Why We're Eating at McDonald's

Categories: Burger Break, News

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Photo illustrations by Monica Fuentes
Between news that San Francisco has recently banned the sale of fast food meals that contain toys and the glorious return of the McRib, McDonald's is getting both good and bad press this week.

Both the McRib and the possible ban on Happy Meals are divisive topics: opponents of the McRib (yes, they do exist!) claim that the McRib is nothing but "an obsession for millions of Americans that resembles an annual addiction." Advocates of the yearly sandwich, on the other hand, speak of the return in almost Christ-like terms: "It's like running through a field of four-leaf clovers. It's like finding a unicorn chillin' at the fountain of youth. It's like a hundred Christmases slathered in barbecue sauce," says Yahoo! News.

Meanwhile, the city of San Francisco has taken aim at another popular yet maligned component of the fast food giant's menu: Happy Meals and the toys that allegedly "entic[e] children to their unhealthy food with gimmicks." The proposed ordinance requiring that meals meet strict nutritional guidelines in order to include toys with purchase passed a San Francisco Board of Supervisors vote 8-3 on Tuesday, meaning that mayor Gavin Newsom is unable to veto the decision.

In spite of any Happy Meal bans or McRib detractors, though, McDonald's remains the world's largest fast food burger chain. Here's why we're eating there. How about you?

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