Oh How the Mighty Have Fallen...
 

According to the Baltimore Sun, and referenced in The Week, April 23rd 2004 edition, France eats more McDonald's food than any other country in Europe. The nation has 1,008 of the fast-food giant's franchises.

Hmmm. Could this signify the end of snobbery as we know it?

>...France eats more McDonald's food than any other country in Europe.<

Ahhh, but it's French McDonald's.

I just read a long article about France and McDonald's, possibly in this week's Economist. A few points:
80% of the food sold in French McDo's comes from France.
They sell far more salads and lower fat meals than McDonald's in other countries (particularly the U.S.).
Many French McDonald's offer more "cafe style" seating, etc., not the typical U.S. McDonald's setup.

And, FYI, France may eat more McDonald's than any other country in Europe, but the Austrian McDonald's are the most profitable per capita.

"Snobbery as we know it" will only be over when a bunch of people who regularly post on this board finally admit that they have, in fact, eaten at this establishment.

I confess. I ate at a McDonalds in the heart of Paris. I was young, dumb, and hungry. Now I would not be caught dead in one.

I swear by all that is sacred I have NEVER eaten in any McDonald's outside the US except for a chocolate milkshake in Guatemala City in 1980.

I don't actually think I've ever eaten in a McDonald's in the US either. I'm not a snob -- I just don't like or consume "fast food" in general.

Marilyn's Believe It Or Not!!

The only place to get a decent size cup of coffee in the afternoon or evening is at McDonald's. Been there, done that.

I also swear that I've never eaten in a McD outside of the US, and my last time in the US was 4-5 years ago. I'm not being moralistic, I'd just rather eat better food.

I wouldn't order "French" food at a US amusement or theme park either, preferring to play to the local culinary strengths, assuming there are any.

I've always loved McDonald's french fries. I'm a huge fan of tasty fried foods. I'm healthy and I believe in eating everything in moderation. Every year or two I get a craving for a good, old-fashioned Big Mac. And, oh, how I cherish satisfying that craving. My craving for a Whopper occurs twice as often because I prefer the taste of grilled beef over fried.

Tokyo is my only experience with McDonald's outside of the U.S. My friends at Sony suggested I try the various offerings, flavored with soy and teriyaki sauce. I didn't fall in love but I did witness a college-age Japanese girl verbally chastise an older group of women for smoking cigarettes while she was eating. It was a fabulous display of young versus old and I watched with astonishment (and delight).

I'm with Marilyn--I don't eat at McDonald's anywhere in the world. However, I do eat fast food--apples, carrots, bananas, snap peas, etc. What could be faster than these?

I have eaten at McDonald's in Hong Kong, Lisbon, Rome, London, Avignon, Madrid, Vienna, and Munich. I would crawl over shards of glass for an Oreo cookie McFlurry. You can keep the hamburgers and fries (too salty). You have to admit that in Europe, McDonald's usually has the cleanest toilet facilites.

not in Paris, though...

i've eaten at mcdonald's outside the u.s. so what?

I got an ice cream from the MacDonald's near the Spanish Steps and used their bathroom once. Am I bad?

hey, what happened to the thread about the bags made in Port Angeles, WA, with the derogatory French label? It was there and now poof! Gone with the Binh.

You mean the french labels that said: Vote for John "Flip-Flop" Kerry and make the French and UN happy?

i like the fries the the italian McD's better even than the US ones -- olive oil is the key there! and the overseas McD value meals are a better size for me (not as huge as the US). sometimes you just crave some fat & salt...

Well, I don't think I am a snob, foodie, Francophile or any other variety (though I am pedantic, petulant and/or pompous at times) - - but sure I'll confess. A banana batida (milkshake) was excellent to start me off on my drive up into the Pyrenees foothills from Barcelona over ten years ago (why on earth would I remember that?) - - and on various trips, I have eaten at the McD's in Innsbruck, in the Galleria in Milan, at KFC while driving out of Prague, headed for Poland (I was so tempted to try the drivethrough, but pointing at the counter was a LOT easier!) - - but I guess, never in France. Been to Quick though, somewhere in the south of France with the whole gaggle of 11 teenagers, and maybe once, a cup of coffee on the Champs Elysees.

Best wishes,

Rex

It is actually so disquisting to read that after all banishing and humiliation of people who honestly simply said that they eat at McD in Europe - everyone has some DoubleMac in a closet.

So, we just like to spit in people face, don't we?

The McDonald's in Bergamo has very good capri salads--mozzarella,cherry tomatoes, olive oil vinaigrette, and nice bread sticks. For a traveler on a budget, it was a good choice( about 3 euros).

I have been to McDonald's outside the US - for a beer. Having a tall one at McDonald's seemed a cute thing to do.

At home, I used to eat at McDonald's about once every 6-8 monthes. Then I read "Fast Food Nation." Now I don't even eat hamburger, period. If you want to know why, try reading he book. You'll never be able to look at a humburger again.

The McDs in Bombay sometimes have chicken Tikka burgers ! Yummy.

I always hate to see McDonald's bashed because I worked at one when I was in high school and found them (at that time) to be a very fine corporation. Very much community oriented (remember the MD fundraising parties kids could host?)
They are changing-- their salads are quite good and in Europe the fare is somewhat tailored to the area. Bean veggie burgers are great. And remember, they really only serve what people want! (I know, because our store was one of the test markets and there are many things tried out and don't make it!)
Rex, I've had the banana milk shakes and they're tasty.

And why are McDonald's fries so good....because they're thin and crispy--like European ones!

Forgive me Fodorites, for I have eaten fries and even those odd little potato sticks for breakfast in the USA.

I had fries, ketchup and a coke at the Milan McD's and they were delicious.

Yes, sometimes you just have to have greasy salty carbs!!

I don't eat red meat so the burgers are out, but believe me, there are worse places to eat.

When I took my kids to the McDonalds in Vienna and Rome, the burgers and fries tasted just like in the USA, but I noticed the milkshakes and sundaes were of much higher quality than here. They were richer, more chocolate taste, and not quite so sweet. Yes I know its stupid to go such a place in Europe even with kids. I admit I was wrong, and now I can begin the long path to recovery.

Now that we're all here for our Friday food confessions... Amen, platzer. I will own up to gleefully purchasing a 12-oz. plastic cup of beer at an Austrian Mickey D's when I was 16 years old. Just because I could. Somewhere I have a photo of me, tragic hair and all, toasting with it under the wrought iron hanging sign...

The people that never ate in Mc Donald outsite the Us, probably did not travel with children..
I confess, I took my granchild to a Mc Donald in Paris..
I had a big fat chicken sandwich and fries...
Enjoyed every bite and never felt guilty about it..
I usually dont eat fast food, I was born in Europe..I grew up with excellent food, fresh veggies , lots of fruits, not too many sweets and no sodas...

I ate at a McDonalds in Paris on Rue de Rennes near Blvd. Montparnasse. It was Sunday morning and everything else was closed.

I did not know what many of the items on the menu were but a very nice French lady and her daughter were in line behind us. Mom spoke English with a very good American accent. She told us what everything was, and we had a good breakfast.
Don't stereotype McDonalds over there by thinking they are identifical to those over here.
The sign has a big M, the arches are golden, and a French McDonalds have a walk up ordering counter, but that is where the comparisons end.

This morning I had a bit of a hangover (a few too many glasses/bottle of tempranillo last night, Thursday being the new Friday and all that) and a MacDonald's breakfast was just the trick. Does that make me a bad person, or did the wine make me a bad person, I can't decide.

Kate
London

I'm not a snob foodie - I eat what I like and I don't feel guilty about it.

Unhealthy, yes. But not guilty.

I don't rate McD's at all but I do LOVE Burger King - just MUCH prefer their burgers and fries... so happily eat those reasonably regularly here in London.

As for abroad - I certainly remember the thrill of eating a McD's burger in Moscow at a time when Muscovites were still queuing for the novelty experience of it - after some weeks of travelling around eating cheap tinned food taken from home in the bus it was manna from heaven. And likewise we stopped in a McD in Czechoslovakia (as it was then) too.

When I was an au pair my friend and I used to meet in Paris, poor as church mice. It was cold that winter too so we'd intersperse our sightseeing and meanderings with regular stops for Hot Chocolate in McDs - cheaper than many other places in the vicinitie involved.

No shame whatsoever.

I would feel disappointed in myself (though not ashamed) if I let lack of effort result in failing to enjoy the many great food offerings in the places I visited.

But I don't see anything wrong with a little variety - even when some of it is "junk food"!

A reverse question:

How many of us have eaten at a restaurant then said "we might as well have eaten at McDonalds and saved the money".

I have, once right on Campo Fiori in Rome, another time in a fish restaurant in Cap Ferrat.

I heard Starbucks is also doing very, very well in Paris. Supposed to be a 30 minute wait to get served as the lines are so long. Give people what they want at a decent price and they will beat a path to your door.

I have to say that Ziana is my new favourite poster. Trying to make even a little sense out of her incomprehensible ramblings is always good for a laugh.......

Yeah, and don't they call the Big Mac the "Royale?" Does McD's still give away those free Paris maps? They were really printed in small print :-)

McDonald's SUCKS!! Too may Americans are fat. Get a clue...

McDonald's SUCKS!! Too many Americans are fat. Get a clue...

We ate breakfast at a McDonald's in Paris several mornings. We at in the restaurant, and coffee was served in actual mugs, not paper or styrofoam cups. We picked up one of McD's maps of Paris and it was excellent for figuring out the subways - compact and fit nicely in my back pocket.

We used McD's map of Pompeii when we were there - again it was excellent. Found a pile of the maps in our hotel lobby (Hotel Bristol), so we didn't even have to eat there. And I don't care what city I am in, if I need to pee, I'll use their facilities. They are usually clean and free. Peace.

Robyn

Yes, shut down all the McDonalds and those same fat Americans will turn into triathletes, munching on celery stalks and tofu bars.

My first night in Munich I had a chocolate shake from McDonalds and used the very clean restroom. The shake was the perfect answer to what to have when I wasn't hungry enough for a restaurant. I don't eat their burgers though, anywhere.
((c))

Kate, the devil made you a bad person. McDonalds just made you a bad person with a few more evil calories. :)