"McDonald’s will automatically include produce or a low-fat dairy option in every Happy Meal®. By the end of Q1 2012".
"The impact will be an estimated 20 percent reduction in calories of the most popular Happy Meals, also reducing fat in those meals."
This image, from this site, depicts (from left to right): Monster Mac(8 beef patties!), Grilled Cheese, McGangBang(a double cheeseburger with a chicken patty in between the two beef patties).
OK Shamrock Shake fans, share your favorite Shamrock Shake memories or thoughts.
According to info posted on The Consumerist website, there is, "a McDonald's secret menu item that can only be ordered during the changeover from breakfast to the standard menu. The Mc10:35 is the unholy but oh-so-hot union between the McDouble and Egg McMuffin."
The McChronicles was delighted when the McDonald's Corporation offered some free coupons for the Mac Snack Wrap. Of course, we used this opportunity to learn what people had to say about this new product.
Okay, back to step 2. As we know, this sandwich is intended to be a snack. The assumption is that, if a person wanted a meal, they'd order a full Big Mac; if a person wanted a snack, they'd order the Mac Snack Wrap. The McChronicles wanted to be sure that everyone had a complete experience (and it was lunch time) so all volunteers enjoyed two Mac Snack Wraps.
he McChronicles feels that the bread gets a little excessive at the end of the sandwich, but no one commented on that at all.
g a Big Mac in a car is a no-no. The sandwich is simply too unwieldy - and a mess is nearly guaranteed. Everyone felt that this sandwich could easily be eaten while on the move - with little risk of a disaster.
The McChronicles was perusing a McDonald's receipt while enjoying the new Mac Snack Wrap this week. In the process, we noticed we had paid a 5-cent deposit on our water bottle.
"REYKJAVIK (Reuters) - Thousands of Icelanders lined up at McDonald's restaurants to order their last Big Macs before the U.S. fast-food chain abandons the crisis-hit island at midnight Saturday due to soaring costs."
McDonald's store #5252 in La Mesa, California had the McCafe retrofit, like most others in the USA. The McChronicles dropped in last week and noticed something slightly amiss - due to the McCafe.
Quoting from a communique The McChronicles received from McDonald's:
2 hamburger pattiesThe McChronicles requested to pay for the sandwiches as if they were regular Big Macs.
We eagerly opened the boxes, first exposing a Mini Mac, pictured on the left (we ordered two). We were a little surprised at how big it looked - we were expecting, and hoping for, something smaller. Next, we popped open the regular Big Mac, pictured on the right (we ordered one). 
We were again surprised, this time at how much larger the Big Mac was. OK, so the Mini Mac was smaller ... but, we were disappointed that it wasn't as small as we were hoping for.
Next, we ate the sandwiches. The Mini Mac was no neater than the Big Mac.
Bottom line:
No matter how large or small, the Big Mac tastes EXCELLENT!
However, we did not succeed in creating a version that satisfied our desire for notably smaller, less volume, fewer calories, and neater.
Do you have any ideas?
It had to happen - and it has. Someone bought TWO Angus Third Pounders and assembled a custom creation. Something The McChronicles calls the Frangus (Frankenstein + Angus).
After assembling it, he ate it all, and was able to return to the office, and reported that he put in a productive afternoon.
The McChronicles was delighted with the prototype McDonald's Angus Third Pounder during our visit to the corporation's ultra-top secret "Innovation Center" in October of 2008. After two years of development, the product has been released (July 2nd) in the USA.
Peoples' first reaction was to the packaging. There were several comments regarding the professionalism of the packaging. This included observations on the neatness - and how well organized the ingredients were. It seemed that everyone had a story to share regarding burger elements being "tossed together" haphazardly, making for a poor presentation. The Angus Third Pounder simply looked perfect - in all 16 cases.
The McChronicles was most impressed with the inner liner - a sleeve of paper that helps hold the burger together and collects the juices or drippings. This is a topic The McChronicles has discussed in the past. Neatness and burger management are critical, especially when dining in the car (which we weren't).One by one, people started digging in. Interestingly, the festive atmosphere turned distinctly quiet. Something was happening. Then, one by one, people began commenting. And here is what we heard (direct quotes):
Makes me want another.
I immediately noticed the size of the box. It is huge! From step 1, I knew this was going to be "bigger than lunch".
Taste overall is an "A". I had a lot of bacon on my burger (which is a good thing), the right amount of cheese, and the pickles and onions were good too. The only thing I would change for the next time was to leave off the mustard.
The Angus Third Pounder with bacon and cheese is delicious. It competes with the Big Mac for my taste buds’ attention.
For its size, the price is right.
Very tasty - I ate it slowly to enjoy every bite.
The McChronicles noted unanimous overwhelming satisfaction for the Angus Third Pounder. After the meal, most people were discussing which version they planned to try next. A couple people mentioned that they were considering trying a different version right then (but cooler heads prevailed). The McChronicles DID return the next day for another experience (the Deluxe was so good the first time that the same order was repeated).
The McChronicles was just bouncing around Facebook and encountered this McDonald's ad. We don't recall seeing one Facebook before, do you?
According to a recent report on the findings of a research team led by Rashmi Sinha, Ph.D., from the National Cancer Institute in Rockville, Maryland, (as reported by CNN - all quotes are from the CNN article):"People who eat red meat every day have a higher risk of dying over a
10-year period -- mostly because of cardiovascular disease or cancer --than
their peers who eat less red or processed meat".
Over a 10-year period, people who ate the most red meat every day (aboutSo, if we do NOT eat the equivalent of a quarter pounder EVERY DAY, and if we consume less red meat per day, or if we consume red meat only a few times per week, we're OK - is the way The McChronicles reads it (please comment if you feel this conclusion is incorrect).
62.5 grams per 1,000 calories per day, equivalent to a quarter-pound burger or
small steak per day) had about a 30 percent greater risk of dying compared with
those who consumed the least amount of red meat (a median of 9.8 grams per 1,000 calories per day). The excess mortality was mostly the result of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
In contrast, people who ate the most white meat seemed to have a
slightly lower mortality risk during the study than those who consumed the
least amount of white meat. White meat included chicken, turkey, and fish,
as well as some poultry products and canned tuna.
The McChronicles dropped by a McDonald's for a quick and simple lunch, including a small french fries. In short, it was everything it was supposed to be:Canadians can enjoy ... for a limited time only ... the launch of the Mac Snack Wrap. The latest menu item from McDonald's combines all of the delicious toppings of a Big Mac sandwich in a handy, snack-sized tortilla.
The Mac Snack Wrap will be available at participating McDonald's restaurants in Canada, from March 17 to May 18. This new menu item combines McDonald's delicious 100 percent pure beef, Big Mac special sauce, lettuce, Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, pickles, and onions on a warm flour tortilla for $1.89 plus applicable taxes.
Interesting.
This sandwich was apparently tested in Wisconsin last year.
Does this sound tasty to you?
The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: The FastFood Maven
It seems, to The McChronicles, that coffee houses, with their third-placers, laptoppers, and modern-day beatniks and troubadors, are all the rage - at least in North America. We are constantly seeing, hearing about, and experiencing, acoustic performers, laptop users, spoken word artists, latte sippers, and the like in these unique and very interesting shops.In The McChronicles' "home McDonald's", this would require either living with the permanent tables that are at one end of the dining room, or replacing them with moveable tables and chairs. It would only affect two small tables and the corner is perfect as it:
This isn't some revolutionary idea, mind you. In a previous McChronicles post, we shared the story of the band that, "... has been packing the house each week for nearly two years. The music starts at 7, but people start claiming their seats around 5. Anyone arriving after 6:30 will probably have to stand." Yes, it happens in a McDonald's.
There is NO WAY that we're suggesting that McDonald's is the brand to compete with local coffee houses. That's not the case, and that's not going to happen. The McChronicles is only saying that this concept IS appealing to a certain segment of people who ARE already McDonald's customers and who WILL go to McDonald's for something a little funky and offbeat.
Not a novel idea, but a cool idea for the times.
The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: Dave Snediker performs at THE TRAMONTANE CAFE, Utica, NY.
Like the Shamrock Shake, McDonald's Egg Nog Shake is a seasonal treat with a limited availability.
Nancy Luna, good friend of The McChronicles, fast food maven blogger, and reporter for Orange County California's O.C. Register, just released a two-part series that explores one-each of the farms and factories responsible for McDonald's foods. We just finished reviewing the stories and slide shows - and The McChronicles loves it! Great job, Nancy.
In Part 2 of the two-part series, titled, McDonald's: Let-tuce Assure You of Quality, Nancy visits lettuce supplier Taylor Farms, in California's Salinas Valley. She opens her story with, "I will never look at a McDonald's salad the same way again."Mary Barbour, a Los Angeles dietitian and tour participant, said she was impressed by the level of care taken "at every stage" of the growing and packing process. She also noted that the spring mix varieties mirrored selections used in salads found at top, fine-dining restaurants.
"The next time I'm craving a gourmet salad, I'll go to McDonalds knowing the quality of care that is placed in every serving," she told me after the tour.
For more on Nancy's detailed experience at the farm, read the second part of her story. A slide show accompanies this segment, too.
The McChronicles really appreciates the effort that Nancy invested to capture and deliver this excellent two-part story. We also appreciate McDonald's increasingly open and transparent stance regarding sharing information with the public. Name another fast food purveyor that even comes close to this level of openness.
This website offers up all sorts of info about various products. For example, The McChronicles drilled down into the chicken sandwich and was presented with a Q&A session that informed us, "First, we fry the breaded all white meat chicken strips in our Canola oil blend. While the chicken is cooking, the flour tortilla is being heated. " There are TEN pages of this stuff, just for chicken!
The McChronicles was in Gibson, Pennsylvania today (or were we in New Milford? - both cities are listed on the receipt). Anyway, this regular McDonald's store is right off US Interstate Highway 81 in northeast PA.
The store is handy (easy access to the interstate) and pretty "standard looking" as approached from the parking lot. As we entered, it was obvious that this store was quite clean and friendly.
After our order was ready we turned to the condiment counter. To our surprise, the area was a wreck. It didn't make sense - since everything else was so tidy it just didn't fit.
Great job Gibson!
