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Tag: McDonalds

  • Happy Meal Mascot for McDonald’s is Nicknamed “McScary”

    Happy Meal Mascot for McDonald’s is Nicknamed “McScary”

    Have you always thought that Ronald McDonald was a bit on the creepy side? If so, you aren’t alone, and now it appears that McDonald’s has taken creepy to a new level with their new Happy Meal mascot named “Happy.” The Happy Meal mascot debuted on the Facebook and Twitter pages for McDonald’s on Monday and has since been renamed “McScary” by the Internet.

    McDonald’s is using the Happy Meal mascot in their campaign to encourage kids to eat healthier, which will include choosing yogurt over french fries when the chain makes that a Happy Meal side option starting on July 4. “Happy is about bringing more fun and excitement to kids’ meals, including eating wholesome food choices like low-fat yogurt,” the company said in a statement.

    Check out McScary/Happy below:

    So, yeah, that’s Happy. That’s the little cartoon guy that is supposed to encourage your kids to make healthy food choices. If this was a move to actually scare kids away from making healthy food choices and make them clamor for more double cheeseburgers, sodas, and fries, then well played, McDonald’s, well played. Otherwise, most people are left wondering what the hell is going on with the creepy animated mascot that has bulging eyes, huge teeth, and looks like his cheeriness is drug induced. The nickname McScary is well deserved, no doubt.

    The Twitter response to McDonald’s debuting the Happy Meal mascot has been quite entertaining. Check out a few tweets below and search for the hashtag #HappyMeal or #McScary for more comments.

    McDonald’s has made a couple of followup tweets since debuting Happy, and the company appears to be taking the confusion, fear, and mocking in stride.

    Just so you know, Happy isn’t new–McDonald’s introduced the mascot overseas back in 2009, and apparently it was successful enough to bring to the United States five years later. Maybe Europeans just don’t scare as easily as Americans (or Twitter wasn’t popular enough to make mocking a kid’s fast food hamburger mascot a thing back then).

    If you want to see more of McScary, check out the video below or watch the 31-second video on the McDonald’s Facebook page.

    Image via Twitter

  • McScary: McDonald’s New Mascot Scares The Internet

    McScary: McDonald’s New Mascot Scares The Internet

    McScary, or Happy as McDonald’s knows him, is the new Happy Meal mascot hitting North America. The smiling anthropomorphized Happy Meal has been a staple of McDonald’s marketing in France since 2009, but he’s just now making it to the U.S. The thing is – North Americans find him to be a little terrifying.

    On Monday, McDonald’s announced via Twitter that it was bringing Happy the serial killer Happy Meal to North America to encourage kids to eat healthy. Happy was unveiled alongside the announcement that McDonald’s would start offering Go-Gurt as a side in Happy Meals starting July 4.

    As you might imagine, Happy didn’t receive a warm reception. There were many profanity laden responses to the original tweet with people wondering “what the hell” Happy was. Some even decided to “improve” the recently unveiled mascot to bring out its true nature:

    Now, McDonald’s is no stranger to botched social media campaigns. In 2012, the restaurant asked for consumers’ #McDStories, but only got stories of disgusting food and impoverished employees in return. It tried something similar a few months later to promote the Shamrock Shake and got a similar response.

    After those two incidents, you would think McDonald’s would finally learn, and it did. Over on McDonald’s Twitter account, it’s obvious the company is just rolling with the response Happy has received thus far:

    While it’s good to see McDonald’s finally learn how the Internet works, response to Happy is still divided:

    Despite how you may feel about Happy, he’s not going anywhere. We can only hope our TV ads are as terrifying (and hilarious) as they are in France:

    Image via McDonald’s/Twitter

  • McDonald’s Creepy Ass New Mascot Unveiled on Twitter

    McDonald’s Creepy Ass New Mascot Unveiled on Twitter

    Despite the fresh, new, hipster look that Ronald McDonald unveiled last month–he’s still a creepy-ass clown. There’s really no getting around that. Has there every been a time when Ronald McDonald didn’t give off a probable-sex-dungeon vibe?

    Well, move over Ronald. Happy’s here to take most of the attention away. McDonald’s recently unveiled their new Happy Meals mascot Happy, and it’s one of the more terrifying things a fast food chain has ever come up with, just behind KFC’s Double Down and Burger King’s commercials about The King watching you sleep.

    And now, a smattering of replies from astonished Twitter users…

    What the fuck is that creature?

    THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT

    Why is he in pain?

    Oh FUCK no…

    What the fuck…

    I didn’t want to sleep tonight, that’s cool

    Hey McDonald’s, is that Gary Busey?

    Goodbye…

    Yikes. That ain’t good.

    According to McDonald’s, that creature is the new “ambassador for balanced and wholesome eating.” Officialy hitting Happy Meals everywhere on May 23rd, whatever the hell that thing is “will encourage kids to enjoy fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and wholesome beverages such as water or juice.”

    Here’s the craziest thing about this: Happy has been around for half a decade. It’s been used in France since 2009, and spread across Europe and Latin America over the past few years. They’re just now introducing that thing in the States, meaning it has to have been at least remotely successful in other parts of the world.

    The social media backlash to McDonald’s newest mascot is fierce, but I’m sure they can handle it. I mean, we’re talking about the company who had to get past the #McDStories and #Shamrocking fiascos.

    Image via McDonald’s, Twitter

  • Taco Bell Breakfast Is No Contender

    Taco Bell Breakfast Is No Contender

    Well, it sounded good in theory. McDonald’s was going to get some more stiff competition for their title as reigning fast food breakfast king.

    Once you see such a thing actually in writing, it all sounds kind of absurd. But there is, indeed, a market for eggs poured from a carton, artificially flavored pancakes, hydrogenated butter substitutes, and substandard coffee products, all handed out a window to you by a bleary-eyed liberal arts student.

    But I digress.

    Taco Bell announced its aim to unseat McDonald’s. Taco Bell launched a commercial series that featured real-life guys named “Ronald McDonald” expressing their preference for Taco Bell as their fast food breakfast of choice.

    The biggest hurdle that some saw to Taco Bell’s ambitions was how they would manage to get their service window times shaved down enough to make it worth the while of a morning commuter. It’s one thing to sit in a 10-minute Taco Bell line at 11:00 P.M. with a bunch of other college students out gathering munchies fodder for their buddies. It’s quite another to meet the efficiency expectations of the morning drive crowd, most of whom left home with just enough time to grab a McSomething and get to work under the get-fired wire.

    Burger Business uncovered an interesting tidbit that might shed some light on the reality of Taco Bell’s breakfast ambitions. Taking aim at McDonald’s may have been the kind of bravado needed to keep Taco Bell’s campaign from being seen as a Johnny-Come-Lately also-ran. But it probably wasn’t substantial.

    “Breakfast represents about 25% of the average McDonald’s sales and 45% for Hardee’s. What is Yum Brands’ target for Taco Bell’s breakfast? About 7%.”

    All Taco Bell wanted to do was hit the 7% mark? Talk about the soft sell of low expectations.

    Wendy’s had thrown its hat into the breakfast ring, once upon a time. The dropped out of that race because “it couldn’t make mornings work profitably and its target was $140,000 to $150,000 in breakfast sales per store. Taco Bell ought to be able hit $100,000, or $274 a day, from breakfast.”

    While Taco Bell may get their 7% goal with ease, they certainly will pose little competition for McDonald’s.

    Looks like Ronald McDonald got all dressed up for nothing.

    Image via Twitter

  • Ronald McDonald Arrested in McDonalds, and Naked

    Ronald McDonald Arrested in McDonalds, and Naked

    Back when McDonald’s came up with the idea of a clown mascot named Ronald McDonald, they probably never imagined any confusion would ever result. Over the years, the name became so synonymous with the mascot that few people with the surname “McDonald” dared call their children “Ronald”. Who wants to see their kid bullied all the way through school?

    Apparently a few people. And some of those kids end up growing up and getting into trouble. With a name like Ronald McDonald, who can fault them much?

    Taco Bell has recently made retail food hay with the name Ronald McDonald. When the fast-food taco chain started serving breakfast, they took the fight straight to the Golden Arches, launching commercials that featured real-life folks named Ronald McDonald to endorse their breakfast fare. Clever move.

    We presume that none of those folks had arrest records. But some Ronald McDonalds do.

    One was this fellow, Ronald McDonald II, who was arrested at a Hampton Inn in Trenton for disorderly conduct. He was totally naked when police arrested him.

    Another Ronald McDonald, this one in Washington, DC was arrested on a bench warrant over an unlawful entry charge. The local Fox affiliate reported that, “No mugshot was available of McDonald – but we suspect he wore a grimace.”

    But perhaps the best Ronald McDonald arrest tale came about when a man was arrested for violating a restraining order — in a McDonald’s restaurant.

    The 50-year-old Englishman entered the restaurant following his wife, who had taken out a restraining order against him weeks prior. Police were called and the man was arrested.

    Recently, a group of disgruntled McDonald’s employees and former employees held a mock “arrest” of a man in a Ronald McDonald costume, “charging” him with wage theft.

    The employees had filed lawsuits alleging that McDonald’s managers were forcing employees to clock out during slow periods at the restaurant, but demanding that they stay on the premises and in uniform, ready to clock back in when customer flow picked back up.

    McDonald’s has recently given Ronald a makeover. Maybe the new outfit will look better in mugshots.

    Image via YouTube

  • Ronald McDonald Isn’t Going Anywhere, Gets New Look

    Ronald McDonald Isn’t Going Anywhere, Gets New Look

    “Ronald McDonald is an ambassador for good. Ronald McDonald isn’t going anywhere.”

    In 2011 then-CEO of McDonald’s Jim Skinner was very clear when he told critics that the mascot, first introduced in 1963, was not retiring any time soon.

    Now in 2014, Ronald is taking on a new face. Or rather, a new wardrobe.

    Sporting a new red blazer with the Golden Arches logo on the front pocket (and Ronald’s stylized signature on the back), yellow cargo pants, a vest with a red-and-white striped rugby shirt, and a bow tie as well, there is no need for the oversized shoes anymore. Ronald is stylin’! In fact, his get-up was created by Broadway designer Ann Hould-Ward, designer of the Beauty and the Beast costumes which earned her a 1994 Tony Award.

    But it isn’t just Ronald’s clothes that are creating new attention for the iconic fast food character. He is also beginning to appear more on social media such as Twitter using #RonaldMcDonald to promote his mission statement: “fun makes great things happen.”

    However, not everyone on Twitter is responding well to the “new” Ronald.

    McDonald’s definitely needs the “new.” On Tuesday the company said its profit tanked 5% in the first quarter and sales at stores open at least a year in the U.S. slid 1.7%. Shares closed flat on Wednesday at 99.13.

    Ronald “Revamped” will begin appearing on more of the store’s graphics, decor, and on television ads in the next few years.

    “Customers today want to engage with brands in different ways, and Ronald will continue to evolve to be modern and relevant,” said McDonald’s senior vice president Dean Barrett.

    But brand consultant Kate Newlin says that the move feels forced. “As a strategy, it feels a little desperate” and that it’s as if the new Ronald is shouting, “Please remember you once loved me.”

    This isn’t the first time Ronald has gotten a makeover, though. He was last redesigned in 2005, although it wasn’t as drastic as this.

    What do you think of Ronald’s new look? Are you lovin’ it? Does it actually make you want to step back into a McDonald’s and order some piping hot (or cold, depending how lucky you are) french fries?

    Image via YouTube

  • Ronald McDonald Officially A Hipster

    Ronald McDonald Officially A Hipster

    Ronald McDonald is changing his style. He got rid of the goofy ass yellow jumpsuit and got a tailored, well-fitting “whimsical new red blazer” blessed with embroideries, paired with some skinny, cheese colored hipster pants that ride up the crotch seam; swag.

    Through his company’s account, Mr. McDonald is increasing his presence through social media channels around the world. The corporate clown is seeking to engage consumers through the use of the #RonaldMcDonald hashtag on Twitter.

    Ronny is on a mission, with a statement via Twitter:  “Fun makes great things happen” – essentially, that having fun will create a domino effect that will lead to acts of goodness; just be sure to use the hash tag when you capture those moments.

    Ronald McDonald wants you to share the fun*:

    * = “Fun” does not include the following: Sex, drugs, bestiality, murder, torture, rap music, bullying, suicide, racism, sexism, ammonium hydroxide, self-mutilation, eating at Burger King®.

    “Ronald brings to life the fun of our brand by connecting with customers around the world, whether he’s promoting literacy or spreading cheer at a Ronald McDonald House,” said Dean Barrett, Senior Vice President, Global Relationship Officer.

    “Customers today want to engage with brands in different ways and Ronald will continue to evolve to be modern and relevant.”

    In addition to his hip attire, Ronald will occasionally sport a vest; he kept his red-and-whte striped rugby shirt and big red shoes.

    Where one would find Ronald McDonald here in US to be the painted up face of corporatism disguised as a friendly clown, in Japan, he is a demon like no other:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niFCK-Pl3Vc

    Translation: “He’s always there. McDonalds.”

    Image via YouTube           

  • Ronald McDonald Gets New Look For Social Media

    Ronald McDonald Gets New Look For Social Media

    The image of Ronald McDonald is iconic throughout the world. The McDonald’s mascot has been selling happy meals in nearly every country in the world for decades. Now, with the internet bringing companies closer than ever to consumers, Ronald McDonald is receiving a significant makeover and hopping into social media.

    McDonald’s this week officially unveiled the new image of Ronald McDonald, showing off the clown’s new look. The company’s “brand ambassador” had shed his baggy jumpsuit for a more modern-looking red blazer over a red-and-white striped rugby shirt. The clown also now wears a (normal-sized) bowtie. His pants have remained yellow and big red shoes are still a part of the costume.

    A video released this week by McDonald’s shows off Ronald’s transformation over the course of one photo shoot:

    “It’s wonderful to see what Ronald means to people around the world,” said Marlena Peleo-Lazar, chief creative officer at McDonald’s USA. “We couldn’t be more excited to give him a new look and send him off to visit his fans everywhere.”

    In addition to the makeover, Ronald will become part of McDonald’s social media marketing. McDonald’s is touting the clown’s transformation through the Twitter hashtag #RonaldMcDonald. Unsurprisingly, people have been using Twitter instead to make fun of the announcement and project their fear of clowns:

    The Ronald makeover comes just weeks after Taco Bell launched a new ad campaign aimed directly at McDonald’s. The ad has several real men (that aren’t clowns) named Ronald McDonald praising Taco Bell’s new breakfast menu.

    Image via McDonald’s

  • Dianna Agron and New Beau Thomas Cocquerel Caught Kissing

    Dianna Agron and New Beau Thomas Cocquerel Caught Kissing

    Dianna Agron was spotted smooching with her new beau actor Thomas Cocquerel at Coachella this weekend. The kissing took place at the pool party thrown by McDonald’s.

    The Glee star later attended an event hosted by Fruttare Fruit Bars, where she tried her hand at spinning some tunes. Do you suppose she spun any of her songs she recorded as Glee’s Quinn Fabray? Several of the ones she has performed over the years were released as singles. Might they have been among the D.J.’s collection?

    Probably not.

    Even though she no doubt played other singer’s songs, she truly seemed to enjoy her short lived stint as a D.J., as witnessed in the tweet she shared.

    In addition to her DJ tweet, Dianna Agron also shared her excitement over the dress she wore to Coachella. Might it have lent itself to that romantic smooching session?

    While at the McDonald’s pool party at Coachella, Agron even tweeted a picture of the golden arches.

    So what does anyone know about Dianna Agron’s partner in kissing crime? Who exactly is Thomas Cocquerel? The incredibly handsome actor starred in the film Walk Right In in 2103, and is set to star in Anzac Girls later this year. In 2015 he will appear in Kidnapping Freddy Heineken.

    It was only a couple of months ago that Agron and her Australian boyfriend Nick Mathers called it quits. It certainly didn’t take too long for her to jump back into that proverbial saddle again.

    It will be interesting to learn if those Coachella smooches were meaningful enough to propel Dianna Agron and Thomas Cocquerel into a promising future together. After all–some music, McDonald’s and spinning some tunes at Coachella are the basis of all strong relationships–right? Otherwise that might mean that the Coachella kisses merely indicate a passing fling.

    Image via Twitter

  • Taco Bell Breakfast Menu Edges Out McDonald’s in Survey

    Taco Bell Breakfast Menu Edges Out McDonald’s in Survey

    Maybe it’s just the novelty of having new breakfast items to choose from, but in the less than three weeks since Taco Bell launched their breakfast menu, the fast food chain is winning the breakfast game.

    According to a survey conducted by Citi Research, consumers prefer Taco Bell’s breakfast menu over McDonald’s. “The initial indications are positive for Taco Bell,” said Citi Research analysts. “While this development is clearly not a positive for McDonald’s, it is still early and it may be possible for both McDonald’s and Taco Bell to continue to grow at breakfast at the expense of other competitors.”

    Forty-three percent of consumers that participated in the survey say that they prefer the two fast food chain breakfast menus equally. Of the people who were willing to lean one way or the other, 33 percent said they preferred Taco Bell and 24 percent said they preferred McDonald’s. Check out a graphic of Citi Research’s Taco Bell versus McDonald’s breakfast survey below:

    If you haven’t checked out Taco Bell during breakfast hours yet and are wondering how their menu stacks up against McDonald’s, you might be mildly disappointed to learn that the menu is a bit on the light side. Taco Bell doesn’t offer nearly as many items on their breakfast menu compared to McDonald’s, but whatever they lack in options, they make up for in originality. McDonald’s, on the other hand, offers a lot of the traditional breakfast staples such as pancakes, biscuits, and oatmeal on their menu. Taco Bell has none of these items, but instead offers items such as the A.M. Crunchwrap, A.M. Grilled Taco, and the Waffle Taco. Even with their expansive menu, the only thing McDonald’s offers that you can’t find elsewhere is the McGriddle.

    Whether the Taco Bell breakfast menu craze is the start of the chain developing a long-lasting presence on the fast food breakfast market or just a fad remains to be seen. Either way, McDonald’s isn’t going down quietly. The burger chain just wrapped up a promotion to get people in during the breakfast hours by offering free coffee. McDonald’s also just released a new ad promoting…you guessed it–the McGriddle.

    Image via YouTube

  • McDonald’s Receipt Tattoo, Norwegian Teen Gets Inked Again

    McDonald’s Receipt Tattoo, Norwegian Teen Gets Inked Again

    A Norwegian teenager got a tattoo of a McDonald’s receipt on his left arm Tuesday, a week after having a receipt inked on his right arm.

    Stian Ytterdahl, 18, shared a photo of his tattoo on his Facebook page Tuesday.  He tagged the photograph with the phrase “YOLO,” short for “you only live once.”

    He also posted a snapshot of him getting inked at the Sable Ink studio in Lillestrøm, where Norway’s VG newspaper filmed Ytterdahl getting the tattoo.

    He launched the page under the name “Stian Ytterdah, the man with the McDonald’s tattoo” last week on the popular social media website.

    Post by Stian Ytterdahl "The man with the mcdonald's tattoo".

    Post by Stian Ytterdahl "The man with the mcdonald's tattoo".
    The first tattoo started as a joke between friends, Ytterdahl told Norway's Romerikes Blad newspaper last week. Friends who were jealous of his success with the ladies gave him the choice of getting a Barbie tattoo on his butt or the McDonald's receipt on his arm. He chose the latter. “Now I’m a living billboard, but I think it’s all just fun,” he said. “Maybe it won’t be as fun when I’m 50 or 60 years old, but that’s my choice," Ytterdahl continued. After getting the first receipt tattoo, Sable Ink offered him an identical tattoo, free of charge, on his left arm. Ytterdahl agreed. McDonald's Norway called Ytterdahl called him "a loyal customer." The tattoo artist at Sable Ink studio posted a photo of the tattoo on Facebook with a caption, "my strangest tattoo so far." Image via Facebook

  • McDonald’s Receipt Tattoo: Norwegian Teen Now Has Second Receipt Inked On His Left Arm

    McDonald’s Receipt Tattoo: Norwegian Teen Now Has Second Receipt Inked On His Left Arm

    Stian Ytterdahl, 18, from Lorenskog, Norway, had a McDonald’s receipt tattooed on his right arm as punishment from his friends.

    The idea was said to have started as a joke between he and his friends. The tattoo was his punishment for having too much success with the ladies. He was given the choice of getting either an image of Barbie inked on his buttocks, or a copy of his most recent McDonald’s purchase on his arm. His choice has earned him much publicity and attention.

    The tattoo spans most of Ytterdahl’s forearm and shows purchased products such as a cheeseburger with extra toppings, and a soda. A photo of the tattoo was posted by Lillestrom’s Sabel Ink Tattoo on its Facebook page. A McDonald’s spokesperson commented that the teenager was clearly a loyal customer.

    Ytterdahl says his choice may not seem wise when he is 50 or 60 years old, but for now, it is fun. Sabel Ink Tattoo offered him a free tattoo on the other arm: a reproduction of the tattoo parlor’s receipt for the McDonald’s receipt tattoo that he got. Ytterdahl agreed. The inking of his second tattoo was filmed by Norway’s VG newspaper and was announced by Ytterdahl himself on his Facebook profile.

    We’re now left to wonder whether Ytterdahl will next have either of his legs inked with the receipt of the second tattoo.

    Fast food fans have been known to express their appreciation for their favorite food chains through tattoos. Last year, a Taco Bell fan named Justin made waves online when he posted a YouTube video of himself saying he would have the restaurant’s Beefy Crunch Burrito tattooed on his arm if Taco Bell would bring back the limited-time food item early. Even the tattoo artist was taken aback by the request. Other fans have had logos and meal items of various restaurants permanently tattooed.

    Meet Justin: Tattoo Fanatic And Lover Of  Beefy Crunchy Burritos

    More Awesomely Bad Tattoos


    Image via YouTube

  • Free Coffee The Latest Shot In Breakfast Feud

    Free Coffee The Latest Shot In Breakfast Feud

    “Free coffee” is a phrase many love to hear, especially on these chilly, early spring days that still feel like winter. But the move has a motive behind it, and that is to one-up the competition in the breakfast wars.

    McDonald’s has announced they’ll give customers a free cup of java during breakfast hours from March 31–April 13 at participating locations, and many see the act of generosity as a way to garner business during Taco Bell’s breakfast promotion. Taco Bell recently updated their menu to include breakfast items such as the waffle taco and the Crunchwrap, and even rolled out a new ad campaign featuring several men named Ronald McDonald who all love the new offerings.

    “This is Taco Bell’s way of saying that there’s a new breakfast player in town and there’s no better way to do that than to go after the king of breakfast by market share, which is McDonalds,” said Hayley Peterson of Business Insider.

    McDonald’s responded to the ads with a cheeky comment, saying they were sure their famous characters were still in love with their burgers.

    “We’ve consulted with Mayor McCheese and he has confirmed that Ronald McDonald, in fact, still only chooses McDonald’s,” they said.

    As for Taco Bell, they say clearly the ads are working.

    “We just launched the next generation of breakfast – it’s not a two-week promotion. Clearly, our competition is taking notice and reacting,” Taco Bell said.

    Image via McDonald’s

  • Free Coffee Is McDonald’s Response To Taco Bell Jab

    Free Coffee Is McDonald’s Response To Taco Bell Jab

    If you didn’t know, fast food chain Taco Bell just recently launched their breakfast menu, featuring waffle tacos, breakfast crunch wraps, etc.

    Taco Bell had no interest in timidly tiptoeing into the ongoing fast food breakfast wars.

    Instead they opted to fire a warning shot at a major rival: McDonald’s.

    The fast food chain found actual men named Ronald McDonald and then had them sample the new Taco Bell breakfast menu.

    Not to be mistaken with this Ronald McDonald, these guys of varying age and ethnic backgrounds simply possess a name that is famously associated with the McDonald’s mascot.

    Taco Bell covered its rear from a potential lawsuit by adding tiny print near the end of the commercial that emphasized that the men were in no way affiliated with their competitor.

    They just happen to be named Ronald McDonald and like the taste of their breakfast!

    We already knew there was no way that the king of the fast food breakfast hill was going to allow a shot across the bow to go unanswered.

    However…was anyone predicting free coffee?

    From March 31st through April 13th you can get a free small coffee if you come into McDonald’s.

    Taco Bell doesn’t seem phased by the limited time offer. The company responded to the move on social media by saying, “We just launched the next generation of breakfast. It’s not a two-week promotion.”

    The fact that McDonald’s moved to respond to Taco Bell’s new breakfast at all suggests that the company does see the newcomer as a serious potential threat to their business.

    McDonald’s may have dubbed Taco Bell’s move into breakfast “imitation”, but it is the response by the veteran that should be flattering.

    After all, if the new breakfast options from Taco Bell was visibly doomed, would McDonald’s have even bothered? Obviously not.

    It’s safe to say the fast food breakfast wars are going to be anything but boring.

    Image via Twitter

  • McFlurry Argument Ends with Torched Car

    McFlurry Argument Ends with Torched Car

    Dateline Jacksonville, Florida. WFTV reports that a woman and a man were heard arguing in the line at an area McDonald’s. Witnesses say that the woman kept insisting that the man buy her a McFlurry – the ice cream treats McDonald’s sells. The man refused her multiple heated requests.

    Sabryna Maré was in the line in front of the couple.

    “They were going at it,” said Maré. “She was saying she wanted this and wanted that, and she wanted either a McFlurry or an ice cream on top and he was not in for it. Then he was yelling at her saying he’s not going to do it.”

    Pay attention now, because here’s where things get fun.

    “Next thing you know, she says ‘I’m going to blow it up,’ and we were wondering what are you going to blow up?”

    Other witnesses on the scene report that the woman grabbed the man’s keys, then exited the building and used gasoline and alcohol to douse the man’s 1994 El Dorado, which she then lit on fire. The woman then walked away.

    Police and firefighters were called to the scene after the man could not put out the fire himself, even with help from others.

    However, other news reports tell a very different version of the story:

    You may recall that we told you before about another incident in McDonald’s. This one also involved a McFlurry.

    A woman in Manchester, UK, tried to order a McFlurry for her horse by going through the drive-through. Employees refused to serve her. So she led the horse inside to place her order, where it promptly “let loose with a volley of excrement in the middle of the restaurant” – i.e. it pooped.

    The woman was issued a fine for bringing the horse into the restaurant.

    McFlurrys, folks. You’ve been warned.

    Image via YouTube

  • Fast Food Protests Focus on Wage Theft

    Fast Food Protests Focus on Wage Theft

    Hundreds of McDonald’s employees took to the streets on Tuesday to protest a variety of complaints, not the least of which is wage theft.

    The Associated Press reports that protests were originally part of a larger effort to focus on what some see as a need to increase the minimum wage in the U.S. Minimum wage currently stands at a Federally mandated $7.25 an hour. Protesters argue that this wage level, even for a full-time employee, still leads to workers qualifying for government assistance in the form of SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps), Medicaid, and other programs.

    Some economists point out that paying such a wage amounts to a hidden government subsidy for businesses that do so, since their workers’ needs are not met through pay for their hours worked, but through supplements from taxpayers.

    But the focus for these protests turned keenly to the more recent point of wage theft, thanks to lawsuits brought against McDonalds Corporation and some of its franchise operators.

    Some McDonalds employees say that they are being cheated out of overtime pay by such practices as unfair clocking. In this scenario, employees are told to clock out during slow periods at the restaurant, but to remain on the premises and ready to clock back in when customers arrive. Thus the employee is still in uniform, at work, can not leave, but is not being paid.

    In one Boston protest, marchers waved signs and chanted, “Every nickel, every dime, we deserve our overtime!”

    The National Restaurant Association, a trade group funded by moneys from the parent corporations of McDonalds and other fast food industry players, called the demonstrations “orchestrated union PR events where the vast majority of participants are activists and paid demonstrators.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • McDonald’s Employees Sue, Claim Wage Theft

    McDonald’s Employees Sue, Claim Wage Theft

    According to the Chicago Tribune, there have been seven class-action lawsuits filed by McDonald’s restaurant employees recently. The suits charge McDonald’s with systematically stealing wages from employees in a variety of ways.

    Some of the plaintiffs said that the burger chain did not pay overtime as they were required to do. Others said they were forced to do work “off the clock”, pay for their own uniforms, and were not given timely breaks at work.

    A spokesperson for McDonalds, Heidi Barker Sa Shekhem, said in a statement:

    “McDonald’s and our independent franchisees are committed to undertaking a comprehensive investigation of the allegations and will take any necessary actions as they apply to our respective organizations.”

    Some of the lawsuits were leveled at area franchises, as opposed to the parent McDonald’s corporation, though 2 of the suits did name the headquarters company.

    The Tribune went on to report that one of the attorneys in the case, one Joe Sellers, had said in a statement:

    “In the past, McDonald’s has tried to shield itself from liability from these unlawful employment practices committed at its franchise restaurants. We believe it is time McDonald’s accepts responsibility for the pay practices at its franchise restaurants.”

    One of the workers, Jason Hughes, says that the wage theft consisted of his being asked by management to clock out during slow periods during the day, but to remain on the premises, ready to clock back in when things got busy.

    McDonald’s is no stranger to lawsuits. The infamous “hot coffee” suit polarized people for years, and provided fodder for late night comedians and politicians alike. But the Golden Arches have also seen suits over obesity and, in one strange case, damages for a man only being given a single napkin with his order.

    Image via: Wikimedia Commons

  • Man Sues McDonald’s for $1.5M Over Napkin Issue

    Man Sues McDonald’s for $1.5M Over Napkin Issue

    What is a man to do when he receives only one napkin with his Quarter Pounder Deluxe from McDonald’s? Sue for more than a million bucks, apparently. A California McDonald’s finds itself the target of a lawsuit after a man claims he experienced mental anguish relating to an incident that occurred after asking for extra napkins.

    McDonald’s is no stranger to lawsuits. In the past year, the chain has been sued for burns caused by their hot coffee (again) and vocal damage stemming from a glass shard found in a chicken sandwich. Now California resident Webster Lucas is suing McDonald’s for $1.5 million for undue mental anguish.

    Lucas told TMZ that after receiving his Quarter Pounder Deluxe, he noticed that he was given only one napkin, which obviously isn’t enough to take care of cleanup while eating the hefty sandwich. Lucas decided to go up to the front counter to ask for more napkins for his meal when the manager of the Pacoima, California restaurant acted hostile towards him.

    After the store manager, who is identified as “Angel,” argued about the amount of napkins Lucas received and refused to give him extras, Lucas responded with, “I should have went to eat at the Jack-in-the-Box because I didn’t come here to argue over napkins. I came here to eat.” Lucas said that the manager, who he believes to be Mexican-American, then mumbled something about “you people,” which Lucas took as a slight towards his race since he is African American.

    Lucas then complained about the situation to the general manager of the McDonald’s in an email and asked for compensation since Lucas claims he can’t work because of the “undue mental anguish” he suffered as a result of the incident. The general manager offered an apology and free burgers, which Lucas wasn’t happy with, so he decided to file a lawsuit for $1.5 million.

    McDonald’s hasn’t released a statement on the incident or the lawsuit yet, but it’s hard to imagine that anything will come from the lawsuit. Then again, stranger things have happened–like receiving only one napkin with a Quarter Pounder Deluxe.

    Image via Twitter

  • Taco Bell Will Start Serving Breakfast On March 27th

    Taco Bell Will Start Serving Breakfast On March 27th

    Step aside McGriddle, your days are numbered just like your chubby consumers – Taco Bell is stepping up and serving it fresh in the morning with a new national breakfast menu.

    Originally going in for test runs in roughly 800 outlets in 10 states, Taco Bell is attempting to take a bite out of the breakfast market that McDonalds dominates; breakfast accounts for 20 percent of the company’s overall sales. Beginning on March 27th, Taco Bell will serve breakfast every day until 11 a.m. – McDonald’s shifts into their lunch menu at 10:30 a.m. on weekdays.

    “We can turn the breakfast conversation into a two-horse race,” Taco Bell President Brian Niccol said in an interview with AP, adding that Taco Bell aims to be a “strong No. 2” after McDonald’s.

    Ever heard of the Waffle Taco? For a mere 89 cents you can get a waffle folded around a sausage patty and scrambled eggs – if you want that meat to shine, you get syrup and cheese on the side. The whole shebang is 460 calories and 30g of fat. Sure, The Los Angeles Times may have described it as “mushy” with the meat having “slight rubbery texture”, but Instagram user @sarah1ch5 branded their hashtag of approval for the funky food: #itsdelicious.

    (image)

    Taco Bell’s breakfast menu will also contain the A.M Crunchwrap (eggs, hash browns, cheese, and bacon or sausage wrapped in a flour tortilla), the Bacon and Egg Burrito (bacon, scrambled eggs, and cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla), the Sausage Flatbread Melt (a sausage patty with cheese wrapped in a flatbread and grilled), and Cinnabon Delights (bite-sized cinnamon buns). Wash those babies down with Mtn. Dew A.M., which is just Mountain Dew mixed with orange juice.

    (image)

    “Breakfast is the fastest growing day part in QSR [quick-service restaurants], and after years of the same old thing, we’re confident our breakfast will wake up customers’ morning routine,” Taco Bell chief marketing officer Chris Brandt said on Monday in a press release.

    “Taco Bell will bring them a classic breakfast experience, leading with the Waffle Taco and A.M. Crunchwrap, but also offer a menu of breakfast burritos, tacos and value offerings plus a pipeline of new products to continue waking up breakfast options and connecting with our fans.”

    Yo quiero Taco Bell?

    Images via Tacobell.com , YouTube

  • Waffle Taco: Taco Bell Offers Breakfast Menu To Compete With McDonald’s

    Waffle Taco: Taco Bell Offers Breakfast Menu To Compete With McDonald’s

    McDonald’s and Burger King have enjoyed great success with their breakfast menu for years, and Taco Bell has finally jumped on the bandwagon with their latest creation, the waffle taco.

    The waffle taco is essentially what it sounds like, a taco made out of a waffle that contains ingredients that one is likely to find at breakfast. In addition to the waffle taco, they will offer other items on the breakfast menu including the A.M. Crunchwrap.

    For many years, McDonald’s has been the leader in fast food chain breakfast sales, but Taco Bell is looking to at least make it into the No. 2 spot, and could take over the top spot eventually.

    Taco Bell will also look to get an edge on the McDonald’s sales by staying open until 11 am, which is 30 minutes later than McDonald’s. They will offer breakfast food with a twist, as they still feature their signature food names such as “taco” and “crunchwrap.”

    Despite McDonald’s having the top spot, Taco Bell President Brian Niccol said that he hopes Taco Bell can become a strong No. 2. In a recent interview, he said “We can turn the breakfast conversation into a two-horse race.”

    The waffle taco may be the most significant of the new menu items due to its odd name, but several others will also be available to those consumers who decide that a Taco Bell breakfast is the way to go. Each item will also be designed in such a way that it will be easy to take it on the road, and eat while on the go.

    The full list of the upcoming Taco Bell breakfast menu will include:

    – A.M. Crunchwrap — scrambled eggs, a hash brown, cheese and bacon, sausage or steak in a flour tortilla.

    – Waffle Taco — a waffle wrapped around a sausage patty or bacon, with scrambled eggs and cheese, served with a side of syrup.

    – Bacon and Egg Burrito — Bacon, scrambled eggs and cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla

    – Sausage Flatbread Melt — A sausage patty topped with cheese wrapped in a flatbread and grilled.

    Would anyone eat any of these things? Explain.

    Taco Bell has been testing and tweaking its menu in a select number of its nearly 6,000 U.S. locations over the past several months. The new menu featuring the waffle taco and other potentially popular items will debut on March 27th.

    Image via Youtube

  • Waffle Taco, a New Menu Item from Taco Bell, Will Launch Next Month

    Waffle Taco, a New Menu Item from Taco Bell, Will Launch Next Month

    It appears that McDonald’s breakfast menu will be facing more competition next month.

    McDonald’s holds a reputation for being the pioneer of providing appetizing fast food breakfast in the morning. The Egg McMuffin is one of their most popular breakfast choices available to the public.

    However, another fast food restaurant will soon embrace the early morning breakfast hours.

    Taco Bell will be launching its breakfast Menu on March 27, which will include their most anticipated food item, the Waffle Taco.

    The Waffle Taco is, well, what its name says it is.

    Taco Bell has decided to take a waffle, fold it into a taco-shape, and pack it with sausage/bacon, cheese, and eggs.

    Within the last several months, the food chain has reportedly tested out the item in 6,000 select store locations in the country. California, for one, has been one of those areas where the Waffle Taco has been sold as a limited-time special.

    McDonald’s U.S. brand and strategy officer Kevin Newell is not sold on Taco Bell’s forthcoming breakfast menu. He believes that marketing would now be an even more tedious task for the taco food chain.

    “I think they’re going to find that going into the breakfast business is not like what they’re accustomed to, in terms of marketing,” Newell said.

    Taco Bell is reportedly “training existing workers, hiring more staff to cover morning shifts and buying new equipment.”

    Taco Bell President Brian Niccole says that the food chain aims to rank second to McDonald’s.

    “We can turn the breakfast conversation into a two-horse race,” he told the Associated Press.

    Taco Bell’s breakfast hours will reportedly run until 11 a.m., an hour later than McDonald’s.

    According to CBS News, here are the new breakfast items you can look forward to:

    • A.M. Crunch Wrap — scrambled eggs, a hash brown, cheese and bacon, sausage or steak in a flour tortilla.
    • Waffle Taco — a waffle wrapped around a sausage patty or bacon, with scrambled eggs and cheese, served with a side of syrup.
    • Bacon and Egg Burrito — Bacon, scrambled eggs and cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla
    • Sausage Flatbread Melt — A sausage patty topped with cheese wrapped in a flatbread and grilled.


     Image via YouTube