I Hate McDonald's!

Last week on my way to my local Argos in Croydon, I passed my former workplace, McDonald's (Croydon 2)  and bumped into a former colleague.  I was shocked to discover that despite her years of hard work, she was yet to be promoted, which I believed was unfair. I felt sorry for her, but I was also thanking God for delivering me from that place after five years of working like a slave, and with nothing to show for it.

This is not just a rant about myself. When you watch the McDonald's commercials, you see the workers smiling and acting happy. Unfortunately that is all it is - acting.  I am not a fan of rapper Afroman, but I agree with his claim that McDonald's is "modern-day slavery". Those bosses behind the Golden Arches believe that they are doing their workers a favour by employing them, but they forget that they are human, hence the impossible tasks such as sweeping outside in the rain, forcing them to come to work despite flood warnings on the news, and threatening to fire them if they refuse to work without their sweaters on, despite the lack of central heating. They complain if they believe your efforts do not meet their standards, and they yell if you try to put in more effort (I'll never forget the day when a manager screamed in my face and in front of the diners after asked her if I could do some more cleaning before my break). Speaking of breaks, the bosses often send  the workers to the staff-room five minutes after they start work; this is  to "keep the labour down" or so they say, especially when there are hardly any customers. After their break is over, the workers are expected to work eight hours non-stop when the place is packed to the brim. And what are they paid? Next to nothing. During my time there, I only received a pay-rise was when the minimum wage was increased - and even then, my pay increase was still minimum wage! If that is not slavery, I do not know what else is. In the eighties, their tagline was "At McDonald's we've got time for you", but they never have time for their employees, and the customers they pretend to have time for are served rubbish food. What a bunch of hypocrites.

According to the website mcspotlight.org, "the production-line system deskills the work itself: anybody can grill a hamburger, and cleaning toilets or smiling at customers needs no training. So there is no need to employ chefs or qualified staff - just anybody prepared to work for low wages". Agreed. Despite the cruelty of those bosses, they expect their workers to smile regardless, but how they expect slaves to smile is beyond me. I know, using the word 'slave' is harsh, but you need to work there to understand what we go through.

It's no longer news that McDonald's food is genetically modified, but I was unaware of this until I left that horrible place. According to a Facebook user from Australia, the milkshakes are thickened with pig fat which also gives them their suspiciously smooth texture (how many other restaurants make milkshake that creamy?), and it may be true. Forget their unsuccessful Salad Plus menu which was launched following the release of Supersize Me, every single thing served in McDonald's is unhealthy...and unhygienic - sometimes they would add more salt than required to the fries while sweating into them. Some of the green leaves used in salads and certain burgers are treated with chemicals in order to obtain the right colour and texture. Their food is basically fat, salt and chemicals, and they make millions out of it, yet they say that the company is broke. Rubbish! The only reason they are closing down restaurants is because they are situated in the wrong places. Go to the town centres - people pig out there everyday, wasting their money on tasteless junk with no nutritional value when they could make a healthy sandwich in their own kitchens. Shame.

What about the children? I feel sorry for them. Many children today are growing up not knowing the taste of a real tomato because they eat ketchup instead, I kid you not.  Years ago, on the Channel Four programme Jamie's School Dinners, celebrity chef Jamie Olivier was stunned when the children correctly linked the Golden Arches with the burger chain, but failed to name the vegetables Oliver displayed. At McDonald's, they are brainwashed with promotional toys which only last four months; these toys are courtesy of the so-called Happy Meals. Happy? Those children are growing, and require more than a sugary milkshake and fries. Unfortunately, due to the acquisition of those toys, they seldom ever finish their food, preferring to play with some useless gadget and a helium balloon. Who is to blame - the advertisers or the parents? Either way, it is true that the damage has been done, and children who do not dine at McDonald's in this day and age are 'weird'.

McDonald's is evil, McDonald's is the devil and the Golden Arches is the 666 of the catering industry. To my readers in the UK, if you want to taste a proper burger, go to any M&S that has a food hall. Yes, they cost a bit more, but  at least they taste real, and the fries are baked, as opposed to fried. Better yet, make a sandwich on brown bread with healthy fillings. Better yet, go veggie (I'm still trying on that last one!).

If you are thinking of working there or simply eating there, one word: don't. Before then, here are ten reasons not to go to McDonald's:

• The food is not real food - it's mere chemicals and fat
• The food stinks so bad, you need a shower when you get home
• The workers are actually slaves; eating there encourages modern-day slavery. SET THE SLAVES FREE!
• The burgers are full is Ecstasy and AIDS
• In some countries, the shakes are thickened with pig fat (seriously)
• The strawberry milkshakes are coloured with beetles (Google it)
• Ronald McDonald is a paedophile - parents you have been warned. By the way, how come we never see him eating the junk they serve there?
• The Happy Meals are actually Crappy Meals
• The customer care assistants serve the customers AND clean the toilets in the same uniform - and they are not allowed to wear aprons and gloves
• The bosses are either cruel, racist, fat or lazy - some are all four

Love, Jemma

PS -What are your thoughts? Send a comment my way!