The evolution of McDonald's

[francishsu]

Has anyone been to one of the "new" McDonald's, featuring mood lighting, artwork, plasma screens and Internet access? I just read the following article on ABC News:

A Big Mac Will Soon Come With Plasma TVs and Internet Access

There were a few insightful tidbits.. things that make sense now that I read it.

Comfort was not what McDonald's founder Ray Kroc had in mind when he installed hard, plastic, unmovable furniture in his restaurants decades ago. Kroc wanted customers, especially rowdy teenagers, in and out quickly.

"He figured he was in a high turnover business, and if people hung around, they were only going to be causing trouble," said Philip Langdon, who wrote about McDonald's' architectural history in his book, "Orange Roofs, Golden Arches."

"[Kroc]eliminated pay phones. He eliminated newspaper boxes," said Langdon. "He eliminated any reason for people to want to stick around, but of course, they did."

[monsoon]

McDonalds food is not the same as it was 30 years ago when it tasted a lot better IMO. They no longer cook their hamburgers on grills with onions, their buns are more sugary and have less substance, and are no longer toasted on the grill, (the good carmelization is gone), and they no longer cook with salt and pepper.

I think they were much better when they cooked burgers like we expect and had a much more limited menu than they do now.

[StevenRocks]

I agree with Metro. The food's not nearly as good as it used to be, and that's part of McDonald's problem.

[Snowguy716]

Many restaurants have stepped up in the place that McDonalds used to hold: For example, in California, In and Out is like this and in the midwest, we have Culvers.

There's nothing better than a Butter burger.. that's a bit crispy because it's cooked in butter... but stil melts in your mouth.. and the bun is toasted.

They also have amazing custard.. it screams Wisconsin

[Charlotteman]

This is amusing----eating trashy food in a plush atmosphere!

I feel McDonald's does fries very very well. They also have the yummiest ice cream of any fast food restaurant chain. But besides those two items-----ferget it.

Funny, my partner and I were discussing McDonald's the other day, and it's evolution from Dee's in Salt Lake City. Anyone happen to know the history of this?

[Cadeho]

It depends on where you go. Some McDonald's still use spices and such. I know there was a McDonald's in Waverly, Va we stopped in and I've never had a burger from McDonald's like that before or since. It was an experience.

And depending on where you go, McDonald's can also have different atmospheres.

[monsoon]

It depends on where you go. Some McDonald's still use spices and such. I know there was a McDonald's in Waverly, Va we stopped in and I've never had a burger from McDonald's like that before or since. It was an experience......

[MadVlad]

Many restaurants have stepped up in the place that McDonalds used to hold: For example, in California, In and Out is like this and in the midwest, we have Culvers.

There's nothing better than a Butter burger.. that's a bit crispy because it's cooked in butter... but stil melts in your mouth.. and the bun is toasted.

They also have amazing custard.. it screams Wisconsin

[dimebag1980]

Has anyone been to one of the "new" McDonald's, featuring mood lighting, artwork, plasma screens and Internet access? I just read the following article on ABC News:

A Big Mac Will Soon Come With Plasma TVs and Internet Access

There were a few insightful tidbits.. things that make sense now that I read it.

Anyways, in the new McDonald's catered to young adults, I wonder if they're going to get rid of indoor play structures. I still can't reconcile the idea of eating a Big Mac and fries in a more sophisticated atmosphere. And even the people who order their expanding menu of salads and fruit are still going to be smelling fast food grease.

[Charlotteman]

When I lived in Florida, Hardee's gave McDonald's a real run for the money. I always felt Hardee's food was much better. I particularly liked Hardee's breakfast biscuits.

We don't have Hardee's on the West Coast (sniff) and only one Popeye's in the entire Puget Sound region.

[monsoon]

Actually Hardee's is owned by a west coast company now. It's no longer a NC based chain.

This is also a chain that radically changed how it cooks its burgers. When they started they made a big deal on how they cooked over real charcoal grills and their burgers did have that taste. They eliminated this type of cooking in the 80s because it wasn't cost effective.

Hardees had one of the more unusual buildings of any fast food chain, and they used to be quite common sight around the South. Unfortunately in the 70s they gave up on this building and went with a much more generic looking place of brick and orange panels. Unfortunately most of these "upside down umbrella" buildings were torn down. I have not seen one in probably 20 years and it was a used car lot.

Note the sign referring to Charco Broiled hamburgers. Sadly you can't get one like that now.

[Charlotteman]

Yumm....pass one of those char-broiled burgers!

Perhaps since Hardee's is now owned by a West Coast company, they might expand on the West Coast.

I just hope Krispy Kreme keeps it's corporate structure in N.C.

[Pillsbury]

^ Out west they have a restaurant called Carl's Jr. or something. They have the same logo as Hardees. I wonder if that is the same restaurant.......

[dimebag1980]

^ Out west they have a restaurant called Carl's Jr. or something. They have the same logo as Hardees. I wonder if that is the same restaurant.......

[NCB]

I always thought their logo was just like Hardee's!

[monsoon]

Hardee's was an independantly owned company based in Rocky Mount, NC, until the late 1990s however.

[cityboi]

McDonalds food is not the same as it was 30 years ago when it tasted a lot better IMO. They no longer cook their hamburgers on grills with onions, their buns are more sugary and have less substance, and are no longer toasted on the grill, (the good carmelization is gone), and they no longer cook with salt and pepper.

I think they were much better when they cooked burgers like we expect and had a much more limited menu than they do now.

[monsoon]

food always tasted better in the old days. From what my mother said, even Krispy kreme doughnuts dont taste the same as they did when she was a little girl.

[Charlotte_native]

Hardees had one of the more unusual buildings of any fast food chain, and they used to be quite common sight around the South. Unfortunately in the 70s they gave up on this building and went with a much more generic looking place of brick and orange panels. Unfortunately most of these "upside down umbrella" buildings were torn down. I have not seen one in probably 20 years and it was a used car lot.

[Snowguy716]

We have Hardees here, but no Carl's Jr. I like Hardees better. While the logos are the same, the burgers are different. Hardees has made a big deal of its angus beef burgers that are extra thick.

They taste charbroiled, but I doubt they are. In fact, the only place that has a real charbroiled taste is Burger King. And those black lines are not painted on. Of course, Burger King simply feeds the beef patties through a conveyer that sends the beef over flames. The result is a charbroiled taste, but not authentic, as there is no charcoal involved.

I would rank them as:

1. Culvers/ In and Out was equally as good.

2. Hardees

3. Burger King

4. McDonalds

[Pillsbury]

food always tasted better in the old days. From what my mother said, even Krispy kreme doughnuts dont taste the same as they did when she was a little girl.

[Charlotte_native]

Yep, I've heard that same complaint about Coke. Apparently they switched from sugar to fructose syrup awhile back, although you can still get the original in South America and Mexico.

[snoogit]

Many restaurants have stepped up in the place that McDonalds used to hold: For example, in California, In and Out is like this and in the midwest, we have Culvers.

There's nothing better than a Butter burger.. that's a bit crispy because it's cooked in butter... but stil melts in your mouth.. and the bun is toasted.

They also have amazing custard.. it screams Wisconsin

[monsoon]

Yep, I've heard that same complaint about Coke. Apparently they switched from sugar to fructose syrup awhile back, although you can still get the original in South America and Mexico.

[dimebag1980]

Culvers!!!!!!! oh I try to get out to the one by me, but every time I seem to get some reason I can't go. I'm going to change that this week. Anything that combines butter, and burgers has to be good for you