I want to write a blog update, and, in looking over my recent blog posts, I think it's time for an entry that's a little more light-hearted. Which means that I'm going to write about...McDonald's.
I think I've visited McDonald's more during the six months that I've spent in Hong Kong than in the previous six years. Please understand. I don't go every day, or even every week. But, if I'm going to eat out, then I'm more likely to stop at McDonald's than at a Chinese restaurant. Unlike in mainland China, where it's possible to buy a quick breakfast for under $1 USD, and a hearty supper for under $3 USD, Hong Kong's high food prices put McDonald's at the forefront of economic meals.
Also, I'm sad to say that Hong Kong cuisine is...really, just not healthy. In fact, I would go so far as to say that grabbing a Big Mac may be less unhealthy than the standard fare at a given Hong Kong dai pai dong or other eatery.
So, partly due to economic necessity, and partly due to its being on the same nutritional playing field as other Hong Kong fast food, I've learned to let go of prejudices I had against McDonald's. I can't point to one specific event, but as a whole, recent experiences have changed my attitude towards McDonald's.
Of course, the core menu still has all the artery-clogging items that have addicted people for decades. But, the McCafe has done a lot to change their image. Not only can I eat food at McDonald's that doesn't make me feel gross afterwards; it also has cafe items that beat Starbucks' prices with a stick. Grilled Chicken Salad for $26 HKD? Score. Latte and Roasted Vegetable Panini for $30 HKD? Yes, please! And then there's the espresso, which has been a life-saver on rough days.
Also, Hong Kong has a McDonald's approximately every two blocks (I'm not kidding). So, even when there are better options around, there is something magnetic about McDonald's, and what McDonald's means: cheap, predictable, and fast. You pay, you eat, you leave. (And, unlike in the U.S., there are staff who throw away your trash for you.)
Another draw is that, even amidst Hong Kong lunch crowds (where, for lack of space, strangers commonly share the same table), there is usually a place to sit. And, even more importantly, there's usually a restroom.
Clearly, Hong Kong has shifted my attitude towards McDonald's. A few provisos are in order, though.
Is McDonald's good for us?
Nope. It's not. Not even the McCafe. (But, maybe the Grilled Chicken Salad--this is the one fast food item I can order in Hong Kong that sort of makes me feel healthy.)
Would the world be better off without McDonald's?
Ummm...quite probably.
Okay, but, regardless...has McDonald's been a place where I've experienced goodness, happiness, and grace?
Why, yes! Emphatically, yes.
One of the 232 McDonald's in Hong Kong.
I think I've visited McDonald's more during the six months that I've spent in Hong Kong than in the previous six years. Please understand. I don't go every day, or even every week. But, if I'm going to eat out, then I'm more likely to stop at McDonald's than at a Chinese restaurant. Unlike in mainland China, where it's possible to buy a quick breakfast for under $1 USD, and a hearty supper for under $3 USD, Hong Kong's high food prices put McDonald's at the forefront of economic meals.
Also, I'm sad to say that Hong Kong cuisine is...really, just not healthy. In fact, I would go so far as to say that grabbing a Big Mac may be less unhealthy than the standard fare at a given Hong Kong dai pai dong or other eatery.
So, partly due to economic necessity, and partly due to its being on the same nutritional playing field as other Hong Kong fast food, I've learned to let go of prejudices I had against McDonald's. I can't point to one specific event, but as a whole, recent experiences have changed my attitude towards McDonald's.
Of course, the core menu still has all the artery-clogging items that have addicted people for decades. But, the McCafe has done a lot to change their image. Not only can I eat food at McDonald's that doesn't make me feel gross afterwards; it also has cafe items that beat Starbucks' prices with a stick. Grilled Chicken Salad for $26 HKD? Score. Latte and Roasted Vegetable Panini for $30 HKD? Yes, please! And then there's the espresso, which has been a life-saver on rough days.
Also, Hong Kong has a McDonald's approximately every two blocks (I'm not kidding). So, even when there are better options around, there is something magnetic about McDonald's, and what McDonald's means: cheap, predictable, and fast. You pay, you eat, you leave. (And, unlike in the U.S., there are staff who throw away your trash for you.)
Another draw is that, even amidst Hong Kong lunch crowds (where, for lack of space, strangers commonly share the same table), there is usually a place to sit. And, even more importantly, there's usually a restroom.
McDonald's--place of grace.
Clearly, Hong Kong has shifted my attitude towards McDonald's. A few provisos are in order, though.
Is McDonald's good for us?
Nope. It's not. Not even the McCafe. (But, maybe the Grilled Chicken Salad--this is the one fast food item I can order in Hong Kong that sort of makes me feel healthy.)
Would the world be better off without McDonald's?
Ummm...quite probably.
Okay, but, regardless...has McDonald's been a place where I've experienced goodness, happiness, and grace?
Why, yes! Emphatically, yes.
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