Thursday, July 26, 2007

"Big Mac: Inside the McDonald's Empire"







According to the CNBC website:

"Big Mac: Inside The McDonald's Empire" will premiere on Wednesday, July 25th at 9PM and 12AM ET. The show repeats on the following dates:

* Monday, July 30th at 9PM and 12AM ET
* Sunday, August 5th at 10PM and 1AM ET
* Tuesday, August 7th at 9PM and 12AM ET
* Tuesday, August 28th at 9PM and 12AM ET
* Sunday, September 2nd at 10PM and 1AM ET

The McChronicles watched this special and enjoyed it considerably. We were a bit surprised to hear the feeble negative commentary offered by a couple of people on the show. It seemed that the best they could muster were things like this:

  • McDonald's largest burgers have a lot of calories
  • some of the food McDonald's sells is not really great for a person
  • etc.

We felt that the McDonald's executives interviewed did an excellent job of answering all questions openly and frankly. We really liked it when Jim Skinner agreed that certain combos had a lot of calories. He shared that people have to be responsible for their food choices.

It bothers us that most anti-McDonald's people point out that certain McDonald's items aren't high-quality foods while:

  • ignoring the fact that some McDonald's offerings are, in fact, excellent choices
  • failing to mention that EVERY mainstream grocery store also offers items which are not high-quality foods
We all know that the critics are blind to these issues since it does little to suit their purposes or gain them their 15 minutes of fame.

Be sure to check out the show's special detailed website which offers:

  • program highlights
  • a video gallery
  • background on the show host
We would love to know what you thought of the CNBC McDonald's special report. Please comment.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: CNBC website

4 comments:

McChronicles said...

An interesting review of this show appears on the QSR website:

http://www.qsrmagazine.com/articles/news/story.phtml?id=5648

The McChronicles finds it sad that, even in an article by a fast-food-oriented publication, EVERYTHING seems to be McDonald's fault. We're not defending McDonald's, we're defending fairness.

In one example, the author of this review, Blair Chancey, states that the show's host, "...approached actual customers. When two men tell him that they have eaten at the quick-serve everyday for two weeks and had no clue the meal's calorie information was printed in three different places, it's clear that the company's health-conscious efforts are not making their way to the consumer."

Notice how they didn't say that the men had failed to read the multiple info opportunities during any of the multiple times they were exposed to it over multiple days (even years). The men aren't making their way to the abundant opportunities to learn. Who's "fault" is that?

douloschristos said...

I watched Big Mac: Inside the McDonald's Empire yesterday and almost wept. I was reminded of how the stores used to be, where hamburgers were actually cooked on a grill, fries were hot and tasty and service was truly expeditious and friendly. Not so in Sandy, OR.
The store (#6759) is old, dirty and in need of repairs. The bathrooms are dingy and cleaned on occasion. As for the coffee, the documentary spoke of (competing with well-known brands), the brewed stuff presented here is very dark and bitter, most often not fresh. Last week I went to store 6759 (only one in Sandy) for coffee and a sandwich with a friend. We stood for at least five minutes while three female employees had a conversation, ignoring us. I felt as though we were bothering them.
Ironically, after watching the show and wishing things were better at our McDonald's, my wife asked me to stop and get some double cheeseburgers for a quick snack today. As I unwrapped one of my burgers, I broke into a grin and ran for my digital camera. One of the patties was about 3/4 inch off the bun, hanging over the side.
Because of the bad service, poor presentation and food, we most often drive past McDees to Taco Bell, just around the drive.
I don't know if whoever reads this will send my concerns on to a person of power who might care but I can tell you this store is a sad representation of the Mc-corporation's standards and goals.

PENNY STOCK INVESTMENTS said...

Empire does not sound good.

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