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None Of Us Is As Good As All Of Us

Quoting from a communique The McChronicles received from McDonald's:

There are many rich stories about diversity and inclusion of all cultures in the book None Of Us Is As Good As All Of Us - stories of overcoming challenges, breaking the glass ceiling, shattering cultural perceptions, achieving great success despite hardships. These stories have never been told publically - about McDonald's business or the author herself. The author, Patricia Harris, is an African-American "farm girl" who has risen in the McDonald's organization from a secretary 30 years ago to become the company's Global Chief Diversity Officer today.

We're very proud that McDonald's is donating all profits from this book directly to Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), so millions of children around the world and their families will benefit from the sale of this book through RMHC.

None Of Us Is As Good As All Of Us is being sold by all major national booksellers and online. All of its stories are compelling, and showcase McDonald's ongoing commitment to our people, supported by our long-term business plan, The Plan to Win.

If you are interested, the book can be purchased here.

McDonald's Goes Social with Station M

Who has experience with McDonald's new social destination, Station M?

If you do, file a comment here, please.

The Mini Mac Experiment: Searching for the Big Mac's little sister

McDonald's Big Mac is a signature sandwich. Wildly successful, and beloved by many, it is truly a classic. That said, The McChronicles has met numerous people who love the Big Mac but wish for something a little ... less.

So, with the goal of maintaining the Big Mac taste and quality experience, and with reducing the calories, volume, and messiness (face it, the sandwich is not the neatest - something The McChronicles has posted about previously), The McChronicles set out to construct The Mini Mac.

We typed up our ingredients and went to our "home" McDonald's, in New Hartford, NY for a custom creation. The crew handled the request quickly and accurately - barely blinking an eye. We asked for (in Big Mac style):

• 2 hamburger patties



• hamburger bun (using an extra bottom as the middle bread)



• 1 cheeseburger cheese slice



• Big Mac sauce



• lettuce



• pickles



• onion



• salt



• pepper

The 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?

ANGUS THIRD POUNDER: Custom Creation ... FRANGUS

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).

Inspired by last week's Angus Third Pounder Test Experience, a friend of The McChronicles came back at it this week, went to McDonald's, ordered up TWO sandwiches, then built his creation.

Frangus creator, Jim, said it was his version of the perfect Angus burger. After assembling it, he ate it all, and was able to return to the office, and reported that he put in a productive afternoon.

McDonald's ANGUS THIRD POUNDER Burger Experience

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.

McDonald's advertising agency, GolinHarris, provided The McChronicles with several "Be Our Guest Cards" - each good for one free Angus Third Pounder. So, we invited a bevy of fast foodies to experience, "McDonald's first new burger launch since the Big 'N Tasty (debuted in 2001)", according to GolinHarris.

THE TEST

16 people assembled at the New Hartford, NY McDonald's. This is The McChronicles' "home store", so we felt very comfortable evaluating this new sandwich here. Then, the burgers were ordered. With three choices (Deluxe, Bacon & Cheese, and Mushroom & Swiss) there was a lot of discussion and decision making. The Deluxe seemed to be the top selection, with Bacon & Cheese a close second - but many people said they hoped to try the other versions. In other words, all versions sounded appealing to our team.

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).

LET THE EATING BEGIN

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):

• A mouthful of flavor.



• Makes me want another.



• Presentation is phenomenal.



• By far, my favorite burger of ALL our local restaurants, including the sit-downs.



• The Deluxe is the tastiest burger that I have had. Vegetables are top quality and fresh. Crunchy lettuce, juicy tomato, and crisp onions.



• The burger actually left juice in the container! I've never had such a juicy burger at McDonald’s.



• I immediately noticed the size of the box. It is huge! From step 1, I knew this was going to be "bigger than lunch".



• Wow this is a big box!



• This is not like a McDonald's burger. If someone gave me one of these on the street, I wouldn't really know where it is from.



• Everything is “right sized”; the meat, bun, and toppings were in EVERY bite! The bun was top notch, fresh and soft, and BIG.



• 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.



• Burger (meat) tastes like a handmade burger I’d get at a restaurant. And the paper wrapper in the box was a nice touch.



• The meat is very well cooked and not dry.



• Higher quality beef patty than expected from a fast-food restaurant.



• The Angus Third Pounder with bacon and cheese is delicious. It competes with the Big Mac for my taste buds’ attention.



• The sandwich is more filling than most other fast food sandwiches and doesn’t feel as unhealthy because the meat isn’t so greasy.



• The Swiss cheese is very “creamy” giving the burger a rich flavor without tasting “fatty”.



• Veggies taste fresh.



• Lettuce, tomatoes, and bun seem fresher then most other McDonald's burgers.



• For its size, the price is right.



• The three options for the Angus Third Pounder are each unique enough to provide an attractive option to suit everyone’s preferences!



• Mushroom & Swiss is good and BIG!



• I was pleasantly surprised that the mushrooms and cheese did not squeeze out, but stayed with the burger, right to the last bite.



• Practically perfect in every way – I just wish the calorie count was a little less.



• Very tasty - I ate it slowly to enjoy every bite.



• Comparable to my favorite burger.



• It was not what I expected from a “fast food” burger. It was more like what I’d expect from a sit-down restaurant.



• It was just like what is shown in the advertisements – not a disappointment.



• The burger was cooked perfectly, bacon was just right, the bun was full, and both the Deluxe and Bacon & Cheese had distinctly different tastes.



• I hope the Angus Burger retains this level of quality over time.
  
  

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).

In conclusion, there was unanimous delight in our sample group (admittedly, they are all fast-foodies and known to be McDonald's customers). The Angus Third Pounder received kudos for EVERYTHING, ranging from immaculate packaging, to burger construction/presentation, to options, to price, to ingredient freshness, and, most importantly, taste.

Learn more about McDonald's Angus Third Pounder here.

Let us know YOUR opinion.

Facebook Ad

The McChronicles was just bouncing around Facebook and encountered this McDonald's ad. We don't recall seeing one Facebook before, do you?

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: screen grab from Facebook.

"Eat Less Red Meat"

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".

Of course, upon hearing this, any burger lover would be wise to take notice, to consider the facts of the report. Further details clear some things up:

Over a 10-year period, people who ate the most red meat every day (about
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.

So, 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).

The report adds:

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.

So, if we eat chicken and fish (mostly), we'll be OK - is the way The McChronicles reads this (again, please comment if ...).

In conclusion, The McChronicles LOVES hamburgers and McDoubles, but is certainly content with chicken and filet-o-fish sandwiches. In the future, we plan to mix it up to keep things in the recommended balance.

Everything in moderation!

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

Image: The McChronicles.

McDonald's French Fries

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:

• fresh
• fast
• warm
• flavorful
• perfectly salted
• cooked just long enough
• served with a smile

Add to that the fact that the rest of the meal arrived under the same conditions, and that the dining room was neat and clean, and we were delighted.

The perfect McDonald's experience!

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDOnald's.
Image: The McChronicles.

Snack Wrap MAC

According to QSR Magazine:

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

McCafe: Tap Into The Coffee House Trend?

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.


To us it is not a stretch to see the McDonald's McCafe concept tap into this vibe. Here is our suggestion:

• Create a temporary "stage" or performing area in an appropriate corner of a McDonald's reataurant.


• Declare some night to be "McCafe Thursday Night" (whatever night works best locally) and promote it as such.


• Feature a local acoustic artist to perform appropriate material for a one-, two-, or three-hour period (whatever suits the local flavor)

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:

• has power (for a small PA system)
• is "secure", no one can get behind the performer
• is near the rest rooms
• is away from the order counter and front door - it will not interfere with people coming in or going out, order taking, etc.

To The McChronicles this seems like a low-risk, fun, low-cost way to:

• feature the McCafe program and get more people to experience it
• attract customers that wouldn't otherwise be there
• appeal to a unique demographic
• become a stronger part of the community
  

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.

McDonald's Soup

We're deep in the heart of winter (in the northern hemisphere) and McDonald's is serving up SOUP. What kinds of soup? According to the McDonald's website:

• Vegetable Beef
• Broccoli Cheese
• Chicken Noodle

According to About.com, the most popular soups are:

• Chicken noodle
• Tomato
• Minestrone
• Vegetable

Campbells tells the top soups are:

• Chicken Noodle
• Tomato

Wikipedia chimes in with:

• Chicken Noodle
• Tomato
• Cream of Mushroom

So, why is it that the #2 most popular soup, tomato, is missing from McDonald's menu? There's probably a good reason - The McChronicles would like to know.


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

McDonald's Egg Nog Shake

Like the Shamrock Shake, McDonald's Egg Nog Shake is a seasonal treat with a limited availability.

The McChronicles has discussed the Egg Nog Shake before, with regards to spotty availability. Last evening, while others were migrating en masse to the malls, The McChronicles navigated HEAVY holiday traffic to experience the 2008 Egg Nog product.

Availability: we pulled into our closest local McDonald's (no "Egg Nog Shake" promo on the exterior) and requested the product. No problem, it was available and pushed across the counter in minutes.

Quality: The Egg Nog Shake was quick, easy, cool, and clean - almost everything we are promised - and hope for. The McChronicles took a sip and detected a peculiar flavor - something a bit "chemically" that clearly rang out and put a bit of a damper on the experience.

Maybe it was just us, or maybe it was the store, or maybe it is the 2008 recipe. We don't know. But The McChronicles WILL head out today for a resample at a different McDonald's. More later.

The McChronicles: a b;og about, nmot affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: jeromes

O.C. Register's Nancy Luna Investigates McDonald's Farm & Factories

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 1, "Fresh Buns: How Does McDonald's Get Them?", Nancy visits Brea, California-based Fresh Start Bakeries, and witnesses the entire bun manufacturing process. That's Nancy, all suited up, in the top image.

This tour of the company's Ontario, CA facility, was led by Plant Manager, Bob Mitchell. Bob's new $22-million facility cranks out 14.4 million buns per week! Nancy was joined by visiting nutritionists and they saw it all.

One segment of the tour was led by McDonald's head of U.S. Supply Chain Management, Todd Bacon. Quoting from Nancy's report, "Bacon, who holds a doctorate in "meat science," discussed the strict controls and guidelines McDonald's places on vendors and suppliers. Rules apply for just about any kind of scenario along the food chain — from how to treat a sick broiler chicken to requiring hot buns to pass through metal detectors." Good stuff.

This report includes a very interesting slide show (pix snapped by Nancy). It is worth the read. You'll even grab an awesome trivia point: How many sesame seeds adorn a sesame seed bun? The answer is in the slide show.


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."

Nancy is no stranger to food safety and related health issues. As a reporter, she has covered this beat for years. She has a keen eye for the issue. So, impressing her is quite a feat. Nancy reports, "Taylor's safety reputation is considered to be the "gold standard" of the Salinas Valley with its plant subject to 62 audits a year."

According to Nancy, "We saw everything from the hearty green leaf lettuces used in Angus burgers to delicate, red oaks found in the chain's entree salads."

Nancy was joined by other industry professionals on this tour and shared this:

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.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Images: Nancy Luna.

McDonalds.com/QualityFood

If you are interested in the quality of McDonald's food (everyone SHOULD be interested in the quality of the food they eat), then do spend 5 minutes at www.mcdonalds.com/qualityfood.

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!

There was much more, and even deeper drilling available for full nutritional information.

Check it out. This stuff is important to know.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: screen grab from www.mcdonalds.com.qualityfood.

Gibson, PA McDonald's

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.

store #: 28453
city: Gibson, Pennsylvania
order:

• McDouble $1.00
  
• Small Fries $1.00
  
• Water free (in cup)

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.

Let's start with friendly. We were greeted by the smiling "Mercedes" who had several counter customers backed up (waiting for their food to arrive). Was she distressed? Rude? No! She was very pleasant. As the orders arrived she got them to all the right people and everyone was happy. Mercedes is a great counter person.

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.

As we took our seat, we noticed that the dining area was decorated in a very crisp, neat style. It felt very warm and inviting. Everything was tidy and clean - even the salt and pepper shakers were all lined up properly. This place was really looking good. Impressive!

As we ate we kept thinking about that messy condiment area. It was so out of place.

After a fast meal (about 5 minutes) The McChronicles headed out. We passed by the condiment area and ... well, let the picture speak for itself. Apparently we arrived immediately AFTER a messy customer. Somebody had been busy cleaning while we ate. The whole area was sparkling! It makes sense.

Great job Gibson!

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Images: The McChronicles.

McDonald's McDouble: Part 2 (more info - slightly)

The McChronicles couldn't let it sit. Fueled by the several comments at our previous posting on The McDouble (thanks everyone!), we went to the next McDonald's down the road (New Hartford, NY: store #825) to see how they rolled out the McDouble. It wasn't expected to be a big difference since they are both owned by the same man.

Anyway, we noted that everything, including the price, was the same, the McDouble is on the dollar menu. What we DID notice was that this McDouble was wrapped in slightly different but equally mysterious paper (top image), like yesterday's McDouble from the other store (bottom image).

The McChronicles guesses that these stores just don't have the proper wrappers yet.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Images: The McChronicles.

McDouble! McDonald's Newest Product.

The McChronicles dropped by McDonald's today for lunch and detected a change to the Dollar Menu.

Missing was the double cheeseburger, replacing it was the new McDouble. The McDouble is a double cheeseburger with only one slice of cheese. The McChronicles was told by the crew at the Clinton, NY McDonald's (store #2499) that the McDouble was launched yesterday, December 1st.

According to speculation on bloggingstocks, "One possibility is that McDonald's will attempt to market the new burger as healthier, eliminating one slice of cheese hacks off 15% of the fat and 11% of the calories." The blog also says, "Analysts estimate that the McStingy will cost about six cents less to make -- combined with the company's plan to raise the price to about the dollar mark, it could spell increased profitability for the chain."

Immediately after this experience, a friend of The McChronicles, Neal, called and reported that he, too, was surprised by the menu tweak.

Neal (a 20-year old college student) added these points:

• I never realized a double cheeseburger had TWO slices of cheese to begin with
• I don't detect any big difference with only one slice of cheese
• I don't think $0.19 is a lot for one slice of cheese

The McChronicles WAS surprised at the price effect that the one slice of cheese had. The McChronicles also wonders if the McDouble (pictured here) is in a temporary wrapper or if this is the final design.

Please COMMENT with your McDouble experience.

FOLLOW UP NOTE: See the McChronicles' subsequent posting on The McDouble.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Images: The McChronicles.

Happy Thanksgiving! McDonald's-style

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is where The McChronicles found Ronald McDonald today.

According to the show's announcers, the Ronald McDonald balloon weighs 375 pounds and requires 55 people to keep it on the right path.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: daylife.com

HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON from The McChronicles!!!

Let's kick off this holiday season with a spirited celebration of McDonald's!
Here is what you get when you mix ElfYourself with McDonald's.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

The McChronicles CAN'T WAIT to hear your COMMENTS ...

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Video: ElfYourself and JibJab.