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McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

latimes.com

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Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#131

Post by ponector »

f1shy wrote: post #48
notepad0x90 wrote: post #6

Perhaps this is a good thing? Are people eating healthier home-made foods now?

I do not think this is exactly true. People may stop eating junk outside. But having a healthy balanced diet is more expensive than buying junk and eating at home; and not only in money, but more importantly (maybe) in time. Cooking takes time and effort, which families with both working parents may struggle with. Please do not forget often those people have more exhausting and abusive jobs. I know from first hand, h…

You can have a balanced diet based on frozen meat, fish and vegetables. Add there pasta, beans, rice, oats, etc.

Also I'm pretty sure they are spending more time on social media than cooking.

Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#132

Post by ponector »

f1shy wrote: post #94
anonymouskimmer wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some people aren't taught how to cook (though I suppose they could jump on YouTube these days). And for those who are, at the very lowest incomes, they may not have a working range or oven. While a cheap microwave can be had for under $100, the cheaper plug-in stove tops don't last if used daily.

Also those people may not have time or energy to learn cooking by looking youtube. From an armchair, with good economic position and time and money for hobbies anyone can learn to cook by yt. But man I know some families where both parents (when there are 2!) come completely exhausted after 10 hs of hard work. We changed the quality of food on our home. The amount of money and time invested was much more than we expe…

>>> decent equipped kitchen, with enough room, knives and other tools are needed

But you don't need too much to cook a healthy food. One pan, one pot, one knife and a spatula. Yes, not everything could be cooked with such setup, but tons of healthy cheap food.

Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#133

Post by Freedom2 »

esseph wrote: post #127
f1shy wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My experience is that quality in McD is rapidly declining. We may agree was never a Michelin star restaurant. But I remember being more or leas enjoying the food. Now I just can’t. Maybe I’m getting older. But I would swear the quality is much worse now than say 5 or 10 years ago.

Seems to be exactly the same quality at least here in the US, that it has always been.

In some ways the rest of the world's McDonald's are simply plummeting to the low quality of those in the US.

Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#135

Post by bitshiftfaced »

dole wrote: post #122

You eat at McD's or most fast food places these days, you need the app to get reasonable prices, usually at a 15-20% discount. The app really does enhance the experience, order exactly what you want without human error, roll up to the drive-thru, give them the code, and they begin making the order at that point. They've been pushing $5 value meals recently because the dollar menu's just not fiscally feasible anymore…

> The app really does enhance the experience, order exactly what you want without human error, roll up to the drive-thru, give them the code, and they begin making the order at that point.

They're particularly good at getting orders right compared to some other restaurants, so the additional value here to me is negligible. It's actually negative value to me, since if I can do a transaction without having to sign up, that's what I prefer. The value is entirely in the other direction: McDonald's wants to monetize their customer's identity information.

Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#136

Post by ceejayoz »

FerretFred wrote: post #21

I can only speak for the UK but for quite a while now, McD's has become an uninviting experience, with miserable staff, menu screens that visibly tell you to hurry the f*k up and choose the product. Not to mention customers vying with delivery drivers for orders. I think the problem applies to all-income customers.

The app drives me crazy on the occasions I do have to use it.

Picking fries brings me to a one-item category where I can... pick fries again.

Latency during the order process is insane, and then they add animations and little popup alerts throughout that actively interfere with me getting my all-important order code while I'm sitting like an asshole in the drive-through.

Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#137

Post by notepad0x90 »

lysace wrote: post #115
notepad0x90 wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I meant beef specifically, not meat in general. Our ancestors didn't eat bovine meat every single day like we do now. Plus cows take up lots of grazing ground, and I'm not happy about how they're treated worse over time because we keep eating more of them, and that requires more and more cruel ways of supplying that beef. Chicken and sheep seem to be more sustainable. But either way, I think it is good for our health…

Ok. Just noting: Realistically, your concerns are not going to change the eating desires of actual humans in the real world. So the plan is a beef tax, then? Here's a reality check from Sweden: https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/svenskarna-dissar-kottska... (the public service broadcaster) https://www-svt-se.translate.goog/nyheter/inrikes/svenskarna...

I think just raising awareness is enough. Trends come and go. People are drinking a lot less milk these days than in the 80's or prior for example. But on the flip side, ozempic and similar weight loss drugs are probably promoting over-consumption now.

Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#138

Post by notepad0x90 »

f1shy wrote: post #48
notepad0x90 wrote: post #6

Perhaps this is a good thing? Are people eating healthier home-made foods now?

I do not think this is exactly true. People may stop eating junk outside. But having a healthy balanced diet is more expensive than buying junk and eating at home; and not only in money, but more importantly (maybe) in time. Cooking takes time and effort, which families with both working parents may struggle with. Please do not forget often those people have more exhausting and abusive jobs. I know from first hand, h…

Hmm.. I see your point. Grocery stores do have a lot more unhealthy foods than fast food I suppose. Lots of snacks and drinks. Even sugary breads, canned food,etc.. But because you're not eating out, it feels healthier.

Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#139

Post by plorkyeran »

somenameforme wrote: post #103
walthamstow wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I paid £5.09 for a sausage and egg mcmuffin meal with coffee and a hash brown this morning. I think that's pretty reasonable, especially for London.

I have quite a lot of difficulty eating out once you start cooking at home, because think of what you are buying: - one English muffin (is it called an English muffin in England?) - one slice of cheese - one egg - one slice of ham - one cup of coffee - one hashbrown £5.09 for that? Obviously when you buy from a restaurant you're paying for their labor, rent, electric, and much more so it makes sense - McDonald's fran…

The price for each of those at my local supermarket when buying the low quality option in bulk:

English Muffin: 70¢

Slice of cheese: 40¢

Egg: 40¢

Slice of Ham: 50¢

Hash browns: 40¢

Coffee: $1?

In total $3.40. £5.09 for that in hot, prepared form ready to eat sounds cheap to me, not expensive.

Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#140

Post by [deleted] »

trentnix wrote: post #77
anonymouskimmer wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. You can still get over 2000 calories at Taco Bell for $8 (this would be five of the Cheesy Bean and Rice burrito, my personal favorite). Even a Cheesy Double Beef burrito for the meat lovers can get you over 2000 calories for just over $11 for four. And their box meals will throw in a drink for a decent price. You can spend a lot more, but you don't have to. This isn't meant as a Taco Bell commercial, just a com…

Taco Bell's prices are absolutely through the roof, too. I'm not seeing the "decent price" at my local TB that you're seeing.

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