Underneath the arches
Debate of the day: should I give McDonald's another try?
Like everyone else who isn't minimum-wage or under 20, I gave up on Mickey D's the moment I entered my teens and haven't visited since. The yellow arches don't even feature in my perception of street furniture these days; they're just visual junk, not even registering with me. If you asked me if there's a McDonalds in my neighbourhood, I'd have to think very, very hard.
The reasoning behind this is that I'm spending a lot of time on the Edgware Road these days around lunchtime. And when it comes to the Fried Chicken Test, this street doesn't just fail the test; it's been refused entry to sit the exam*. The centre of London's Middle Eastern community, but there's a real lack of the falafels, thick coffee, and other delights you might expect. Instead, it's a strip of hardware stores, greasy kebab joints, and downmarket retailers. And - probably - a McDonald's, although thinking back I can't remember one.
Anyway, having noticed the 'toasted ciabatta' ads, and respecting how hard McD's is trying, I'm sorely tempted to try something from their new menu. I laughed when I first saw a darkly-panelled coffee shop corner in a Dublin McD's a while back; as they've added salads (albeit with more calories than a Big Mac) and sandwiches to their menu I'm gaining a grudging respect for them. I may just venture inside the Golden Arches next month, for the first time in at least 15 years.
Or maybe I'll just wait until they've got a wine list.
* The Fried Chicken Test: if a street has 3 or more shops selling fried chicken and no chain coffee shop on it, any estate agent describing the area as 'up-and-coming' is lying.
Like everyone else who isn't minimum-wage or under 20, I gave up on Mickey D's the moment I entered my teens and haven't visited since. The yellow arches don't even feature in my perception of street furniture these days; they're just visual junk, not even registering with me. If you asked me if there's a McDonalds in my neighbourhood, I'd have to think very, very hard.
The reasoning behind this is that I'm spending a lot of time on the Edgware Road these days around lunchtime. And when it comes to the Fried Chicken Test, this street doesn't just fail the test; it's been refused entry to sit the exam*. The centre of London's Middle Eastern community, but there's a real lack of the falafels, thick coffee, and other delights you might expect. Instead, it's a strip of hardware stores, greasy kebab joints, and downmarket retailers. And - probably - a McDonald's, although thinking back I can't remember one.
Anyway, having noticed the 'toasted ciabatta' ads, and respecting how hard McD's is trying, I'm sorely tempted to try something from their new menu. I laughed when I first saw a darkly-panelled coffee shop corner in a Dublin McD's a while back; as they've added salads (albeit with more calories than a Big Mac) and sandwiches to their menu I'm gaining a grudging respect for them. I may just venture inside the Golden Arches next month, for the first time in at least 15 years.
Or maybe I'll just wait until they've got a wine list.
* The Fried Chicken Test: if a street has 3 or more shops selling fried chicken and no chain coffee shop on it, any estate agent describing the area as 'up-and-coming' is lying.
posted by chrisworth at 2:08 PM
1 Comments:
Don't do it Chris - it ain't worth it. They need the permanent cold shoulder - they're still on their own message of profit at whoevers cost - there has to be an alternative. If not throw a couple of Innocent smoothies down your neck.
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