What is wrong with people?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23103-2003Feb4.html

I don't think it's anything wrong with people. It's what's wrong with lawyers.

You mean what is wrong with the U.S. legal system that allows suits like this? Simple. Lawyer fees are paid by both parties. Have the loser of the case pay BOTH sides' court costs, and lawsuits like this don't happen.

Well, these people had to seek-out a lawyer... unless the guy was rushed to the emergency room after eating a bagel.

Yeah, so they seek out a lawyer, and when the trial goes to court, if they lose the case, THEY pay their court costs, PLUS McDonalds' court costs.

Slightly OT-
I think that if the police arrest someone, they should provide funding to within 10% of their investigation costs to the accused. Naturally these funds are to be recouped if they are convicted. Too often police might target an easy victim who can't defend themselves appropriately.

I'd say that that would make it more likely for the police to prey on the less fortunate, as their court costs would be less than the affluent's.

That is ridiculus who ever heard of someone going to macdonalds expecting food instead of plastic waxy stodge

When I was in Anaheim a couple weeks ago, I was in charge of getting breakfast one morning. Someone wanted a bagel.

I remembered the bagel I had in Anaheim a couple years ago. It sucked! So, I decided to go to McDonalds and get him a bagel from there. He was not disappointed. Just saying, sometimes McDonalds comes in handy due to the fact that you know what you're gonna get (except for the beef in the fries thing).

okay i will put my hand up and say i love teriyake burgers they are great very nice but only can get them in macdonalds japan

I also will say i have eaten macdonalds on every continent apart from antartica

I will say that I like Big Macs. The problem is when they run the 2 for $2 promotion. I usually get two (I once had 4) and feel like I ate garbage 10 minutes later. That is really my only problem with them, but then again, I only eat McD's maybe once a month.

I wish Yoshinoya had restaurants outside Asia and California. That is some pretty decent fast food.

One of our local McDonalds was so bad that it went out of business. The one across the street from the NC State University campus. It was probably less than two minutes away from the majority of classrooms, and students still didn't want to eat there.

I like our local Baba Ghannouj ``mediterranean'' fast food joint. But I'm gonna get even fatter eating all those chick peas. Good thing it's not closer.

students still didn't want to eat there.

They closed that one eh? Eating on campus was better than eating there.

Yeah. The location was vacant for several years until they made it into a textbook store a few months ago.

I was still happier when it was the porno theater.

I remember going to London about 4 years ago and there were advertisements everywhere for the "Lam McSpicy". What the hell? My friend tried it and said it tasted like he expected...horrible.

I'm a sucker for a #4 (double quarter pounder with cheese meal). Mmmmm...bad for me....

I'm a sucker for a #4

That's two of us! McD's is only a mile away, hmm...

I'm surprised that the corporate McD could let such a prime location as the UNC one to be so bad as to go out of business. Corporate image thing, like how most of the big chains usually score near perfect on the health inspections (here they do at least) and I'm told that it's because the corporate standard is much higher than the average health codes. So it's surprising they could overlook such crappy food (crappier than the normal McD) as people here attest to.

I probably go to McDonalds about 4 times a year now, and I can't remember the last time I had a Mig Mac or a Quarter Pounder. I can't manage to give up Coke, or I might actually be healthier now.

I go to McDonalds 0 times a year. If my only choices were eating there or nothing, I would go hungry. Their food isn't worth the paper wrappers it comes in.

Amen to that. I haven't been there in about two years, and plan to never go back. The quality of food products they use is just astonishing. <shudder>

They have Coke from a fountain, and their Coke is as good as anyone else's fountain coke. When you're going through, say, Troy, PA, you go to the place that you know has a fountain and is open...

Their coke is as good as any other McDonald's Coke, which is to say, mixed improperly. McDonald's almost always makes it sweet and flat (too much syrup, not enough carbonation).

-Biscuits

Have the loser of the case pay BOTH sides' court costs, and lawsuits like this don't happen.

I have heard that argument before, and at one time even agreed with it. But there is a serious downside... what about the person who has the legitimate complaint. Would you want to sue a really deep-pocketed entity for, say, a piece of wire in your food that lacerated your gums and required expensive oral surgery to repair? Sure, you say. But would you do it if the restaurant could and would mount literally a multi-million dollar defense effort that could overwhelm any litigation you might be able to present with your limited resources, knowing that you would be absolutely, irrevocably financially destroyed if you didn't prevail?

Remember, justice does not always win out in the American legal system. Which reminds me... has O.J. found the real killers yet?

On a different tack:

Tracey Johnstone, owner of Johnstone Foods, said she never before had a bagel complaint and had no idea how it could have been prepared in a way that would damage teeth. "It's a bagel," she said.

Well, to me a bagel is just a really stale donut, with all the good stuff scraped off the outside of it. Why would anybody want to buy and eat one in the first place?

tanstaafl.

I'm surprised that the corporate McD could let such a prime location as the UNC one to be so bad as to go out of business.

NCSU, but whatever.

I used to work about two blocks away from that MickeyD's, and a friend of mine that also worked there and I had this theory that they went out of business because they gave away so many ``we got your order wrong'' meals. I ate there for an afternoon snack or small lunch several times a week, and they got my order wrong well over half the time. My friend had the same experience, and we were ordering wildly different things (mine was plain burgers; his was filet o' fish w/ no tartar sauce). And we were both eating mid-afternoon, so it wasn't wildly busy or anything. And keep in mind that each screwed up order isn't just one free meal, but two, since they refund you for the meal and then give you the replacement for free.

Actually my observation was that it varied regionally.

okay i will put my hand up and say i love teriyake burgers they are great very nice but only can get them in macdonalds japan

The Honolulu one has them too and yes, they're the nicest thing I've ever had at McDonalds, though a McSteak Hâché I ate at a McDonalds in France once was nearly as good.

Peter

If you eat a diet only of Maccas, would you die of malnutrition?

I get your point... I didn't say a loser pays system would solve all the problems. Clearly, things would have to be monitored and controlled to avoid the threat of paying court costs as a deterrent for legitimate legal action. But judges could make sure that doesn't happen.

Anyway, the "deep-pocketed entities" already have an overwhelming advantage in the current system. Loser pays wouldn't change that, it'd just help keep these ridiculous suits from going to trial.

Yeah. The location was vacant for several years until they made it into a textbook store a few months ago.

I was still happier when it was the porno theater.

Don't they still have that Castle Erotica on Capital Blvd?

And another thing.... everyone loved Lily's Pizza, but I thought it was crap. Too greasy. I always preferred Sadlack's or The Pharmacy....

Sure. There are a lot of ``adult bookstores'' in Raleigh -- four or five, I think. But closing the theater marks the end of the heyday of porn on film and not video.

Lily's used to be good, but then they gave up because they realized that they were mostly serving yuppies who were there because it was the place to be, not because the food was good. Actually, I think it kind of corresponded to when Lily ran away, so that might have something to do with it as well.

You know, ashamed as I am to admit it, I've never been to Sadlack's. I was just never really on that side of campus, except when in the big computer lab, and then I wasn't inclined to eat because I had a big computer science project due in 8 hours that I hadn't started yet.

The Pharmacy? You mean the Hayes Barton Pharmacy lunch counter? It's closed. [sad] It has been replaced with this little overpriced yuppie restaurant, which, I'll have to admit, does serve great desserts.

I have vowed to never, ever set foot in McD again.
Now up to 6 years and counting.....

I'm with you, the paper wrapper and plastic box have more flavor than the so called bun.
Some folk even call McD a "restaurant", good grief!
Mind you the same people also refered to Taco Bell as a restaurant as well. There is no accounting for taste.

yet, unfortunately, some of us persist in not being able to afford 'restaurants,' so we make do with what we have.
i, personally, call mcd a restaurant. restaurant meaning a place to grab a bite to eat. being born and raised in montana i have no way to discern between cafes, restaurants, and diners. except, maybe, diners are the restaurants with only two rows of seats/tables. ignorance is, as they say, bliss.

I call McD's a restaurant because you eat food inside of it.

Also, Taco Bell is awesome. The people that work there, however, seem to be the biggest morons possible.

All restaurants are Taco Bell.

Excellent movie.

Taco Bell is my second favorite fast food, next to McD's. As with any of these places, it depends on what you order and whether or not the person serving you is having a good day.

I will occasionally partake of Taco Hell, but even that's been a while.

Ive learned that if you generally eat with another person its cheap, and you get better food if you get those weekly coupon books with local places. Placers that are not so much sit down and be servred, but more like a non chained fast food place. Its almost cheaper with these coupons. My girlfriend and i generally share a soda and fries then each get a burger and get out for under $10 woooo wooo!

I suppose Taco Hell is OK, but with so many real taco joints around here I have to wonder why someone would even open a Taco Bell, but they do exist.
Its a bit like asking why do Olive Gardens exist in Metro New York? why buy fake when the real thing is readily available and cheaper.

I just have this thing about large chain fast food. Its always 'lowest common denominator' stuff. The decision is always how low do the have to push quality in order to get it consistent.