Why I don't eat here .....

[lago]

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39656461

[Ed62]

I don't eat there either. But where I do eat is probably about the same.

Ed

[ironhat]

It states right in the article that mold has certain growth requirements as does rot. What you have here is dehydration before those life forms can begin to be noticeable with the naked eye. Place this 'food' in a plastic bag for a few days and you may well have a different picture.

[vaking]

I had done a similar experiment myself once unintentionally. I fried a steak, left it on a counter and forgot about it for few days. The steak dried out but did not rot. That steak was from Shoprite. Should I stop buying there?

[herb fellows]

Yes:-).
But seriously....
I eat there once in a while. Is it the best? Absolutely not. But you do know exactly what you are getting. It's pretty much the same all over the world (except for being charged for Ketchup in GB, that really annoys me!)
Is it safe? It is likely that it is safer than your neighborhood restaurant, on average. I paid over $300 for dinner for two in a well known New Orleans restaurant, and I've never been that sick either before or since. I've never gotten sick at McDonalds, and I don't know anyone who has either.
I've seen food handlers in restaurants with open sores touching food without gloves. I've even walked out of a couple of places over this and similar acts.
Mickey d's has a lot to lose if something goes wrong, so I think they stay on top of that stuff more than most.
If you've ever worked at a restaurant, you know that things have a tendency to get a bit wanky once in a while.
That 5 second 'food on the floor' rule can really get extended!

[cwsmith]

The photographer stated that her dogs lost interest after a day or so... well, somebody or something was interested, because it looks like two different meals... notice that the frys are all rearranged and even the creases in the first bun are different than the one in the second picture. While I would suspect the latter to be hard and maybe even cracked, I wouldn't think the pattern of the "creases" would be completely different.

I'm always a bit skeptical of these kinds of things and IMO, they certainly don't offer proof of one thing or another. I recently discovered an open brick of cheddar, that though only four weeks old was completely moldy... in the refrigerator and in the original wrap. It still had over a month to go on the "Good by:" date.

I think the general environment has a lot to do with whether food (or anything else) grows mold. Temperature, humidity, etc. But even then (as with our fairly new, 2-year old, refrigerator), there are other factors that determine "mold" or lack of it.

Speaking of "gloves"... I remember once seeing one of the food handlers in my local Wegman's... old guy wearing plastic gloves and handing out samples. Looked okay to me and certainly those plastic gloves showed that he was doing his best to be sanitary... that was untill he reached in his back pocket and pulled out a dirty hankerchef and blew his nose. Plastic gloves are by no means a tell-tale sign of cleanliness.

CWS

[LCHIEN]

i noticed the same thing as CWSMITH that the fries seemed to be arranged differently and the buns had different creases leading me to the question of were they the same items?

But assuming it's true the real test would be to take some fresh hamburger meat, cook it and some home made buns and fry some fresh cut potatoes and put them on a plate next to the mickey-D ones and see how they fare comparatively. In the scientific world this is called a control subject.

[cabinetman]

I'd rather have it rot on the counter than in my stomach. Seem to rot faster as soon as it's eaten.
.

[pack04]

No matter where in the world you eat a 1/4 pounder, it takes the same.

Is this impressive quality control or just plain scary?

[LCHIEN]

No matter where in the world you eat a 1/4 pounder, it takes the same.

Is this impressive quality control or just plain scary?

One of the most expected things about eating in a chain restaurant is that the meals and atmosphere will be comfortingly familiar. Instead of having to stress over what to order and whether you'll like it you can feel very, well, at home. I think that's what successful chain restaurants strive for... that comfort factor. It's why they have manuals and specifications for facilities, decorations, food preparation, portions, and temperature, packaging, etc. down to every detail and common suppliers. It's why they get the big franchise fees.

OTOH sometimes when traveling and seeking new food experiences, rows of chain restaurants can be a real bane. Some days when you are 2000 miles from home and feel like an eating experience its just awful to find you've picked a place that looks and feels and tastes just like the place a mile from your house.

On the third hand, I've been on the road for 3 weeks and been glad to get a meal at a chain restaurant just like I expected.

[BobSch]

Up until a few weeks ago I hadn't been in a McDonalds for years. I stood back from the counter to allow others to order while I read the menu and the clerks kept asking me what I wanted. I think they thought I was stalking the place.

[natausch]

You can't get rid of McDonalds and other fast food places for the simple reason that it would put thousands of Navy Enthusiasists out on the street with nowhere to go except to wreak havoc.

Seriously though, I rarely go to fast food restaurants for breakfast, but no matter what city I am in everytime I go there seems to be a group of guys talking about the displacement value of this destroyer or that battleship, creepy.

[cabinetman]

Up until a few weeks ago I hadn't been in a McDonalds for years. I stood back from the counter to allow others to order while I read the menu and the clerks kept asking me what I wanted. I think they thought I was stalking the place.

It's a certain aura one has that I've seen on occasion with those standing in line. It is developed by a concept one gets with a prevailing expectation. For example:

A couple with children was standing in line at Space Mountain at Disney World. They had that aura, but no concept for the ride...they were carrying luggage.
.

[southernbob]

What's in your hamburger?

See it here, plus what's in other foods.

http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slide/...w=185476#title