You got me thinking about it and I can't remember how long it's been. I used to be a regular customer to my local McD's. It's one of many guilty food pleasures of mine. My patronage dropped significantly a year or two ago when the closest McD's actually closed down. Then Five Guys started becoming relatively common around here so when I want a burger fix, I usually head that way (I'll go out of my way for Five Guys...but there's one opening soon that's closer than the nearest McD's). At work, the closest McDonald's is best avoided.

It not through any conscious decision to stay away from McDonald's but I think it's been over a year since the last time I was in one. It's hard to tell since there wasn't ever a "I'm never going to McD's again" moment to go back to.

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8 years for me. I eat in real restaurants now.

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Yesterday. It tastes tons better than some of the froo-froo crap that I see on here. :)

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Exactly two weeks ago. I go there when I'm jonesin' for a Sausage McMuffin fix.

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It is generally about a frequency of a few months. It's only for breakfast, and it's generally while traveling (mainly in small US towns) and I can't find a diner, cafe, bagel shop, or the equivalent.

From there it's always an egg-and-cheese biscuit (which is tough to order in some small towns: "You don't want any meat on that? That's crazy talk!"), hashbrowns, and coffee.

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"2. 8 years for me. I eat in real restaurants now."

that statement just oozes "i'm an intellectual foodie, and you are beneath me."

should we really feel guilty for going (or conversely, proud for not going) to mcdonald's? does it really matter? many of us go because of convenience, or perhaps price. i mean, if i went to mcdonald's yesterday, and i got a side salad, would you look down on me, or would you say "oh, well THAT'S okay..."? just because someone eats at mcdonald's, doesn't mean they are completely unhealthy. i could go to a 5 star restaurant everyday, and gorge myself on fatty foods, but does it make me "better", because i didn't go to mcdonald's?

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I've had scrambled eggs for breakfast a couple times in the last few years. Not so much you can do to scrambled eggs. Did you know you can get just the eggs? They may not be on the menu anymore but if you ask for them they'll sell them to you.

I suspect (apart from the fact that you can get very bored of the same offerings after a decade or so) that Mickey D's problem is that they defined themselves a looooong time ago as a child's place to eat. I know they've been trying to reinvent themselves more recently, but they put that indelible mark on people's brains and now it's working against them.

I haven't really considered it — not even when it's fast food I want — since my kids were young. And I don't think they ever go to McDonalds these days either.

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The last time I ate at a McDonalds was more than ten years ago. I have eaten junk/fast food in that time, I just don't like the stuff at McDonalds.

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I've been in the last month or two. I don't give a rip about the food, but when it's 30 degrees out and snowing, it's about the only place I can meet my friends for any length of time as we all have young children. Now, if someone were to open a Souper Salad or Sweet Tomatoes type place with a playplace, we'd be all over it.

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To address the commenter "tr," I don't eat at McDonald's just because they are unhealthy in general. I don't eat there for a couple of reasons, neither of which are "food snob" related: I don't support their business practice of selling admittedly-unhealthy food products at very cheap prices, knowing that low-income folks will come back again and again because it's all they can probably afford, thus taking advantage of their situation (read Barbara Ehrenreich's "Nickled and Dimed" for further insight on this); I also don't support the fact that they have been outright lying for years to the public about what is in their food (beef in the deep fat fryer, french fries are not gluten-free after all, etc.) and have only recently been coming clean by sheer legal force. For me, it's not a "all fast food is horrible, I'm a food snob about it." It's McDonald's in particular and its business practices that I find loathesome. Therefore, I am happy to say that I haven't eaten at one since 1996.

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No "intellectual foodie" I. Oozing is not in my nature. That said, I don't patronize McDonald's or any other fast food establishment, nor have I since oh, I guess the late 80s. I prefer our local hole-in-the-wall taqueria, the chicken shack, the noodle house down in Santa Cruz, my own homemade lunches. Sorry folks, it's about choices; none of my options costs any more than a so-called "convenience food" meal, and the taste speaks for itself. French fries? I love 'em, skins on and fried in peanut oil. Burgers?? YES, but it's either Kirk's or grilled to order here at home. My meal-plan-on-a-shoestring college days are looonnnng over; I eat what I want now and enjoy every bite.

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last week sometime, for breakfast. it's the best place to get pancakes that don't cost an arm and a leg just for pancakes. (even better with sausage!)
and their delux big honking huge breakfast is only 3.99. what a deal for pancakes, eggs, sausage, biscuit, and hash browns. as for the other stuff, i know a lot of food snobs here in portland, but what the heck, fries are fries.

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