Say goodbye to Supersize?

[JeeberD]

Not that I'm a fan of McDonald's or anything, but this is a bizarre turn of events...

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McDonald's Phasing Out Supersize Fries, Drinks

CHICAGO — Say goodbye to those super-sized fries -- McDonald's (MCD) is slimming down its menu.

The hamburger giant has started phasing out its trademark Supersize fries and drinks in its U.S. restaurants as part of an effort to simplify its menu and give customers choices that support a balanced lifestyle, a company spokesman said Tuesday.

By the end of 2004, super size will no longer be available at the nation's 13,000-plus McDonald's outlets except in certain promotions, McDonald's spokesman Walt Riker said.

The move comes as the world's largest restaurant company, and fast-food chains in general, are under growing public pressure to give consumers healthier food options in a nation that has suddenly become aware of its bulging waistline and the health dangers that come with it.

McDonald's added entree salads last year and has been moving to provide more fruit, vegetable and yogurt options with its Happy Meals. But the Oak Brook, Ill.-based company remains a magnet for public concerns -- and legal actions -- when it comes to obesity.

Riker said the changes started going into effect in January.

"This core menu, which has been under development since 2002, simplifies our menu and restaurant operations and provides a balance of choices for our customers," he said. "A component of this overall simplification, menu and balanced lifestyle strategy is the ongoing phase-out of the Supersize fry and the Supersize drink options."

Supersize fries are a 7-ounce carton. McDonald's will still sell "large" fries, the 6-ounce size, Riker said. The company did not immediately disclose other details of the menu changes.

Two lawsuits claiming McDonald's hid the health risks of eating Big Macs and Chicken McNuggets were thrown out in federal court in New York last year.

But the issue hasn't disappeared.

An award-winning documentary called "Super Size Me" has heaped on more unwanted publicity for McDonald's. The documentary, which chronicles the deterioration of filmmaker Morgan Spurlock's health during a monthlong experiment eating nothing but McDonald's food, won a directing prize at the Sundance Film Festival and is set for wide release this spring.

Riker said the phasing out of super-sizing has "nothing to do with that [film] whatsoever."

The company earlier issued a statement calling the documentary "a super-sized distortion of the quality, choice and variety available at McDonald's." It says the film is not about McDonald's but about Spurlock's decision to act irresponsibly by eating 5,000 calories a day -- "a gimmick to make a film."

Richard Adams, a former McDonald's franchising executive and now an independent consultant for franchisees, said the company has been promising to simplify the menu since before the trend toward healthier foods began.

"Yeah, obesity is a consideration," said Adams, who operates Franchise Equity Group. "But health is just a component of this. The menu's gotten too broad and the kitchens are unmanageable with all the new products.

"This is also an effort to speed up McDonald's service," he said. "The less buttons on the cash register, the more efficient the crew people can be."

At the McDonald's restaurant Edgard Alend manages in Chicago, customers buy about 100 to 150 "Extra Value" meals each day, with Supersize fries and drink.

Alend doesn't think the loss would affect his restaurant's revenue as much as his customers' wallets.

"It's one of the strongest ways for customers to get more for their money," Alend said about the Super Size.

Jamie Cox, 19, dining at a McDonald's in downtown Chicago with his girlfriend Tuesday night, had a mixed reaction to the news. He said he orders Supersize fries but usually throws out leftovers.

"It's a waste," he said. "Once they get cold, they're nasty. But we would die without the [Supersize] drink."

[AgPete]

Wow. First it was smoking that became a stigma in society. I wonder if fast food is next?

[Buccaneer]

You left out the next paragraph

The company earlier issued a statement calling the documentary "a super-sized distortion of the quality, choice and variety available at McDonald's." It says the film is not about McDonald's but about Spurlock's decision to act irresponsibly by eating 5,000 calories a day -- "a gimmick to make a film."

Sounds like something Roger Moore would do.

[JeeberD]

Doh! I somehow left out half of the article. Let me fix that real quick-like..

[Hurst2112]

Piss on them! Just for that, I am going to smoke in a public place and eat carbs...shitloads of em.

[AgPete]

Originally Posted by Hurst2112

Piss on them! Just for that, I am going to smoke in a public place and eat carbs...shitloads of em.

ROFL!

[Draft Dodger]

I thought Large was the biggest size (and those are enough for me and my son to share). I guess I need to get out more.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

You left out the next paragraph


Sounds like something Roger Moore would do.

James Bond is always doing crazy stuff, isn't he.

[Deattribution]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

You left out the next paragraph


Sounds like something Roger Moore would do.

Michael Moore, you mean?

[Greyroofoo]

I just wonder what awards "supersize me" actually won

[Buccaneer]

Yes, sorry. Michael Moore. Or in today's vernacular, the far left-wing extremist Michael Moore.

[Anthony]

don't care too much for super-size fries, but i love's me my super-size drink. mmmmmm.

[JeeberD]

One thing I don't understand. When I worked at BK back in high school, we used to have people go throught he drive-thru all the time just to get large sodas. Why wouldn't these people instead go to the 7-11 just down the street where they can get a larger drink for cheaper? I never understood paying $1.50 for a 32oz drink when you could get a 44oz-er for 99 cents down the way. I guess it's that pesky having to get out of the car and walk into the store thing...

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

One thing I don't understand. When I worked at BK back in high school, we used to have people go throught he drive-thru all the time just to get large sodas. Why wouldn't these people instead go to the 7-11 just down the street where they can get a larger drink for cheaper? I never understood paying $1.50 for a 32oz drink when you could get a 44oz-er for 99 cents down the way. I guess it's that pesky having to get out of the car and walk into the store thing...

One thing I never understood at my high school job is why people would try and save a little money by buying a shitty beer like Blatz or Natty Light when they could spend a few more dollars to get something they couldn't just get from any water faucet. Some people.

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by mckerney

One thing I never understood at my high school job is why people would try and save a little money by buying a shitty beer like Blatz or Natty Light when they could spend a few more dollars to get something they couldn't just get from any water faucet. Some people.

You are from Wisconsin and you're asking THIS????

Shame on you.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by Hurst2112

You are from Wisconsin and you're asking THIS????

Shame on you.

Asking why people by shitty beer? There's no shame in that.

[JeeberD]

There's no excuse for drinking shitty beer.

None.

[Marmel]

Michael Moore was mentioned in this thread.

Count down until a NoMyths appearance begins now.

[ice4277]

Hitler

[cthomer5000]

slippery slope

[MIJB#19]

Just get two smallsized meals in stead.

Or move to the Netherlands and order supersize, only to figure out it's smallsized...

[Ajaxab]

The funniest part of this article is that the reason for the change is to simplify the menu. You mean people were getting confused about saying "No.2 Supersize" so they have to narrow it to an apparently even simpler "No.2" or were McDonald's employees getting confused about punching two buttons on their register?

I really don't see how this decision is about the health of the nation. It's all about moving people through even more quickly than they already are. It used to be you had to tell them you wanted a Quarter Pounder, large fries and a medium coke. Then you had to say "No.3 Supersize." Now, it will only be the number. Reducing the syllables needed to order means quicker customer service. It's all about $$$$. Big surprise.

[Super Ugly]

"This is also an effort to speed up McDonald's service," he said. "The less buttons on the cash register, the more efficient the crew people can be."

Oh, that's beautiful. "Our workers are thick as pig shit", says McDonald's boss.

[cuervo72]

This is damned stupid. If the public is idiotic enough to not know that tractorfulls of fries are bad for them, TS.

I personally like getting the supersize now and then, because often I will order it so a) I can keep the drink myself (I only drink diet soda, so there's no harm there, at least calorie-wise - I can go through one of these and still be thirsty later on), and b) I will order one value meal and a couple of extra sandwiches, then split the fries with the wife and kids (this is when we don't get kids meals, which they never eat anyway and the crappy toys end up littering the house).

Personal responsibility, people. Learn how to excercise some so you don't screw everything up for the rest of us.

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

I personally like getting the supersize now and then, because often I will order it so ... b) I will order one value meal and a couple of extra sandwiches, then split the fries with the wife and kids (this is when we don't get kids meals, which they never eat anyway and the crappy toys end up littering the house).

kid meals...

[tucker342]

That's so lame. McDonalds shouldn't be held responsible for people that supersize their meal... People really piss me off sometimes

[The_herd]

Fat people are ruining America!!!

Stupid people too...

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Ajaxab

Reducing the syllables needed to order means quicker customer service. It's all about $$$$. Big surprise.

There is more. How much do you want to bet the combo prices are going to go up to closer to what they used to charge for the super-sizes? Give less food, charge more money, and maximizes your profits.

[RawIsDan]

This sucks. I love my supersize drinks as well. I'm no dummie and I know it's fattening but I don't care !!

Damn Stupid Fat people...Damn you to hell !

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by mckerney

One thing I never understood at my high school job is why people would try and save a little money by buying a shitty beer like Blatz or Natty Light when they could spend a few more dollars to get something they couldn't just get from any water faucet. Some people.

When you have $5 left on your credit card, the decision is basically made for you.

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

There's no excuse for drinking shitty beer.

None.

There is when you have a bunch of kids in high school pooling their money together. Do you get 1 case of Budweiser, or do you get almost 3 cases of Blatz, Old Style or Hamms.

The choice is obvious...quantity not quality.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

There is more. How much do you want to bet the combo prices are going to go up to closer to what they used to charge for the super-sizes? Give less food, charge more money, and maximizes your profits.

That's what I was thinking. They're going to eliminate the supersize meal, then supersize the price of the regular combo.

And think about it - this makes sense. I bet they discussed raising prices across the board, but were afraid of the hefty price the supersize combos would carry, so they eliminate the supersize combo under the guise of efficiency or health or whatever, then jack up the price of the regular combo, which won't look as high as the jacked-up price of a supersize combo would have.

[Buzzbee]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

There is more. How much do you want to bet the combo prices are going to go up to closer to what they used to charge for the super-sizes? Give less food, charge more money, and maximizes your profits.

GrantDawg gets it. Didn't anyone else notice the person who mentioned customer's wallets? The supersize is the best value. Therefore, eliminating the best value results in McD's making higher margins. People probably won't quit eating at McD's because they can't get a supersized meal. They'll simply order the largest available combo meal (and might even add an additional hamburger/cheeseburger etc. to supplement).

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by Hurst2112

There is when you have a bunch of kids in high school pooling their money together. Do you get 1 case of Budweiser, or do you get almost 3 cases of Blatz, Old Style or Hamms.

Are you trying to say that Bud isn't shitty beer?

[AgPete]

I'm just sad the supersize fries are gone. The hamburgers always tasted like sh!t but I like their fries.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Are you trying to say that Bud isn't shitty beer?

I'll back you up....Bud is shitty beer.

(Jeeber - tried the Chicken Castellina last weekend, good stuff! That sauce and unlimited breadsticks and salad can't be any better than supersize fries for the waistline )

[AENeuman]

In the book "Fast Food Nation" the author says the reason for supersize was the tremendous profits it made. Charging .60 cents more for a larger soda that cost them less than .03 cents.

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

(Jeeber - tried the Chicken Castellina last weekend, good stuff! That sauce and unlimited breadsticks and salad can't be any better than supersize fries for the waistline )

Word. Chicken Catellina is awesome, one of my absolute favorites. If I could have that for lunch and Chicken Marsala for dinner every day for the rest of my life I would die a happy man...

[Passacaglia]

Chicken Marsala? I don't like that stuff at all! Chicken Scampi all the way. And the salad for lunch, I suppose.

[Easy Mac]

I haven't been to McD's since they switched to all white meat nuggets... the dark meat nuggets were the only things to eat there.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

I haven't been to McD's since they switched to all white meat nuggets... the dark meat nuggets were the only things to eat there.

The nuggets are much better now.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

I haven't been to McD's since they switched to all white meat nuggets... the dark meat nuggets were the only things to eat there.

Those were gross. I had an eloborate sorting process and was outraged when I got the dark ones...

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

Chicken Marsala? I don't like that stuff at all! Chicken Scampi all the way. And the salad for lunch, I suppose.

I can deal with the scampi. Just have to leave out the onions, though...