McDonald's phasing out super-size fries, drinks 06:14 PM CST on Tuesday, March 2, 2004 Associated Press CHICAGO - Say goodbye to those super-sized fries – McDonald's is slimming down its menu. The hamburger giant has started phasing out its trademark Supersize fries and drinks in its U.S. restaurants as part of an effort to simplify its menu and give customers choices that support "a balanced lifestyle," a company spokesman said Tuesday. By the end of 2004, Supersize will no longer be available at the nation's 13,000-plus McDonald's outlets except in certain promotions, McDonald's spokesman Walt Riker said. The move comes as the world's largest restaurant company, and fast-food chains in general, are under growing public pressure to give consumers healthier food options in a nation that has suddenly become aware of its bulging waistline and the health dangers that come with it. McDonald's began offering entree salads last year and has been moving to provide more fruit, vegetable and yogurt options with its Happy Meals. But the Oak Brook, Ill.-based company remains a magnet for public concerns – and legal actions – about obesity. Riker said the changes started going into effect in January. "This core menu, which has been under development since 2002, simplifies our menu and restaurant operations and provides a balance of choices for our customers," he said. "A component of this overall simplification, menu and balanced lifestyle strategy is the ongoing phase-out of the Supersize fry and the Supersize drink options." The company did not immediately disclose other details of the menu changes. Not that I eat at McDonald's anyway, but it's pretty brave to phase out a product that's apparently popular. I can understand expanding the menu to offer more healthy options, but doing away with the Super Size seems like an odd choice. I always thought it was weird that there was the standard "super size" at McDonald's was not always so standard. In most places, a super size drink is 32oz., but in Vernon, Texas, the supersize was something along the lines of a 50 gallon drum (I'm exaggerating a little, but the thing would not fit in the drink holder in my car).
Elaine: Uh, could I have a medium Diet Coke? Clerk: Do you want the Medium size or the middle size? Elaine: What's the difference? Clerk: Well, we have three sizes. Medium, Large, and Jumbo. Elaine: What happened to the small? Clerk: There is no small. Small is Medium. Elaine: What's... medium? Clerk: Medium is Large, and large is Jumbo. Elaine: Oh-kay. Gimme the large. Clerk: That's medium. Elaine: Right. Yeah. Could I have a small popcorn? Clerk: There is no small. Child-size is small. Elaine: What's `medium'? Clerk: Adult. Elaine: Do adults ever order the child-size? Clerk: Not usually. Elaine: Okay, gimme the `adult'.
Does that mean no more "Humongo-size" fries either? Back when I was a lard-ass, I used to live for those.
Please. Like Seinfeld can step when it comes to soda related quotes. "Farva: Gimme a liter-a-cola. Dimpus Burger Guy: What? Farva: A liter-a-cola. Ramathorn: Just order a large, Farva. Farva: I don't want a large Farva. I want a god damn liter-a-cola. Dimpus Burger Guy: I don't know what that is. Farva: Liter is French for give me some ****ing cola before I break both ****ing lips!"
From a business standpoint, super-size was great for McDonald's. Only explanation I can see is that they want good PR and that they might even want to be worried about getting sued like the tobacco firms did.
I wonder if people that used to order the Super-sized versions will now order 2 of the smaller sized versions? I'm guessing that will cost them more.
actually mcdonalds does have a jumbo sized fries, but its not on the menu. if you ask for it, they use a large drink cup and fill it up for you. I don't know if this applies to McDs, but never order a medium fries in burger king, the difference between a small and medium there is about 3-5 fries, which i learned after some guy did a test on it.
hmmm.... I never ate at McD's with any regularity, maybe once a month if even that. It was usually one of the middle of the night occurances when the munchies hit me. Then I would most likely order the supersize. I always felt bad, sick/gross after I ate McD's so I could never eat it more often than that.
Give me a break. What a fake attempt at concern. If they wanted to be healthy, they'd go out of business. There's nothing healthy about them. They should keep the supersize, and add faux health food to follow the trend.
oh, i thought you meant, like, really big fries. like a bag of potatoes dipped in grease or something.
You know how Potatoe Chips where invented? Some guy was complaining about his fries in a restaurant. Said they were soggy not enough salt and to thick. So the chef got pissed, went into the kitchen, and cut super thin slices of potatoe, fried em up till they were crisp, and doused them with salt. He threw the platter on the guys table and told 'em to eat that. The guy tried one just to piss off the chef. Then gobbled up the rest and ordered some more. the rest is history. True story as far as I know.
LMAO! I am not the only one to miss spell that. At Moon Lake Lodge, one dinner guest found chef Crum's French fries too thick for his liking and rejected the order. Crum cut and fried a thinner batch, but these, too, met with disapproval. Exasperated, Crum decided to rile the guest by producing French fries too thin and crisp to skewer with a fork.The plan backfired. The guest was ecstatic over the browned, paper-thin potatoes, and other diners requested Crum's potato chips, which began to appear on the menu as Saratoga Chips, a house specialty. With out Super Size, what are they going to give away their monopoly pieces with?
