Okay, I’m going to unashamedly admit I’m partisan on this one. I loath Macdonald’s with a passion, always have done since the first London branch was opened during the 70’s
So what about alternatives, what hits the spot for you as far as eateries are concerned? I’m thinking about the smaller independent businessess on the whole, but hey, its about what ever lights your fire I guess! Of course hospitality is in dire straits at the moment, sadly some of the little places might not be around for much longer.
I’m seriously looking forward to taking the short train trip to the smoke during Easter and Checking out Govinda’s in Soho Street…
I don’t loathe Maccas but I rarely go, I can’t remember when I last did. BUT you must admit they were a big improvement on Wimpy Bars in the UK.
If I have no other choice I prefer KFC and a Zinger Burger or at a push Hungry Jacks.
At least Maccas and Hungry Jacks have free seniors’ coffee, a big failing of KFC. I am told that Hungry Jacks is opening up near the local Maccas
Where I live we are spoilt for choice for food, three Chinese, Two Thai, One Indian and an Italian restaurants not to mention the Club. There are even two “Posh” pizza places, Pinocchio’s and Crust as well as the usual cheap Pizza Hut and Dominos also a couple of Kebab and Greek food vans that only open in the evening. They are all within a few minutes walk of my house.
(I think in other parts of the world Hungry Jacks is known as Burger King)
And I forgot about Julio’s Pizza - expensive but very good.
I fully agree on disliking McDonalds. Everything about the place - the smell of stale fat, the revolting breakfast roll, the revolting everything in fact, the excessive use of alarming pesticides to produce the potatoes, the excessive pay for their CEO… I could go on.
If I’m in the UK I end up grabbing food from Pret or Itsu (or similar). If I’m home, in France, then its a proper sit down three course lunch, usually for 17 or 18 euros, in a local family run restaurant.
I must admit that I occasionally have a McDonald’s, I do like their lattes, we tend to eat out at our local garden centres who do excellent food, occasionally a trip to Whitby on the Yorkshire coast and fish and chips either in trenchers or the magpie, sit in of course I hate battling the bl##dy seagulls…
Actually the worst branch I ever visited was in Madrid.
You could buy horrible cheap beer in there and smoking was allowed.
Not only was there the usual grotty debris and ketchup smears left over the tables but fag ash and smelly beer slops too, what joy!
I see McDonald’s as an "emergency eating " solution, for example if you happen to be on holiday, on the road, and want to eat something fast and not too expensive.
Also if you find yourself in a place where you don’t like the local food, just look for a Mac and all is solved.
I can understand that perspective. However, it ranks up there (rather, down there) with chewing my own foot off as an emergency eating solution. In fact, I cannot think of an emergency where McDonald’s is the answer. For a start, in a genuine emergency the maccie-D’s would not be open. Besides, what is wrong with a bag of crisps, a soft drink and a scotch egg? More nutritious than a McD burger and chips.
I’ve only ever been in one,to go to the toilet.It was very clean,nothing to complain about there.
I liked the Kardomah Coffee Shop back in the olden days (when not in the pub)
Double Cheeseburger is my favourite. Just a little burger, you’ll find it on the Saver Menu, not as messy as a Big Mac. It’s probably not very nourishing but I don’t do it everyday.
A bag of crisps isn’t really a meal though, is it? Especially when you have screaming kids: “I’m huuunngggrrry!!!” In a McDonald’s you can sit down comfortably (reasonably) and it is internationally spread out, you can almost find one in a desert, or high up on a mountain top, if you look hard.
In a McDonald’s you can sit down comfortably (reasonably) and it is internationally spread out, you can almost find one in a desert, or high up on a mountain top, if you look hard. 
