I could write a 5,000 word post about all bad things McDonald's does. They screw up your order, their employees have a bad attitude, the burgers never seem to come out right, the bathrooms are disgusting, they made America fat, etc... but the truth of the matter is, its really easy to attack someone on top... People could make many of the same complaints about Taco Bell, Wendy's, or any other fast food chain, but they never do. Why? Because they're not on top.
Co-workers don't turn a long lunch break into an hour and half bitch session about the guy in the mail department... they bitch about their boss... Comedians don't base an entire set around the incompetence of a city council member, they joke about the shortcomings of the president... It's the same with fast food... We spend so much time blaming the evils of fast food and globalization on McDonald's, that we tend to ignore or forget all the good stuff.
But if you've got the munchies at 4 am on a Tuesday night, who are you gonna turn to? If you're on a road trip with 5 different people who can't agree on anything, where are you gonna stop for lunch? If your kid is hungry and full of energy but you've only got an hour to spare, where are you gonna take them? If you find yourself hungry and driving through an unfamiliar area, who's sign are you looking for off in the distance? Need a neutral location to make the weekend kid exchange with your evil ex-wife... guess who's there for you?
Or how about when you're really hungry but only have $5 in your pocket? Where are you gonna eat lunch?
Its with that last question in mind that I have put together my latest, "Life in the Fast (food) Lane," entry. Of course, the best way to stretch your fast food dollar is, obviously, the dollar menu. And who invented the dollar menu? McDonald's of course... That evil corporation!
They created the dollar menu in 2002 and have basically re-revolutionized the world of fast food, something they have done many times over. They have the best idea, and they have them way before anyone else. It's why they're #1.
Now, every national fast food chain has their own version of the dollar menu, to varying degrees of success. Some items are better than others, but after 7 years, McD's still offers the best top-to-bottom dollar menu options.
Currently, the dollar menu looks something like this:
Double Cheeseburger (actually it's been replaced by the McDouble which is the same sandwich with one slice of cheese instead of two?)
McChicken Sandwich
Four Piece Nuggets
Small Fries
Two Apple Pies
Sweet Tea
Small Soda
Bottled Water
Hot Fudge Sunday
Fruit and Yogurt Parfait
Some Salad Thing
Sure, there are dollar menus out there that might have one or two items that compare favorably, but unless you've got the time and energy to swing by multiple fast-food locations in one lunch break, you can't find a better total menu to build your meal.
For me, the best combination is simple... 2 McChickens, 1 Four-Piece Nugget, 1 Sweet Tea.
The key here is asking for Big-Mac sauce on the McChicken sandwiches. The normal McChicken is good, but when you add on the Mac sauce you push things to another level.... we're talking greatness.
When I was first told me about adding Mac sauce, I was skeptical. First of all, I hate being the guy who has to add something special to his order... If you're in the passenger seat while I'm navigating the drive-thru and you tell me something like "I was the #4 but with no mayo and I want extra pickles," I'll either flat out ignore you or tell you to go inside and order it. I feel like such an asshole asking for something speical. The second reservation I had about the Mac sauce addition was the general incompetent of the McDonald's employee. Adding any degree of difficulty to the order process is a dangerous thing.
But surprisingly, when you ask for Mac sauce on your sandwich, there is no, "you want to do what?" reaction... Apparently people do it all the time. I've never had a problem getting it added on, and they usually don't even charge me extra. Sometimes they'll throw in a $0.20 extra charge, but usually, it's free. So go ahead and give it a try. I can't recommend it enough. You'll thank me later.
As for the nuggets... I'm an addict. That's my favorite item on their menu, has been since I was a kid. As good as the fries are, if you give me the option of taking the nuggets I'll take them every time. I have no issue with anyone who prefers the fries, I'm just not capable of saying no to chicken nuggets. I usually go with "hot mustard" sauce but occasionally like to mix in "sweet 'n sour," I feel like changing things up.
I feel the same about the sweet tea as I do about the nuggets... It's my favorite drink option on the menu, so making it available for a buck is a no brainer for me. I've told the story before, but I basically lived with Moe Greene every summer from the ages of 10-17. His mom's sweet tea tastes exactly like the tea from McDonald's. Taking a sip is like being transported back to my childhood. The only issue with the tea is that they often put in too much or not enough ice, and ice is a pretty important variable in sweet tea.
I bought my meal yesterday from the McDoanld's at the intersection of New Hampshire Ave and Randolph Rd in Silver Spring, MD. My usual McDonald's is on Georgia Ave right next to the Glenmont Metro stop, but lets just say there was an "incident" there and I'm now in the market for a new "go-to" McDonald's... The one I bought this meal from is close by and on my way home, but the intersection is really complicated. Getting to their drive-thru requires passing the restaurnat by about a half mile and then making an awkward u-turn. Good service, but that u-turn is a pain in the ass, so my search will have to continue.
As always, the meal was flawless... it's really hard to screw up dollar menu orders, and that Mac sauce really does add a whole new dimention to the McChicken.
Overall, I give the meal a 9/10 rating. The food is good quality for fast food, you won't walk away from the table hungry, and you can get it all for under $5. What more can you ask for? This is why McDonald's will always be the king!
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17 comments:
Need a neutral location to make the weekend kid exchange with your evil ex-wife... guess who's there for you?Bye Bye Love?
Because I'm filthy rich, I add an extra item to my everyday McDonald's meal.
McDouble (the other difference is they put pepper on the sandwich, too)
McChicken
Small Fries
4 Nuggets
Sweet Tea
$5.30
And there's no such thing as too much ice in a sweet tea. I want the tea to be so cold it hurts my teeth.
you just started the civil war! if they put in too much ice you get a situation where in 3 large sips on the straw your out of tea!!!! and you drink more beverage during the course of a meal than any guy I know I have no idea how you can rationalize that.
also, Bye Bye Love is a very underrated movie. I wish I owned it on DVD because it never gets played anymore but I think it would be quite rewatchable. and I know a lot of people are anti-randy quaid but as you know, I've always enjoyed his work. He could always make me laugh and if I remember correctly, he showed some decent skill on the emotional scenes of that movie.
and even though Im morbidly obesse and youre only slightly overweight, somehow you can pull that meal off and I run out of gas if I add that 5th item. that kills me.
I am SHOCKED that Moe wants tons of ice in Iced Tea. It's just like Joel said - there's a balance there. Too little and your tea is warm out of the brewer. Too much and you've got no drink.
I have a love-hate relationship with the dollar menu. Love because, I mean, 4 nuggets for a dollar. Hate because after it came out, that was the ONLY place my cheap ass then-boyfriend wanted to go. I can vividly remember the time we went through the drive-thru and drove all the way home before he realized they forget his $1 salad shaker. Dude threw a FIT. In hindsight, I really should have paid more attention to that episode.
Didn't there used to be a $1 ice cream cone?
I love this FITS feature way too much.
My point is that, while yes, there is a perfect balance, I can't expect it.
Therefore, I'll gladly accept a tea with far too much ice if it means I have the best tea possible. The goal is to evaluate your ice situation ASAP. Not enough ice? Pull over, go in, pour tea, add ice.* Too much ice? Pace yourself. I'm known to absolutely plow through drinks when eating out. When it comes to sweet tea in the car, I will pace myself so that I have more than enough after I'm done eating.
I could go on for hours about the sweet tea at McDonald's.
What matters is that too much ice is a problem I'm more than willing to have if it means I'm not going to have warm sweet tea.**
*I've never actually done this. I should, though.
**Don't get me started on the few occassions when the fine folks in Thurmont handed me warm UNsweetened tea.
You are so right about Mc Donald's, which was my restaurant of choice for today's lunch. I had the #2 with no pickle.
And the workers there are completely incompetent. A few years ago, I was on a biscuit and jam fix. I went to Mc D drive through.
me: i'd like a plain biscuit with jam please.
mcD: we don't have plain biscuits.
me: yes you do.
mc D: we only have the biscuit sandwich.
me: ok, let me have the sausage and egg biscuit sandwich, with no egg and no sausage.
mc D: you want it plain?
me: yes! and can i have a side of jam?
i paid more, but i got what i wanted.
teresa- Ha! that is a classic McDonalds f-up story. seriously, if you cant handle something like: "I'd like a biscuit with jam please..." how are you ever going to succeed in life? it doesnt get any easier than that!
what happens when they get a real job one day and a week before their yearly review the boss wants them to stay late to work on a really important project but they have to pick the kids up from daycare in an hour? how are they going to handle a real world problem like that when they couldnt even handle "biscuit with jam, please,"?
mcdonald's was the first job...to not fire me...they should have kept a closer eye on me because i did a horrible thing when i worked there. i used the same rag to wipe EVERYTHING down. i kept it during a whole shift because it was winter and cold and sticking my hand in the sanitizing bucket, where fresh rags were kept got icky when the water got cold and it caused my hands to dry and crack. i proceeded to wipe down the trays, the countertop, the dining room tables, the high chairs, the fry and soda station, and even the...bathroom sinks. but on a brighter note my drawer was always balanced to the last penny and i always stuffed the fry box good much to my managers disapproval.
i'm hungry :-)
The double cheeseburger is now $1.19!!!
:(
Mmmmm....fries
I think Wendy's has a slightly comparable dollar menu.
They have yucky fries though.
Nessy- I'd put Wendy's as a close second, but in addition to the fries, the nuggets aren't in the same league as McDs either, although they do offer 5 of them which is nice.... as for the McDouble v the Double Chesseburger,i dont think I would have noticed the missing second chesse slice if i hadnt been made so aware that it was missing. but frankly, as much as i LOVE a good double chesse burger, ive had so many that were either really old, smushed, or dripping with grease that, accept for rare occasions, I totally stopped ordering them about a year ago... Moe Greene and I just had this discussion the other day, if you have the perfect McChicken vs the perfect Double Chesseburger, the burger is better... but the McChicken is the much safer pick because its still good when its not that fresh and if they put on too much mayo or lettuce, you can take it off with no hassle. if the double c.burger comes out bad there isnt much you can do.
lauren- i read your comment the other day and did in my mind i thought about how i was going to reply, but then i somehow never actually did, but i didnt realize i didnt... anyway, yes, i am right on the iced tea debate. he basically admitted that to me on the phone. his position was that he's rater have too much than too little, which i agree with, and that he doesnt get that upset at too much ice, but it does bug him sometimes when he goes for a sip and there is nothing left... so like i said, i won. you continue to be the voice of reason for the blog.
and for the bf stuff, was Mike the first decent guy decision you made? it seems like you made all the classic "teenage girl who is bad at dating" decisions
Joel - The only thing I admitted was that it sucks when you moved the straw for one last sip and nothing was left. That sucks whether you're at Burger King, McDonald's, Wendy's, or any other establishment that serves drinks in a plastic/styrofoam cup.
I stand by my initial response; there is no such thing as too much ice.
It's kinda like having too much money. At the end of the day, I don't know where to put all of it, but it's a good problem to have.
Liar.
C-A-P-S, Caps, Caps, Caps!
Who says Mike was a decent decision? Hey oh! ;)
I feel like in general I have a decent track record (only one ex was later accused of date rape) but meltdowns over salad shakers should never be ignored.
Hmmm..I don't think I saw a McDouble on the menu. I shall check it out next time I go.
Have you tried the chicken wrap??? It's very yummy.
Off subject here...but if y'all have 7-11 (all over the place down here in Texas) they have this new combo a Big Gulp, a quarter pounder hot dog, and chips for $2.99. That hot dog is so damn good!
I just wanted to point out that blogspot's ad space is paying a creepy amount of attention to your content. The ads on the right are for McDonalds and Muslim Singles.
lauren- i realize that the odds of anyone ever following an ad link from my blog are next to none, but i enjoy having them there anyway just for that reason... my favorite came a few months ago when I wrote about the toe fungus had back in high school. There were lots of ointment and cream ads.
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