12 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

Eat a real burger like Carls Jnr

 

Marketing is effective brainwashing.

McDonald's was doing a lot of advertising.

And McDonalds were everywhere.

And people want to re-create exact tastes they had when they were growing up. 

If it tastes slightly different, it doesn't bring back childhood memories. 

That's the secret to McDonald's success.

And it was dirt cheap to get everyone hooked. 

 

Also, the Golden Arches give off a subconscious vibe that you are entering "The Pearly Gates in Heaven". 

 

 

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

McDonalds don't sell food, they sell franchises and rent land.

https://www.skylineprp.com/post/mcdonalds

Agree BMT..I recently went to the new Mac,d at Jomtien after a couple years of abstinence. I ordered at the counter, 1 sausage Mac muffin,egg and an ice coffee. Total about 300 baht. Whoa...I politely cancelled when I realized I could get a full English bf at one of many restos around me. A real eye opener. No wonder the less fortunate among us can't even access fast food anymore.  

1 hour ago, save the frogs said:

 

A lot of people.

It's highly addictive.

It might be garbage for health, but not for taste. It's like eating heroin.

 

Taste is crap too.

1 minute ago, FritsSikkink said:

Taste is crap too.

If it's so crappy, how they sell billions of burgers?

I don't disagree, but they still outcompete places that make much better burgers.

 

McDonald's were evil geniuses.

They werent just selling food.

They would give away toys to kids.

Clever marketing "happy meals" ...

They had little playgrounds in some of the restaurants.

 

 

 

1 minute ago, save the frogs said:

If it's so crappy, how they sell billions of burgers?

I don't disagree, but they still outcompete places that make much better burgers.

 

McDonald's were evil geniuses.

They werent just selling food.

They would give away toys to kids.

Clever marketing "happy meals" ...

They had little playgrounds in some of the restaurants.

 

 

 

Marketing and position

1 minute ago, save the frogs said:

If it's so crappy, how they sell billions of burgers?

 

Because they have a good marketing system and most people don't have enough money to buy good quality food.

@Harrisfan

 

@transam

 

Stop the bickering.

8 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Because they have a good marketing system and most people don't have enough money to buy good quality food.

It isnt that cheap though. Cheaper to buy a chicken. 

8 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

It isnt that cheap though. Cheaper to buy a chicken. 

And more work to cook it.

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

If low income folks are eating at McD, or eating out at all, then that explains why they'll always be low income  

 

Higher prices, inflation ... that's what happens when you double the minimum wage (USA) as dominoes into every work & production sector.

 

Careful what you wish for  

The amount of Thais that eat in the fast foods and MK, sushi belt style restaurant is amazing. They don’t look like office workers to me, just your average Thai that stuff themselves full for an hour or two at all times of the day. Years back you’d see mostly foreigners and very little Thai families and friends. If you count what the daily average wage is in Thailand , and what they spend on food, it doesn’t surprise me that they have so much debt.

in my experience, foreigners usually eat at lunch or evening and have some sort of’*stop* button. ( experience near 40 yrs of restaurant business).

Doesnt bother me but healthy eating is not on the menu in Thailand.

8 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

And more work to cook it.

Buy a cooked one.

8 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

Buy a cooked one.

I am just about to order one!

2 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

 

...

 

Seems, Macca is slowly adjusting their prices to what they are at Burger King.

 

 

 

And unfortunately, Burger King is adjusting its quality to that of McDonald's: before they were good burgers, now it's the same thin, plastic garbage as McD.

 

 

Just now, Espanol said:

 

 

And unfortunately, Burger King is adjusting its quality to that of McDonald's: before they were good burgers, now it's the same thin, plastic garbage as McD.

 

 

"Plastic", do you eat the wrapper too........?  

2 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

 

And at least the prices are not as ridiculous yet as at Burger King, or Wendy's...

I recently had the swiss mushroom burger, large onion rings and a coke at BK. Almost $20 USD.

2 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Use'ta be affordable....

 

When I first came to Thailand, I remember McDonald's Cheeseburger was 19 Baht... Haven't had it in decades, but I'm sure it would be at least a few times more expensive now.

1 hour ago, geisha said:

The amount of Thais that eat in the fast foods and MK, sushi belt style restaurant is amazing. They don’t look like office workers to me, just your average Thai that stuff themselves full for an hour or two at all times of the day. Years back you’d see mostly foreigners and very little Thai families and friends. If you count what the daily average wage is in Thailand , and what they spend on food, it doesn’t surprise me that they have so much debt.

in my experience, foreigners usually eat at lunch or evening and have some sort of’*stop* button. ( experience near 40 yrs of restaurant business).

Doesnt bother me but healthy eating is not on the menu in Thailand.

Low income Thais are not eating at those places.  Not even MK.

 

As long as I've been here, 25 yrs, the Thais have packed western fast food places.  Western tourist also, though locally, Udon Thani and Prachuap Khiri Khan (not Hua Hin), the low income expats seem to avoid western fast food ... what I notice anyway.

 

You'd also be surprised how much folks make per day, as most are not at minimum wage, especially the ones dining in AC spending 2-3-4-500 baht a meal.

 

My daughter, only 4 yrs out of Uni, makes more per month than I do now.  Average 3000+ THB a day, marketing/office work.

 

Her first job, out of Uni, was 30-50k a month, depending on OT.

3 hours ago, Alan Zweibel said:

McDonald's is losing its low-income customers.

That’s a good thing, only the wealthy should ingest such junk as they can afford multiple heart valve replacement surgeries.

3 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

It's not food it's garbage. Who eats it?

 

Sausage egg mcmuffins and a coupla hash browns go good next morning after a bottle Lao Khao the evening before.

50 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

I am just about to order one!

Changed my mind, Primetime Pizza here in Siem. Tops in town, for what thats worth.

8 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Sausage egg mcmuffins and a coupla hash browns go good next morning after a bottle Lao Khao the evening before.

Holy crap ... I'm agreeing with you.

 

IF, and big IF, it's fresh made & hot.   Easy to get burgers hot, just order special.  McMuffins are OK, but for some reason, they don't get, toasting the muffing right or at all.  Apple pies are great for burning the hell out of your mouth.  Coffee is possibly the worst ever.

 

Saying that,  think I popped into McD's once or twice in the last 15 yrs.   More BK Double Whopper fan, always hot & silly priced, and a couple times a year.   More KFC Zingers & Wing Zaps and are hit & miss.   OK munch, and the car is charging if having KFC.

 

7-11 for the fine dining items ... Chicken Tikka Masala 

 

We do hit Pizza Co once or twice a month for NY Style pepperoni pizza (2 for 1), and pretty hard to beat, especially for the price.

7 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Sausage egg mcmuffins and a coupla hash browns go good next morning after a bottle Lao Khao the evening before.

The hash browns are just grease sponges, so good with a hangover and sour stomach.

53 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

I recently had the swiss mushroom burger, large onion rings and a coke at BK. Almost $20 USD.

Fast food prices in the US are crazy.   I recently had 2 whoppers with cheese and 2 regular onion rings delivered for ฿279 (including ฿40 tip).  $8.60 total.

I say:  Let them Eat TUNA....!!!

 

Why eat an that low-class Burger Joint, full of ultra-processed garbage, sugar, and maybe trans-fats?

 

Instead, my best advice for Americans who cannot afford garbage....

Don't buy garbage.

 

Buy REAL FOOD, healthy food, instead.

 

There is nothing to stop them buying canned tuna.

Then buy a 50-kilogram sack of rice, and a cheap steamer... (I don't use cheap anything, of course, but a cheap steamer will do.)

Also, buy eggs and make omelettes.

Eggs are not expensive, except for when there might be an artificially created egg shortage.

 

Then, buy chicken in bulk, and make enough chicken for 2 weeks, and freeze it.

 

This is far healthier than eating at any burger joint.

 

I think the poor are just too lazy to make the right food choices.

Or, maybe they are now addicted to the sugar-salt-fat due to the deceit of the Clown?

 

Of course, my advice is sound.

 

1 minute ago, GammaGlobulin said:

I say:  Let them Eat TUNA....!!!

 

Why eat an that low-class Burger Joint, full of ultra-processed garbage, sugar, and maybe trans-fats?

 

Instead, my best advice for Americans who cannot afford garbage....

Don't buy garbage.

 

Buy REAL FOOD, healthy food, instead.

 

There is nothing to stop them buying canned tuna.

Then buy a 50-kilogram sack of rice, and a cheap steamer... (I don't use cheap anything, of course, but a cheap steamer will do.)

Also, buy eggs and make omelettes.

Eggs are not expensive, except for when there might be an artificially created egg shortage.

 

Then, buy chicken in bulk, and make enough chicken for 2 weeks, and freeze it.

 

This is far healthier than eating at any burger joint.

 

I think the poor are just too lazy to make the right food choices.

Or, maybe they are now addicted to the sugar-salt-fat due to the deceit of the Clown?

 

Of course, my advice is sound.

 

I thought you were describing Thai food for a moment............🤫

3 hours ago, marin said:

For the last year you can buy a set meal of a Filet O Fish for 99B that includes large fries and a coke. Cheap for a quick meal on the run. 

 

Sounds great! Sometimes those set meals are a bargain, while other times they seem overpriced.

1 hour ago, HappyExpat57 said:

I recently had the swiss mushroom burger, large onion rings and a coke at BK. Almost $20 USD.

 

Wow, was that at the airport?

3 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Use'ta be affordable....

 

Let's be real here and adjust the prices for inflation.

 

It looks like a very old sign. That's the 1973 menu board: the 1/4-pounder w/cheese costs $5.12 in 2025 money. A 1/4 pounder is a very small meal with about 114 grams of meat, so very expensive back then, too. It has never been cheap food; just the big photos are very deceptive. That burger is a small snack for most people.

 

Per

One my wonder if McDonald's is downsizing the ingredients in it's budget menus ?  Consumers are not stupid. They will rather spend a bit more elsewhere, rather then get ripped off. 

9 minutes ago, JensenZ said:

Let's be real here and adjust the prices for inflation.

 

It looks like a very old sign. That's the 1973 menu board: the 1/4-pounder w/cheese costs $5.12 in 2025 money. A 1/4 pounder is a very small meal with about 114 grams of meat, so very expensive back then, too. It has never been cheap food; just the big photos are very deceptive. That burger is a small snack for most people.

 

Per

 

Minimum wage in 1974 was $2.00/hour.

Minimum wage in 2025 is $9.50/hour.

 

375% increase

 

Big Mac in 1974 was $0.65

Big Mac now averages $5.79

 

790.769% increase