tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2485469691062620401.post2299855119796576398..comments2023-09-15T02:40:58.916-07:00Comments on Move Along. Nothing To See Here.: Further To The Mac AttackFlintharthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17456024642528783549noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2485469691062620401.post-5063145927084974162010-04-22T22:15:48.500-07:002010-04-22T22:15:48.500-07:00Customer satisfaction MEANS profits. No questions....Customer satisfaction MEANS profits. No questions. But in the case of places like McDee, they're having a bet both ways. "Healthy menu" gives 'em something to point at to show they're addressing parental concerns. "Heavily advertised McMeals with media tie-ins and toys" continue to target the littlies.<br /><br />I regret you feel I'm being cynical here. I'm not. I'm looking at exactly what is in front of me. I understand that the Clown has a need to address customer satisfaction, sure. But the Clown's core business is those burgers and fries they advertise so heavily. And only an incredibly stupid corporation would create a parallel line of products WITHOUT doing their best to ensure that their core business was still solidly supported.<br /><br />Whatever else the Clown's minions may be, they're not stupid. And so, quite naturally, they continue to work very hard at drawing new clientele to their core business of fast burgers and fries. <br /><br />I don't blame them any more than I blame a dog for killing a rabbit. It's the nature of corporations to pursue profit. But since my kids are in line to be the rabbits to this particular dog, I'm sure you'll excuse me if I take steps to keep them safe -- and if I don't accept that the dog in question is a perfectly harmless vegetarian.Flintharthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17456024642528783549noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2485469691062620401.post-81552086269270307052010-04-22T19:36:24.417-07:002010-04-22T19:36:24.417-07:00Thanks for the offer. I do have an addy. It is: ...Thanks for the offer. I do have an addy. It is: juffowupATgmailDOTcom<br /><br />Any and all recipes appreciated. Ta!Kelvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00001716344014755652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2485469691062620401.post-63910991997264677802010-04-22T05:11:39.035-07:002010-04-22T05:11:39.035-07:00Have a read of Flintys post on Mother Foccacia htt...Have a read of Flintys post on Mother Foccacia http://motherfoccacia.blogspot.com/2009/05/baby-food.html about baby food too, i sent to all my mates with young kids and it was thoughtfully picked over. <br /><br />I truly doubt whether any large modern corporation truly puts their customers satisfaction and wellbeing before profits, i just don't believe its in our culture anymore.<br /><br />I made a pledge to go off HJ for a year, it was my last resort food at work when i'd forgotten lunch, i never really enjoyed it and had kicked the rest of them a long time before. Still was a real effort to do that year though, habits are hard to break and easy to form and i was nowhere near a regular patron.beesohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11876219112305527188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2485469691062620401.post-62471032249841096962010-04-21T19:40:04.092-07:002010-04-21T19:40:04.092-07:00Flinty - any recipie you send to Kelvin, send to m...Flinty - any recipie you send to Kelvin, send to me. I'm helping raise kids now too :)Ysambarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02360071758069381121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2485469691062620401.post-75101561955447139252010-04-21T17:57:36.449-07:002010-04-21T17:57:36.449-07:00Dirk, I agree with most of what you say although I...Dirk, I agree with most of what you say although I was surprised by the Heart Foundation comment, I didn't know that. Sigh, another bastion thwarted. <br /><br />As a parent of 3 kids, we occasionally visited Macs as a treat, it didn't do any harm and the pester power thing didn't bother us, we were good parents and never gave into such nonsense. I think the point here is good parenting. We all have different theories and stratagems when approaching these things . I took the approach of most things in moderation with discipline rather than your 'hide then from it' approach. both methods work I suppose but I'd be worried about a 'rebound/rebellion' thing when they are teenagers with yours. perhaps living where you do will help there :) <br /><br />One thing I do want to address though is your apparent cynical response to corporation attempts at change. These changes are brought about by customer satisfaction surveys which most corporations take very seriously. Because it doesn't matter how arrogant or large you are, you will go out of business with no customers. Good Customer satisfaction means good customer loyalty which, in this capitalist world, means you can charge more. Apple are the world leaders here. <br /><br />As you know I work for an Australian corporation that is suffering from an apparent image problem at the moment (although many of the complaints written on blogs like JBs are instigated by the opposition - true!) My company takes this VERY seriously. many people think we are so arrogant that customers don't matter. 'urrrgnt' Wrong! We conduct a special (all the bells and whistles)customer survey every month and the findings are reduced to a figure which is currently 6.4 (i don't know the unit) If we can get that figure to 6.7 in 70 days (I cant remember the exact date) every employee will get $1000. that's a hit on the company of nearly 30 million. that's how serious they are. Unfortunately the needle went backwards last month so we are reviewing things once more. My point is that ALL major corporations include MacDonald's and Woolworth's conduct these types of surveys and try to keep customers by improving customers satisfaction.<br /><br />Sorry if this is a bit disjointed but I have a baby migraine this morningMickHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03951243567370863042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2485469691062620401.post-81386677976715985612010-04-21T17:51:34.511-07:002010-04-21T17:51:34.511-07:00Hey, Dirk, I could use some of those recipes too! ...Hey, Dirk, I could use some of those recipes too! While we don't generally do convenience food, our version of quick has gotten stuck in a roasted chicken with roasted root veggies and steamed greens rut. It's good and one of the few things I can count on the Spawn eating but...even good free-range chicken gets old after a while. On the plus side, the Spawn has started wanting to help chop the veggies. As she is only three, this rather scary, actually. Never write things whilst attempting to "do" a puppet.Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10574314121763385074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2485469691062620401.post-41248217932965275382010-04-21T06:17:02.673-07:002010-04-21T06:17:02.673-07:00My other three kids (who live with their Mum a gre...My other three kids (who live with their Mum a great many kms away) eat too much shit food, don't exercise enough, and as a result are a bit plump to fat (which shits me to tears). Visiting with them once a few years back, my wife and I were talking with them about healthier eating etc., and they were telling us 'Oh but Maccas has healthier stuff on the menu these days'...my wife responded with 'That's all well and good, but do YOU guys order the salads or just go for the burgers?' They conceded that they did indeed go for the burgers. The healthy stuff isn't any good if you don't eat it!<br /><br />Our 'fast food' here is fish and chips from this great fish shop across the road on a Friday night (Catholic Fish Friday!). Wifey and I used to get these epicly awesome burgers from a shop up the road on rare occasions...but the bloody shop shut so that's the end of that. If it comes to hamburgers, I'll take one from a good, small, family run place over a corporate entity any day.Bondiboy66https://www.blogger.com/profile/03526870939619033169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2485469691062620401.post-49281034072664331122010-04-21T05:26:53.064-07:002010-04-21T05:26:53.064-07:00Ha Haaaaa! I knew that would totally get you going...Ha Haaaaa! I knew that would totally get you going! :)<br /><br />I've been to busy to reply properly and there is something I need to check first.MickHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03951243567370863042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2485469691062620401.post-36827642138280167962010-04-21T02:53:44.630-07:002010-04-21T02:53:44.630-07:00Kelvin: stay in contact. I've got a huuuuge li...Kelvin: stay in contact. I've got a huuuuge list of recipes and techniques for making incredibly tasty food that's also healthy enough to keep my wife the doctor happy. And as far as possible, they're simple and easy things to do. <br /><br />That's the place where the Colonel and the Clown score: ease and convenience. If you can produce tasty, healthy food in short order without much effort, the Colonel and the Clown start looking pretty shabby. <br /><br />D'you have an email address?Flintharthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17456024642528783549noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2485469691062620401.post-34521165097959009772010-04-20T20:23:48.688-07:002010-04-20T20:23:48.688-07:00And as a new Dad, I can really appreciate the down...And as a new Dad, I can really appreciate the downward spiral. My wife and I found that we were speding more and more time going out and getting HJ (BK in the rest of the country) or the Colonel or MickeyD when we were both too tired to cook after a night of sleeplessness and a day of either dealing with The Boy or working 8 hours. Its an easy and quick option and that's the point. Convenient and filling.<br /><br />Now we are making more of an effort seeing as The Boy is now old enough to eat our food and I appreciate the difference but old habits are hard to break. We are programmed to eat a high-calorie diet to get us through the lean times of winter and these big companies work on that addiction. But seeing as how we no longer have lean winters in our society of plenty, we just get fatter and fatter as we pile in those calories. I still crave sugar and starch and its very, very hard to ignore your body's cries for them. Its a hard road but one I plan on walking for the benefit of my Boy.<br /><br />Thanks for voicing how I feel, Flintheart.Kelvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00001716344014755652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2485469691062620401.post-77061822840448438512010-04-20T16:28:07.452-07:002010-04-20T16:28:07.452-07:00GC: I don't really have a problem at all with ...GC: I don't really have a problem at all with the 'occasional' McTreat, though I've walked away from that one quite a while ago myself. But - it's just too damned easy, really, isn't it? And that's how Younger Son got his dose. Harried mum bringing home a carload of kids after orchestra practice. 1730 at night, already dark here in Taz, and a 60km drive over winding country roads between four ten-and-under kids and their potential dinner. <br /><br />She could have stuck around in town long enough to use the local food court, sure. But that would have kept her there at least another half hour. She'd have got home at 1900 at the earliest. That half-hour is valuable to a mum with a family, so she took the quick option. <br /><br />And that's how it starts, with kids. <br /><br />Adults make their own choices, 'healthy menu' and all. But first, they have to realise they ARE making a choice - and that bit of training starts when they are very young. At least, it does in this house!Flintharthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17456024642528783549noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2485469691062620401.post-12315984691068102912010-04-20T15:10:41.563-07:002010-04-20T15:10:41.563-07:00Wow, I feel so guilty reading this!
While I'm...Wow, I feel so guilty reading this!<br /><br />While I'm by no means a regular at McDonald's (although I guess that depends on your definition of regular - I probably have it once every 2 months on average), I don't bother with anything "healthy" when I'm there. No, I get my cheeseburger, I load my fries onto it, and I enjoy it. Yep, it's a short-lived enjoyment, but a small cheeseburger meal is all I ever have, so I don't get too sick. ;)<br /><br />As you and everyone else has said, the "healthy" stuff is about looking like it's doing something.<br /><br />My parents were very good and made sure we always ate vegetables and good home-cooked meals. However, they'd still "treat" us to McDonald's on occasions - particularly travelling overseas where you could always guarantee a clean toilet if nothing else.<br /><br />However, I have always craved sweet and junky foods - while I enjoy "real" food, I'm not a very good cook and a bit uncertain in the kitchen with a limited range. I do the best I can, but I admit to turning to KFC snackboxes far more than I should (although anything more than that at the Colonel makes me sick). I also never seem to have time...<br /><br />...but then these are all excuses and explain why I'm about 10 kilograms heavier than I probably should be.<br /><br />D'oh.Girl Clumsyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01056312179921746322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2485469691062620401.post-45849770773420537392010-04-20T14:39:08.365-07:002010-04-20T14:39:08.365-07:00And (sorry to hijack your blog Flinthart), I have ...And (sorry to hijack your blog Flinthart), I have to just say I cracked up laughing when I saw McD's offering kids juice boxes and apples as an alternative to softdrink and fries. AS IF!Mayhemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07743732421663633743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2485469691062620401.post-43927686590415289312010-04-20T14:28:06.407-07:002010-04-20T14:28:06.407-07:00Admitttedly, this usually happens when I'm gad...Admitttedly, this usually happens when I'm gadding about enjoying myself in Melbourne, but I don't know why my Mum has such a problem with me going away, she sees more of her grandson at those times than she does the rest of the year combined. The Brat knows that if he wants healthy and is still feeling too tired/lazy to cook, then Nanna will provide lol!Mayhemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07743732421663633743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2485469691062620401.post-64885480446075311982010-04-20T14:15:05.148-07:002010-04-20T14:15:05.148-07:00Although I'm not averse to the occasional &quo...Although I'm not averse to the occasional "McChucks" as we called it growing up, I have to agree with Flinthart here.<br /><br />Regards the "classic" menu, I will NEVER forget what one of my instructors at William Angliss College told me (way back in the dark ages). At that time, (tho' vehemently denied by the corporate clown), the Maccas buns were so loaded with sugar that they were actually addictive. I believe they have changed their bread recipe in the last decade, making a mockery of the outrage they displayed when word got out.<br /><br />As far as their new menu goes... I'll admit to buying a couple of their salads when it was all new and shiny, and given that I'm not a real fan of dressings, they probably weren't too bad for me, but oh the COST! Ever noticed that the healthy options are always dearer than the others? Figured I was nuts to pay a motza for an expensive disposable bowl, as the salad could be made at home at less than a quarter of the price if I was prepared to invest about 30 seconds washing a dish.<br /><br />And I think that's MY biggest problem with the whole shebang. It is NOTICEABLY more expensive to purchase "convenient" healthy food than "convenient" rubbish. Case in point: If I go to my local bakery to buy lunch, because I'm lazy or not feeling well, or in a rush, it is cheaper for me to buy a pie and a sausage roll (yes both!) than to buy a fresh chicken/ham and salad roll. Or if you want to buy "healthy" milk or "heart smart" butter, you pay twice as much. It is a perfect example of why so many kids with obesity problems are those from lower income households. It's just CHEAPER to feed kids rubbish, if you don't have the experience/smarts to know how to shop for fresh food, if you don't believe you can cook, or you're lazy and more focussed on the pokies than the kids, or you're so busy working and trying to raise kids that by the end of the day you don't have the energy to put a meal on a plate that didn't come out of a cardboard box. It's an easy trap to fall into. <br /><br />And sadly it's not going to get any better. The Brat is one of very few of his generation who knows how to cook. My best friend is adamant that when our boys are ready to move out of home, they should live together, because at least she knows her young man won't starve, and in fact will probably eat better than he ever did at home. (I'll never forget being at a State basketball tournament, and hearing one of the Mums on the phone, trying to teach her son to cook scrambled eggs in the microwave).<br /><br />The Brat eats takeaway mainly when he is feeling too lazy/tired to cook, but after a couple of plastic burger nights, he'd rather open a tin of tuna and make a cheap and simple mornay, or scramble a couple of eggs, than keep eating rubbish. Sometimes he even starts to feel cr*p enough to start craving vegetables. WIN!Mayhemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07743732421663633743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2485469691062620401.post-80964670975439514962010-04-20T06:53:15.597-07:002010-04-20T06:53:15.597-07:00I've come to learn over time to appreciate a w...I've come to learn over time to appreciate a well cooked meal. After a few too many years eating take out, when I go and see what Harrys Diner have to offer I hope to heaven that the owner has cooked up his awesome Beef Stroganoff. Not that I don't appreciate Mardi's Chicken Carbonara, or the Harrys Hotdogs that she makes, or even just the BLT sandwiches she whips up when I ask for it.<br /><br />But then I go to Kel and Tash's of a thursday, and boy do I get a good feed. The other week she made a really nice Pork Roast, with roast potatoes, and etc etc etc. I devoured the rest, and when Tash said "Do you want the rest of my pork?" I stole the plate from her and let it slide down my throat to digest away.<br /><br />And now when i go to mums place of a fortnight, she'll ask what I want for dinner and the reply will be something along the likes of Corned Beef with white sauce, or Stuffed Potatoes with all the accessories.<br /><br />Mickey Dee's is not a way to live. I get sick after a cheeseburger. Although if i'm hungover, I'd mung down about 2 or 3, all with added bacon and sweet+sour dipping sauce. Seriously, the S+S has a nice tang.Skarburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08438311566093114722noreply@blogger.com