No Me Gusta McDonalds

I spotted this billboard for McD’s breakfast deal. Just $2.99!! But what is it?

It looks to me like it’s a big pile of mush. If I liked McDonalds food, I might have been interested in it. As it is, I can hardly tell the sausage (is that even sausage?) from the hashbrowns from the biscuits from the eggs.

I don't think it's my mediocre photo that makes this look like a heap of mush instead of an appetizing breakfast.

My great friend Molly taught me a lot about food in college. A rule of thumb, she says, is that you have a balanced meal when you have a colorful plate. Look for all the colors of the rainbow; find red in kidney beans, beets or red chard, green in, well, greens, throw in some orange carrots or squash…it makes me hungry just thinking about it!

Thoughts about McDonald’s $2.99 breakfast deal make me sad.

In happy news, Molly now runs a small family farm with her father. Check them out on Facebook.

In other McDonald’s news I just learned they spent some of their massive wealth bullying Homeroom, a small restaurant specializing in Mac & Cheese from all local or sustainable sources. They are due to open next week around the corner from my house–I can’t wait! Generationgreen.org reports:

Homeroom’s founders Allison Arevalo and Erin Wade planned to call their place “Little Mac,” evoking the small neighborhood feel they wanted their café to embody. But somehow fast-food behemoth McDonald’s got wind of the coming opening, and threatened the restaurant neophytes with trademark infringement. McDonald’s told them that the use of “Mac” in the restaurant’s name might create “brand confusion,” leaving people unable to discern the difference between the two shops.

Well, I’m planning to visit Homeroom as soon as I can, and I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to make it there without veering off in a confused haze towards Micky Ds. But as a service to McDonalds, and for those who may still be unsure about the differences between the two, here’s a quick “brand simplification” guide:

1. Signature dishes: Homeroom serves mac and cheese made with local, sustainable ingredients; McDonald’s serves burgers made from beef that may contain as much as 25% of an ammonia-doused, feces-drenched filler.

Even the sign is welcoming!

Ew. If you can believe it, there are five more reasons to hate McDonalds in the full story. If anyone knows how to say “I hate McDonald’s” in Spanish, please let me know. My high school Spanish proved a hindrance when naming this post.

Check out Homeroom’s awesome website and let me know if you’re available to meet me there for lunch next week. They’re Mexican Mac will prove a colorful meal with the homemade chirozo and a $3 side of broccoli.

I’ll take a local side of broccoli instead of breakfast at McDonald’s everyday.

Tagged as: marketing, oakland, we all gotta eat