Super-Size Me

[eggwards]

On OutQ in the morning, they referenced a story that says McDonald's, under lawsuit pressure from idiots looking for a buck, will phase out "Super-Size" fries and drinks.

Of course, this is another instance were a lawsuit has created an air that the average American can't make decisions for themselves. We are so swayed by these companies and their larger fry portions that we can't control ourselves! "Oh, government, please come in and help us, because we are to stupid to choose food for our selves, and I need some cash."

So now we have McDonald's self-regulating, denying our access to Super-Size fries. I remember they tested "Gigantic" size fries here in Houston, where they would fill a 48 oz. cup full of fries. The didn't do to well. Sometimes, too much is just too much. The people have spoken.

Of course, it's a win-win for McDonald's. They look like they're being responsible, concerned about their customer's growing waistlines (because they are sheep, you know), but they'll also sell more fries as those still left wanting more will just buy another order of them. Of corse they might sell one of those horrible baked apple pies instead.

Look, McDonald's has to look like their responding to the lawsuits, even though they haven't actually gone to trial. it's the court of public opinion, but in the long run PEOPLE have to take some responsibility for what they do with your life. Wow, you eat at McDonald's and you find that the food is unhealthy. BIG SURPRISE!

Buck up folks. Everyone needs to grow a little bit thicker skin. Please pass the fries.

Comments

[furmuslbulk.livejournal.com]

Well Americans have gotten WAY fat in the past 20 years. Have you seen what ONE muffin looks like now? It's probably the size of three muffins 20 years ago. And a large soda has also increased greatly in size.

I'm glad McDonalds is doing this. They are just going back to more sane portion sizes, wich is a good thing. If people want more fries they wil actually have to ORDER 2 servings fo fries, and not be able to say "but I just had one order!"

I have also been noticing that a men's xl shirt has also gained in size. I used to be able to wear some xls, but some were too small. Now I NEVER find an XL that is too small for me, and I'm the same size as before!

[bassbehr.livejournal.com]

I concur. The size portions of food these days is ridiculous. I can't remember the last time I super-sized something.

[jrjarrett.livejournal.com]

But you are missing Mike's point. So they offered the choice of humongous fries or drink You say yourself, you didn't order it. But to remove that choice because there is a class of people that cannot take personal responsibility for their nutrition and now want to lay the blame for their poor healt on a third party? Feh.


As you have, people need to take personal responsibility for their own actions and NOT go running to a lawyer every time something does not go their way. It dilutes the use of that avenue for real grievances.

[bassbehr.livejournal.com]

It's the same thing as Kentucky Fried Chicken changing to KFC because of the word "fried" in their title.

KFC

[alphaschnitz.livejournal.com]

And have you seen the new commercials? Now they're trying to make us believe that KFC stands for "Kitchen Fresh Chicken". ugh!

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Don't fight the companies in the courts, be a better, more demanding consumer. If you want healthier choices, then ask for them.

Despite adding salads and such, people still go to McDonald's for fries, cokes and burgers. The restaurant is caught between trying to be a corporate citizen, and profitability.

So what do they do? They gave in to the consumer demand for larger portions that have effected most restaurants over the last few years, now they have to figure out what the consumer wants now. Just take a look at how many places are offering Adkins dishes, when even that's controversial on health benefits.

Do people really want to give up their free will in order to have the courts, and government be their nanny? People have to live life for themselves.

[greggmmc.livejournal.com]

well i surely can ....


and it was pretty damn recently too.

[greggmmc.livejournal.com]

actually another shocking thing has been happening.

i recently bought a burger from mcdonalds and opened the wrapping to find that the bun was now the size of a bisquit.

i guess this move is more an effort to keep the price down. but wow ... the quarter pounder is now smaller than the regular kiddee burger was 20 years ago when i was cooking those babies ....

[t8r.livejournal.com]

I think the lawsuits are ridiculous, but I really have to question the (a)morality of a company that sells products it knows are harmful. Truly, corporations exhibit psychopathic behavior.

[jrjarrett.livejournal.com]

but I really have to question the (a)morality of a company that sells products it knows are harmful.

huh? If we were talking about a tobacco company, yeah, I'd agree with you. I do not work for McDonald's or any other fast food place, but I hardly think the occasional BigMac and super-sized fries is "harmful." Frankly, if there was a fast food establishment that offered instantly available, nutritionally balanced, and tasty food, I'd step up.

Again, the issue I believe is NOT with the fact that McDonald's or whoever offers McBucket 'O Fries, nor with the fact that people would ORDER McGigundaBurger. It's that some people are trying to put the blame on their poor health on companies like this because they do not have the personal responsibility to ensure they eat a well balanced diet, and now they want money for it.

[murphy.livejournal.com]

McDonald's food is every bit as dangerous as tobacco...check out the press on the upcoming documentary Super Size Me. Although they deny it, this change is an effort by McDonalds to get in front of that bad press.

Also, its less about whats happening in the courts and more about the court of public opinion...this nation is in the midst of an obesity epidemic and diabetes will become THE huge health crisis of the next 50 years. Companies in general, cater to the fancy of all consumers, and US consumers as a group are slowly getting wise to their complete lack of portion control and the dire consequences. I think McDonald's action here is a direct result of that, not any lawsuit.

Almost totally off the cuff...

[oakleycub.livejournal.com]

I will agree with you that McDonalds food is as dangerous, if not more dangerous than tobacco. You will suffer ill effects on your health much quicker eating McDonalds food than if you smoked. It really wouldn't surprise me if tobacco was healthier to eat.

There is one big difference. McDonalds food is not addictive to the average person. It is still an individual's responsibility to not eat too much, few people can truly use the excuse of addiction.

Here is what McDonalds and tobacco companies have in common: lots and lots of advertising. While all the various companies that sell products with negligable or negative health consequences certainly raise eyebrows with their products, it is the advertising bombarding us every day that wears down our resolve to treat ourselves better.

I think people are responsible for not smoking or overeating as individuals. However, if you are really determined to sue someone, I would take on the advertising firms that rot our minds and better judgement.

I realize another part of the issue is that companies lie about their products. As far as that goes, sue the company and the advertisers for coming up with that lie and trying to make it true.

Re: Almost totally off the cuff...

[greggmmc.livejournal.com]

and when you consider that fast food restaurants are pretty much serving what people want to purchase, the lawsuits should center in on the average consumer who purchases these products ... thereby making burgers and fries bigger sellers than salads and other healthier fare ...

and thereby encouraging the fat feeding frenzy currently being lauded.


i for one always pay for my weekly burger with nonsequential one dollar bills ... making the lawyers work damn hard to track me down for the hell of a lawsuit i am surely one day to incur.

Re: Almost totally off the cuff...

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

Funny that you use a User Icon that's based on an event that right now the government is trying to protect everyone from.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

I think McDonald's is just trying to market successfully. A few years ago, the entire industry was looking at bigger and bigger portions. It was what consumers wanted. Now we're seeing not only can't they control costs offering the larger portions, but there is a back-lash against them, so they change. Big business rarely innovates.

Super-Size Me just goes to show, bad choices equal bad results. He choose to eat some 50,000 calories of the rather non-nutritious food McDonald's serves. I'm actually pretty sure he knew, and even sought the results he needed for the movie.

The bigger question is, why aren't healthier choices cheaper?

Oh, and yes, you're right about diabetes. Surely our eating habits will get the better of us (I'm working to stave off diabetes now), but making better choices is the way to go. If consumers demand better, business will have to follow.

[t8r.livejournal.com]

I'm not questioning the frivolity of these lawsuits. Clearly those who eat these megasized portions are to blame for their health problems.

But you can't tell me McDonald's doesn't know about the major public health crisis on the horizon re: obesity. If you start selling uberburgers and vats of fries with this knowledge, really, what kind of citizen does that make you?

It is possible to disapprove of McDonald's socially irresponsible behaviour without supporting these lawsuits, you know.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking that McDonald's tries to walk a fine line between profitability, offering the customer what they want, and trying to make sure they avoid lawsuits. It's tough.

Certainly they have been pushed by the court of Public Opinion to make changes that show they are being good corporate citizens, but still people expect to get fries, hamburgers and a shake at the restaurant. How many people really do buy their salads?

It's a can't win situation. Really, the bigger problem is that there are lawyers in need of a challenge who are trying to go after any target they can. It's a breakdown of personal responsibility that will end up costing all of us, not only in higher prices, but also in loss of choice. It's forcing the government to be everyone's nanny.

[t8r.livejournal.com]

Certainly they have been pushed by the court of Public Opinion to make changes that show they are being good corporate citizens [...]

Exactly. They have to be pushed. They can't be expected to behave responsibly on their own can they?

There are multiple levels of responsibility here. You choose to ignore the responsibilities that place a burden on McD's (public health and other things good citizens should be concerned with), and focus on the irresponsibility of the lawyers in hurting consumer choice, the consumers who willingly clog their arteries with what McD's is serving up, and poor McD's now limited ability to continue to milk the supersize cow. They're *all* problematic, but the dimunition of supersizes which has resulted from these threatened civil suits is but a small inconvenience to the consumer. The massive health problems due to our penchant for large amounts of food, and the willingness of the fast food industry to fulfill this self-destructive desire is a MUCH larger one. These costs to the public (either via taxes to support universal healthcare, or straight from their wallets to the insurance companies and hospitals [if they can afford it, that is]) will far, FAR outweigh the economic good of the profits fast food companies have made from gigasizing their fries.

I agree, there are many many frivolous lawsuits, but I think this one is prolly not the best example with which to make that point and expect everyone to side with the globocorp.

[jdvsqz.livejournal.com]

48 oz. cup full of fries???

Did it come with shot glasses of ketchup?

[clauditorium.livejournal.com]

I wonder if you've heard of a documentary called Super-size Me. It follows the filmmaker as he eats nothing but McDonalds products for one month and documents the (apparently scary) results.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

Yes, I have heard of it, and I think that it's results are just as realistic as the rats who are constantly fed saccharine. It's one of those things where moderation, and better living would take care of things.

I've heard that the filmmaker was eating some 50,000 calories a day, and certainly you can't say that you're getting vitamins and minerals with a double Big Mac and super-sized fries. You have to balance such food choices.

It's not surprising he had problems and weight gain. It's something I'm familiar with myself. Then again, this is from a guy who doesn't eat his veggies. I'm to blame for my own habits.

[clauditorium.livejournal.com]

Even though it's not realistic to eat McDonalds every day for a month, I still think the results have significance. I'm sure the results wouldn't be as bad if he ate nothing but vegetables for a month.

[kev-bot.livejournal.com]

Three things:

1) Is it bad that all the actual news I get about the world comes from (a) the AOL front page, (b) VH1's The Best Week EVER!, and (c) your CNN hyperlinks?

2) Please please PLEASE send me "McDonald's Girl"!!!

3) I honestly read your last lines as this: Bulk up folks. Everyone needs to grow a little bit thicker. Please pass the fries.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

1. You are perfectly within your age-ranges viewing habits. In fact it was revealed the other day that the most trusted news anchor for those under 30 is Jon Stewart on The Daily Show.

2. I'll work on that. I think it's a live recording.

3. Well, I'm not advocating gaining. Just personal responsibility. if you want to weigh more, do so. It's easier than losing. It's your life.

[davomatic.livejournal.com]

I like their pies. Pies are good. I'd super-size the pies if I could. Really.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

McDonald's pissed me off when they got rid of the fried pies, in yet another - Ohh! healthy! - program. The fried pies were so much better.

[mattycub.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Ok, I'm as much against frivilous law suits as you are. And I agree that the breakdown of personal responsibility in this country is a huge problem.

But.

We have a growing health problem on our hands here in this country wuth obesity, that if left unchecked will have grave consequences for coming generations. I think that part of the blame for that lies with the food corporations pushing unhealthy products in ridiculous portion sizes onto the public with massive advertising campaigns and marketing clout. True, individuals need to take responsibility for their own choices. But the corporate driven, media saturated world in which we live in certainly puts a lot of psychic pressure on those individuals to make decisions that may be great for the bottom line but not so great for the individual in the long run, or society as a whole for that matter. While not a big fan of dumb lawsuits of government micro-regulations, I think that something certainly needs to be done and corporations aren't going to necessarily address the problem if they don't think it's in their best financial interest. Perhaps a few lawsuits and threats of government intervention will help provide that incentive.