Why do people eat out at McDonalds?

[MyNameIsVince]

People eat fast food because it's cheap, it's fast, grocery shopping gets more expensive than you probably realize, and not everyone likes to make dinner when they get home.

[Menegrothx]

People eat fast food because it's cheap, it's fast, grocery shopping gets more expensive than you probably realize.

McD is way more expensive than groceries in the long run. Once you buy all the ingredients you need, you can make a lot of food at once.

[Stark]

I have been a vegetarian for over 10 years now. I always thought McDonalds was cheap crap, but I'd eat there if I was in a hurry or got a craving for a Big Mac.

Strangely, 10 years in with no meat, it's not my old favorite foods that I really get cravings for. Its stuff like motherfuckin McDonalds. It kind of disturbs me because it makes it apparent how good their marketing is. I often see a golden arches and immediately crave a Big Mac or some McNuggets. I never even ate there much in the past.

I don't know if that helps answer the original question, but there is something about stuff that is fast, easy, simple, and widely marketed that makes it really easy to think about and get cravings for, even if you don't think it falls in the realm of greatness.

I'm the same way in that I gave up wheat/gluten and sugar about a year ago and since a place like McD's is hard to avoid that stuff so I don't bother. For the most part I have no cravings for bread or whatever, but something about McDonald's just gets to me and I NEED a Big Mac now. That and Top Pot Doughnuts ...

[Soldier Blue]

Too much sodium and fat. No thank you, I will pass.

[MrPopo]

I have a hard time understanding the "it tastes good so I'll eat it" mentality.

Because it tastes good. If I can choose between something that tastes good and something that doesn't, I'm going to go with the thing that tastes good. That's the whole purpose of taste.

[mjmjr25]

People eat fast food because it's cheap, it's fast, grocery shopping gets more expensive than you probably realize.

McD is way more expensive than groceries in the long run. Once you buy all the ingredients you need, you can make a lot of food at once.

(8) McDoubles and (3) large fries feeds my family, runs about $13.
(40) Nuggets and (3) large frieds feeds my family, runs about $15.50.

There aren't a ton of meals I can do at home for those prices.

Yes, if you get the Supersized value meals at $7 apiece, you would do better financially at home, for a large family, but not necessarily for a single person.

Pickles / Onions / Buns / Mustard / Ketchup / Meat / Cheese - a lot of ingredients goes into that $1 burger. I don't think you can reasonbly say a grocery store is going to beat any of the fast food value menus.

But finances is a small part of it. If you cook meals for a family, often your food is cold when you finally sit down to eat it.

More importantly, after spending 30-60 minutes preparing burgers and fries (grease isn't cheap either) - then you have a grill (or oven pan to clean off), you have to either toss, or sift your grease...and then store it, and then wash that pot. Then the pleasure of doing dishes for the next 15 minutes after you eat...in the heat...when your tired. Versus, throwing out a wrapper...

This is really easy, beyond taste and relatively low cost, it is just a huge convenience for anyone on the go.

[elmagicochrisg]

Why do people eat out at McDonalds?

Because they are too stupid to go to Burger King...

[Stark]

^ Yep pretty much anyone with kids has been there. Ooh! Plus you can toss em in a ball pit and walk away, where else can you do that??

[Hobie-wan]

Once you buy all the ingredients you need, you can make a lot of food at once.

That isn't always great if you're the only person in the household. Going the other direction and only buying fresh stuff I'm going to eat in a day or two means going to the grocery store constantly. I can't take turns or share with someone else to make dinner and clean up afterwards, and that tends to make me lazy. Some stuff you can make a bunch and freeze some for a later day, some things you can't. If I make a pot of stew, I'm kinda sick of it after having it for dinner on the 4th day. I know I'm making excuses, but things like that contribute to me eating lazy food.

[Menegrothx]

More importantly, after spending 30-60 minutes preparing burgers and fries (grease isn't cheap either) - then you have a grill (or oven pan to clean off), you have to either toss, or sift your grease...and then store it, and then wash that pot. Then the pleasure of doing dishes for the next 15 minutes after you eat...in the heat...when your tired. Versus, throwing out a wrapper...

I wasnt talking about home made burgers. I wish though. I normally mostly eat junk food (I live at my parents so I dont have to worry about the money) but every time they go abroad or something like that, they leave me a certain amount of money and I have to decide do I want to spend it on expensive food or buy cheap food so I can buy games with the rest of the money. Naturally I choose games, which means no McD Foods like soup, chicken with rice/veggies, fries with bacon and macaroni&ketchup are really cheap and fast to do. Oh and Mc Donalds burgers, nuggets and wraps dont hold hunger for a very long time sadly.

Pickles / Onions / Buns / Mustard / Ketchup / Meat / Cheese - a lot of ingredients goes into that $1 burger. I don't think you can reasonbly say a grocery store is going to beat any of the fast food value menus.

That's why you have to buy large amounts of ingredients if you want to make a profit (or save money), just like corporations like Mc Donalds do. If you buy all those ingredients just to make a few burgers, it will surely cost alot more than in McD (and be rather time consuming). A bottle of ketchup is what, 2½-4 dollars? And it's enough for like 150-200 hamburgers.

Some stuff you can make a bunch and freeze some for a later day, some things you can't. If I make a pot of stew, I'm kinda sick of it after having it for dinner on the 4th day.

I guess it's a personal reference thing. I myself hate variety. Or well, I'm too lazy to learn to cook any new fancy recipes and I mostly like to cook the cheapest, fastest dishes I know so I don't mind eating hot dogs or (rye)bread or bacon and eggs 2-3 times a day for 7-30 days in a row