Is McDonalds All That?

It’s many little kids dream to sit patiently, yet passionately excited, to see their parents drive into the nearby McDonalds. The sudden urge of excitement that requires them to play cool and act un-fazed, while their insides are jumping side to side with uncontrollable joy. The lure surrounding McDonalds is quite remarkable and is unlike any fast-food chain we’ve ever seen. Every kid gets blasted with happiness when opening their little kids meal to find a small toy – something quite unique to McDonalds. Big Macs and Quarter-pounders are infamous when discussing fast-food burgers; McDonald fries are regarded as the best fast-food fries; and the sprite is famously over-carbonated and may possibly serve as a fuel for an atomic bomb – it’s that fizzy. All these can be attributed to master marketing, ranging from advertisements to commercials with famous celebrities, McDonald establishes a monopolistic superiority when it comes to endorsements. I’m sure many have had the experience when another kid comes to school late with a classic brown bag, golden arches visible for all. The kid opens the bag and inside is a kids meal with an additional plastic toy. That jealous sensation keeps McDonalds ahead of the other fast-food chain. An additional element that makes fast-food chains popular is in its name – fast-food. People are attracted to the idea of fast, a concept that ranges far back into the past. Whether that be fast cars or accumulating wealth quickly, people desire a fast life, a life where everything comes quickly. This isn’t a new concept, books like the Great Gatsby even portray the allure of living a fast life. What makes people so attracted to this idea is the instant dopamine response; a chemical reaction associated with “feel-good” emotions. Dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter that sends chemical messages between nerve cells. When we do something that makes us feel happy or good, a rush of dopamine occurs in the brain. McDonalds have successfully manipulated this science to keep customers in a continuous loop of consumerism.

What really distinguish them from the competition is the abovementioned feelings of the consumers is a captivating lust that effectively attracts consumers may most notably come from the brand of McDonalds, more than the actual food. It’s that response to “fast-food” and the culture surrounding McDonalds that ultimately makes people come back. If you were to actually observe the products, McDonalds is truly nothing special. The food is below subpar; the presentation can be quite sloppy; and the actual restaurants aren’t five-star dine-ins. McDonalds is all marketing. They advertise that they have good food, but they realistically don’t. In terms of taste, making a burger at home would be much better than most fast-food chains, but would inevitably lack that joyous feeling. Most don’t want to cook, and would sacrifice healthier, cleaner, cheaper, and better tasting food. All to forgo half an hour of cooking. Although understandable, after a while people should begin to realize that going to McDonalds every week isn’t really worth it. The famous phrase “health is wealth” rings true, as people seek fast calorie intake over healthy alternatives that are substantially more beneficial. What’s ironic is that even though McDonalds is the most famous fast-food chain in the world, fast-food isn’t even McDonalds true source of income or dominant market; real estate is. Yes, its true, McDonalds is actually a $30 billion real estate company, making their money by leasing buildings and restaurants to other franchises. Is McDonalds a high-class dine-in restraint that serves good food? Probably not. But it does meet the needs of consumers. Although its not the best for your health or the greatest food or even pre-dominantly a fast-food company, McDonalds mastered marketing, and kids will continue to have that joyous feeling when seeing their parents pull into a McDonalds, rejoiced, anticipating what toy they will get from their kids meal.