be very convenient on road trips.

In general, though they're adventurous eaters at home, they don't eat well in restaurants because they prefer that we are all eating the same thing. And booths are much easier to contain them in than tables.

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

#172

Post by treehau5 »

smokey_the_bear wrote: post #6

McDonalds is the only restaurant I enjoy eating at with my 2 and 3 year olds. Every other restaurant is a slog to get through the meal. Honestly I'd eat there more often if it weren't for the social stigma of it. (I live in Berkeley). I am pretty sure the cheeseburger, apple slices, and chocolate milk are not much worse, and probably better, than the typical fare on a slapped together kids meal. When I was a kid, my…

> There are some issues with McDonalds, but it is a pleasant user experience.

That's interesting, given that McDonalds purposefully designs it's restaurants to get customers in and out as quick as possible. The chairs are hard, uncomfortable plastic, the music is annoying, and the dining room is always set to some arctic temperature.

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

#173

Post by Pamar »

bitwize wrote: post #123
bluedino wrote: post #12

Aren't Japanese McDonald's a popular hangout for teenagers?

When I was in Osaka, the McDonald's had a blockbusting line going into it. The food was, near as I can tell, identical to the American locations -- but the place was spacious, clean, and staffed mostly by the sort of mousy-voiced girls Japan seems to produce in legion strength. And you get a Handi-Wipe to clean up with after your meal.

after your meal?

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

#174

Post by treehau5 »

zem wrote: post #95
notliketherest wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Social stigma? Why do you care what other people think?

why do you not? it's a very strongly ingrained part of human nature, and a lot of civilisation depends on it. in particular, the whole notion of a social contract would likely collapse if no one cared what other people thought; neither empathy nor game-theory-style rationality are strong enough as universal motivating factors.

Anyone who has ever said out-loud, "I don't care what anyone thinks," by virtue of their public pronouncement, is hoping that someone cares that they don't care what anyone thinks.

A: "I don't care what people think. People suck, and are so judgmental!"

B: "I too don't care what people think!"

A: "Let's be friends!"

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

#175

Post by dopamean »

meddlepal wrote: post #125
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…

I don't hate McDonald's because it isn't organic or biowhatever. I'm also not concerned with elevating myself to some perceived class I don't belong in. I hate it because it tastes like garbage and is expensive compared to similar options. For a dollar or two more I can get a vastly superior burger, fries and shake at 5 Guys, Tasty Burger, Wahlburgers or whatever.

For people who don't have a dollar or two more the difference between McDonalds and 5 Guys is negligible.

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

#176

Post by pc86 »

DarkLinkXXXX wrote: post #109
DanielBMarkham wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

Political jargon already has a term for this. When someone claims to be a member of political demographic A, but his ideals are more closely aligned with, or he secretly supports political demographic B, he is said to be a crypto-B. For example, liberals might hyperbolicly call Trump a crypto-fascist, and Sanders supporters might call Clinton a crypto-Conservative, or a crypto-neoliberal. Granted, it's not used in ma…

Republicans call Republicans they don't like RINO (Republican in Name Only). Democrats call Democrats they don't like Republican.

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

#177

Post by Pamar »

peterwwillis wrote: post #112

Wal-Mart and McDonald's are the modern equivalent of the diner and malt shop that middle-class white people may be more familiar with (it seems this article was written with a specific readership in mind). Go to any small town or poor rural area, and these are the places people congregate. It has almost nothing to do with food, and more to do with a social space designed for people to gather comfortably. In Italy it'…

In Italy we have Cafè's, which are usually in a piazza, but there are also other options.

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

#178

Post by pc86 »

stcredzero wrote: post #164
jrnichols wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

""Redneck Liberals" comes to mind. " I don't think people realize just what a late group this really is. Often times they're more under the Libertarian umbrella, though, but still... there's more shades of purple than there are red or blue.

Actually, one of my best friends in Texas is a "Redneck Liberal" but he's more of the "slightly to the left of Mao" sort than he is a Libertarian.

Austin?

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

#179

Post by iammyIP »

The pictures look pretty sad and the mc donalds house is filled with a cloud of sugary sweetness. Kids may like it but if one is older and still likes it, i would assume that this person either got addicted to this in some form or simply has the stomach and tastebuds similar to a dog (which is nothing to be ashamed of).

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

#180

Post by pweissbrod »

jernfrost wrote: post #157

Bizarre how the article seems to present this as a hopeful and positive thing about McDonalds. To me it is just another indicator of how broken American society is. A fast food place serving terrible and unhealthy food is becoming a gathering place for poor people who are probably the ones most in need of a healthier and better lifestyle. It is also a sad reminder of how society has gone so utterly wrong when the che…

I wish I could upvote this more. I also dont blame McDonalds as a company. Like any other restaurant they're forced to strike their own line between quality of ingredients vs price. Like any other restaurant they must pander to what their customer base wants. Their success is a reflection of what we have become as a society, gladly choosing such a faceless generic landmark as the focal point of our community. There is just something about it that feels soulless and submissive to me.
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