Should Andy Have Taken the Strawberry Lemonade?

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Something came up the other day that put a wrinkle in my day, and left me in a bit of quandary. The plan for lunch was for some Greek food. I’m a fan of a good gyro, or maybe a pastitsio, and I was looking forward to the lunch for a few days as it would be a break from the norm. As my day would have it something came up right during lunchtime, taking me away from my culinary plans and now, in a hurry back to the status quo of the day was quickly trying to ponder something else for lunch, something with a drive-thru as it should be quicker, and that I could eat in the car. Don’t ask me why but all that came to mind was a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese meal. Weird.

I find myself heading into the drive thru in one of those fancy McDonald’s with the double-drive through, another car kind of sneaks in front of me but I don’t think anything of it, quickly say “a quarter pounder with cheese meal with a Diet Coke,” and proceed to the window. Meanwhile, the car that snuck in front of me at the other drive-thru speaker was still sitting there, and I was just happy I wasn’t stuck behind them.

At the window I’m getting ready to pay, oddly content with my lunch choice and now wondering the complexities of eating my burger in the car without getting catsup down my shirt, when low and behold the manager pokes his head out at me and says “Were you cut-off coming in line?” I really didn’t think anything of the other car, it wasn’t like the did a blatant “sneak,” and say “No.” “Well, the lady in the car behind you feels bad for cutting you off and wants to buy you a strawberry lemonade.” Now my wheels are spinning as I didn’t feel I was cut-off in the first place, I was already content with my Diet Coke, and I was also thinking that it seemed like an odd gesture for a resolution to being rude. I mean, “I cut this guy off. I know, I’ll buy him a strawberry lemonade!” What about picking up the tab for my meal? What about some fries? I would have preferred some extra fries. Even a bottle of water seemed more appropriate because now I’m saddled with my Diet Coke and a strawberry lemonade. I mean, how thirsty did I look?

In the end I told the manager something like “Well I really don’t want a strawberry lemonade, and I don’t think she really cut me off. Can you tell her ‘Thank you’ for me?” Now the manager seemed perplexed because he had already rang up the strawberry lemonade on her order and I could hear him telling Skippy at the register to offer her the money back. It all just seemed very complicated, but as I drove away and began the logistics of cleanly eating my burger while I was driving (happily with no catsup spillage) I wondered: Should I have taken the strawberry lemonade?

That’s it for this one! L8R!!!

Would You Eat Chicken Wings from McDonald’s?

The votes are in. Well, at least the votes are in by my wife and me, and it’s a split decision. In Chicago for the last couple of days McDonald’s has been running a promotion for their new “Mighty Wings” where you could get two wings for a dollar, a sampler portion as it would be. As we are both a fan of the chicken wing (Hooters being our go-to place with a consistently solid wing offering), we both decided to give the McDonald’s version a shot, and for the sake of science we tried them from two different locations. Fine, it was for the sake of convenience, but science sounds better.

The McDonald wing is, as advertised, a crispy, spicy wing, kind of like crispy, fried chicken with a kick. They reminded me of their chicken strips, a little spicier only now less convenient because you have a bone to deal with. I opted for no sauce as I wanted to try the wings in their original state, but I did try one of them with blue cheese dressing at home (an option not available at McDonald’s as the closest they have is ranch dressing). Me, I was disappointed. Yes, the wing was crispy and spicy, but my wings had the feeling they were under a heat lamp too long as they were pretty dry, without much meat, and even with the blue cheese dressing I ate them thinking “I wasted a dollar and blew my healthier eating for this?”

Then my wife came home.

She sampled her samples, also was disappointed they didn’t have blue cheese dressing, but said hers were juicy, a little more meaty, and in general pretty good, and although if the option if there between Hooters and McDonald’s, she’s still choosing Hooters, but with a chicken wing craving without a Hooters nearby, the McDonald’s version will do.

So there you have it, at least for me, that the Mighty Wings can be hit or miss. For me they were a miss, although there is a chance I may give them another try, and for my wife they were a hit, or at least a double if Hooters is generally a home run. They both, however, pale in comparison to the best wings I’ve ever had, at the Pic-A-Lilli Inn in Shamong, NJ. We might have to take a road trip as my wife has never had them. Another taste test in the name of science?

Enough rambling, my plight is this: Would you eat chicken wings from McDonald’s?

That’s it for this plight! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Will McDonald’s posting calorie counts cause you to change what you order?

I’m going to guess the answer will generally be “No,” but what do I know? I do know that there was a story in the news the other day that McDonald’s will be posting calorie counts of its menu items across the nation, and sure, a lot of people might be shocked to find out that a Happy Meal (410 calories if you stick with the milk) is probably their best menu choice for a “healthy” meal as they are standing at the counter thinking “Happy Meal or Big Mac (550 calories, but no fries)?”, and sure, you could go with the Premium Grilled Chicken Classic sandwich (only 350 calories) or even the Filet-O-Fish (not too bad at 380 calories), but if you want to keep it healthy you’d better give up the medium fries (another 380 calories) and opt for the apple slices (15 calories – Woohoo!).

I’m not saying you can’t stay thin eating only McDonald’s food, hell, look at Don Gorske who has pretty much only McDonald’s Big Macs for most of his life, but although seeing the numbers may give pause to a few people, you are rarely going to McDonald’s for your healthy diet, you are going to Subway and fooling yourself into thinking they are the healthier option because, after all, they’ve got Jared. Even going there, I’m guessing you aren’t getting that footlong, veggie sub with no cheese. In any case, wherever you go, I’m plighting: Will McDonald’s posting calorie counts cause you to change what you order?

That’s it for this plight! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!