Epic win

Well, I think McDonald's are a terrible company, and therefore am in principle opposed to all McDonald's outlets, although I wouldn't do a King Canute about it.

There was an interesting piece somewhere a while back how in many small American towns, the McDonald's functions like a kind of community centre, partly because it's often the only thing left in the town centre, and partly because franchisees and workers often have strong links in the community. I would still argue that it's poisonous to independent businesses, though.

There is a KFC near me that fucking stinks and has caused massive increase in litter in the surrounding areas, and makes walking by perilous as people turn in without indicating, pull out in the same manner, block the footpath and general anti social behaviour. The only saving grace is it shuts at 11pm

Planning permission was refused for about 4 years until a high court granted it.

This is the case in some UK branches too.

somewhere safe for people to hang out

Really? The Maccas here is the place I most often see with coppers out front. I guess you get security guards and CCTV at a Maccas compared to a Kentish Fried Chicken or whatever.

Oh, I forgot: fuck McDonalds.

There was an interesting piece somewhere a while back how in many small American towns, the McDonald's functions like a kind of community centre, partly because it's often the only thing left in the town centre, and partly because franchisees and workers often have strong links in the community. I would still argue that it's poisonous to independent businesses, though.

Not just American. I either read, or listened to a Thinking Allowed episode, about chain cafes and restaurants and the meaning they had for different people in communities in London. Especially in regard to gentrification. I'm scraping this from the back of my memory, but I think the details were: Chains were generally seen as more welcoming, open, and inclusive to long-time locals and people with lower incomes. New independent places were seen as less welcoming as places "not for people like us."

Sounds like they got their cause and effect the wrong way round. In London in the last couple of decades, a new independent cafe/restaurant mostly wasn't for "people like us" where us is the locals, because rising rates and austerity meant that the locals mostly couldn't afford to open a new business. And the incomers who could afford it were targetting "people like them". Self-reinforcing cycle. Doesn't mean locals would automatically be opposed to know independent cafes/restaurants or the older ones in Brixton, for example, would never have gotten started.

As I said, not London.

Same thing though. Is it a safe place to hang out, just because it's a regional branch?

Maccas are like train stations at night - best avoided.

I'll ask my friend how many times the police have been called to his branch in Colchester. It's not a town center one btw.

As I said, I was "scraping this from the back of my memory" so I wouldn't invest any time trying to disprove an anecdotal report of something which was much more scholarly. The causes for the claim are certainly many and complex and if you found the original article (which I suspect was a piece of ethnography) you'd probably be better off than just going by my post.

There was an interesting piece somewhere a while back how in many small American towns, the McDonald's functions like a kind of community centre, partly because it's often the only thing left in the town centre, and partly because franchisees and workers often have strong links in the community. I would still argue that it's poisonous to independent businesses, though.

Is this the article?

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jun/08/mcdonalds-community-centers-us-physical-social-networks

Some of these have been mentioned above, but here are the key points in our objections:
-childhood obesity and diabetes caused by this kind of food
-Large number of fast food take away shops already in vicinity, 6 of which 3 are chains
-Increase in congestion: air pollution already causing 4000 deaths in London a year
-Increase in noise pollution and associated mental health problems
-Site was previously home to an independent cafe run by a charity for abused women which was an asset to the community. Big chains and connected rent increases force valuable local business out and stifle community cohesion
-proposed online ordering and delivery model reduces high street footfall
-constant to and fro of deliveryscooters on previously quiet side street
-fuck off and die poisonous scumbags

Easy way to figure out a good/bad Golden Arches.

Walk in to the toilets. If it has blue lighting walk out, never return.

Easy way to figure out a bad Golden Arches.
Walk out, never return.

ftfy

This

What if you need a shit though? Most widely available public toilets.

That was always known as a ‘mcshit’ when I was young

I knew it as a McSlurry

Better than a whopper I suppose.

Obviously fine.

I'm interested because a friend of mine owns two McDonald's franchises and his planning applications actually received community support, on the basis of job creation for young people and somewhere safe for people to hang out. They are not in London though.

You’ll be telling us the milkshake machine works in his branches next...

Steady on.

Or if you're challenged if you've bought anything, a McShit with lies...

No, I don't think so. It was similar, probably in the Grauniad, but I think it discussed it in relation to something else that was the main subject of the article.