Bonus Dad Bonus Daughter

Chips That Don’t Decompose Is Not The Food We Should Eat

• Bonus Dad Bonus Daughter

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Ever notice how a McDonald’s on the ring road feels like a promise kept? We dive into fast food as culture, comfort, and commerce, comparing the UK’s high-street mix with the United States’ mega-network of drive-thrus. From first memories of clunky clapperboards and birthday parties to present-day delivery habits, we trace how chains grew, why certain formats scale faster, and what actually lands on the tray.

We pull the numbers into the light: US giants like McDonald’s and Subway dominating on footprint, UK staples like Greggs and Nando’s carving out loyal rituals, and price hikes that changed Big Macs from casual treats to small luxuries. Then we get personal. We talk about why McDonald’s wins on reliability, the burger-versus-bun debate at Burger King and Five Guys, the surprising power of a plant-based menu for dairy-intolerant eaters, and the quiet comfort of eating in your car when the world feels heavy. It’s candid, practical, and rooted in how people actually eat: quick breakfasts before flights, service-station decisions, and the little wins when delivery brings two different meals to one door.

You’ll also hear wild fast food facts and a few film tangents, from left-handed Whoppers to the rise of Greggs’ vegan sausage roll, plus the less-sunny side: fries that don’t seem to age and the preservatives that keep them that way. We don’t preach. We balance convenience with curiosity, stats with stories, and big-industry trends with small human moments. If you’ve ever debated drive-thru vs delivery, wondered why Subway pops up in petrol stations, or wanted a smarter way to navigate UK vs USA chains, this one’s for you.

If you enjoyed the conversation, follow the show, share it with a friend who has a strong burger ranking, and leave a review with your go-to order and where you eat it. Your recommendations shape future topics and help more curious listeners find us.

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SPEAKER_00:

Hello and welcome to Bonus Dad. Bonus Daughter, a special father-daughter podcast with me, Hannah. And me, Davy, where we discuss our differences, similarities, share a few laughs and stories. Within our ever-changing and complex world.

SPEAKER_02:

Each week we will discuss a topic from our own point of view. And influences throughout the decades.

SPEAKER_00:

Or you could choose one by contacting us.

SPEAKER_02:

Via email, Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok. Links in bio. Welcome to another episode of Bonus Dad, Bonus Daughter. We have a clapperboard now. We have a clapperboard because our Christmas episode's coming up and you'll understand where the clapperboard come into play. But I'm very excited about having a clapperboard.

SPEAKER_00:

Your little face.

SPEAKER_02:

I get excited. I'm like, we're waiting for five seconds to pass.

SPEAKER_00:

Do you know why we well, should we just explain what that means with the five seconds?

SPEAKER_02:

Well you can. I have no idea what it means.

SPEAKER_00:

So it's because when because of the sound in the room, when I do the all when I do the audio mixing, I do a five-second pause of nothing. So it's just white noise. Then I can analyse what that noise is, and then I can remove it from the audio.

SPEAKER_01:

We.

SPEAKER_00:

So there isn't like this white ambient noise in the background of us talking. That's what it is. That's what it is. So it gives me the hertz and the decimal. I can just take that out of the entire podcast. So it is just us talking.

SPEAKER_02:

The more you know.

SPEAKER_00:

There you go. There's a little audio mixing for you there. So that's why that's why we have the five second gap and the clapper board.

SPEAKER_02:

Super.

SPEAKER_00:

And we have the clapperboard as well, so you can marry up the audio with a video.

SPEAKER_02:

I don't need to do that, but Do you not need to do that? No. Does it all Yeah, automatically? Automatically synks.

SPEAKER_00:

Amazing.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

What okay, cool.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, the lapels just record uh just make the video more.

SPEAKER_00:

Do they?

SPEAKER_02:

So these there's no separate files or anything.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, excellent. Yeah. Oh right, okay. Oh amazing.

SPEAKER_02:

That's what makes my job so easy.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. So what are we going to talk about today, Hannah?

SPEAKER_02:

Fast food.

SPEAKER_00:

And did you write this episode, Hannah?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, no. Speedy food.

SPEAKER_00:

Speedy food.

SPEAKER_02:

We did do a food episode once.

SPEAKER_00:

We did do a food episode, but that was more along the lines of cooking and food and things. This is this is primarily I actually can't remember what it was about. Yeah. This is primarily fast food. Fast food. And I've got Speedy Food. So I've what I've done is I've done a lot of facts and a lot of figures on this one. Ooh. And I've kind of done UK versus USA. And what I'm gonna do, I'm just gonna run down some of these and let's just see if you have eaten at some of these fine establishments.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay.

SPEAKER_02:

Ring it off the top.

SPEAKER_00:

Uh USA, the main ones.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes. Let's go.

SPEAKER_00:

McDonald's.

SPEAKER_02:

I have eaten there.

SPEAKER_00:

We've eaten there today.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. I actually didn't go into store, but you did bring me a McDonald's this morning.

SPEAKER_00:

I actually went through the drive-thru today as well. Yeah. Because you weren't having your no cheese, I go into McDonald's.

SPEAKER_02:

I had two hash browns. I mean cheese involved.

SPEAKER_00:

But when you when I do your McMuffin, because you I take you take the cheese out. Because you're dairy intolerance, don't you? But I always go in to do that to make sure that I take the cheese out. I don't go to the drive thru.

SPEAKER_02:

Well that's very nice, but you can do it through the drive-thru now. Very good.

SPEAKER_00:

But what I I know is just me, isn't it? But today, because you only had two hash browns, two hash browns. I went to the drive-thru. I went to the drive-thru. I remember actually when when the first drive-thru in Norwich, and I when I was a kid, my grandparents took me there.

SPEAKER_02:

Really?

SPEAKER_00:

And I was like an amazing, I was like, wow, this is like insane.

SPEAKER_02:

Damn. What was that like?

SPEAKER_00:

That was the McDonald's on the ring road.

unknown:

Oh.

SPEAKER_00:

And I must have probably been what, about eight years old?

SPEAKER_02:

So you originally went into the place to eat. Yeah. And then the drive-thrus come The drive-thrus came much later. Wow, I did not know that.

SPEAKER_00:

You used to have birthday parties at McDonald's as well. The one on um smad. Yeah, years and years ago.

SPEAKER_02:

Which which one on the ring road? There's there's a couple.

SPEAKER_00:

The one uh Hall Road. Hall Road. Yeah. No, no, not Hall Road one. No, the other one.

SPEAKER_02:

BQ.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes. One near BQ, yeah. Yeah, the one opposite Burger King. Just slightly opposite, just further down from Burger King.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, yes, yeah. I know which one.

SPEAKER_00:

Burger King's on the other side of the road. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

That's such a shit location for a McDonald's in my opinion. It's really hard to get in and out of that.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, it's been there years. Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Clearly, yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, yeah. So it comes on to it. Burger King. Have you ever had a Burger King?

SPEAKER_02:

I have, yeah. I had one fairly recently actually, and I forgot how nice they were.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, uh favourite, McDonald's or Burger King?

SPEAKER_02:

I I go to McDonald's more, but I think the burgers are better quality at Burger King. They're more expensive. But they are more expensive.

SPEAKER_00:

They are more expensive.

SPEAKER_02:

And mm there are more McDonald's than there are Burger Kings in Norwich, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_00:

Mm-hmm. Maybe there are there are, yeah. I find but I I don't know Burger Kings don't seem as busy either.

SPEAKER_02:

No, they don't, but I think it's because they're more expensive. But I could probably name where most McDonald's are in Norwich, but I could not tell you where all the Burger Kings are.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. Um so we're still in America at the moment, so you've had McDonald's, you've had a Burger King. Have you ever had a Wendy's?

SPEAKER_02:

We had a Wendy's. We have had Wendy's. I like Wendy's. Yeah, that was quite nice.

SPEAKER_00:

Taco Bell.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh my god. We have Taco Bell Norwegi that's originally like come recently, and I I do not rate it at all.

SPEAKER_00:

I've not had a Taco Bell in the UK.

SPEAKER_02:

America actually did we In terms of like picture to product symbol like similarities, it's probably the worst. I know I know a lot of places inflate what the burger looks like, but with McDonald's, you know what you're gonna get. Taco Bell, just I had like a um well I I had a taco and it was it it was just so lame. Like there was nothing in it. It just just wasn't yeah, it was just wasn't full and and meaty like it looked in the picture. It's just like nothing in it. Yeah, I don't rate it.

SPEAKER_00:

KFC?

SPEAKER_02:

Can't stand KFC.

SPEAKER_00:

I love a zingatao burger.

SPEAKER_02:

I don't I don't understand why I don't I just don't like the coating in the chicken. It tastes like fairy liquid to me.

SPEAKER_00:

Right, okay.

SPEAKER_02:

Like really soapy. I just ugh.

SPEAKER_00:

It could have coriander in it.

SPEAKER_02:

I wonder if that could be Well, uh someone has mentioned this to me before, but I like coriander and other things. Okay. I like coriander and curries, I like coriander in salsa. Yeah. That's fine. But I do.

SPEAKER_00:

Because that is a thing. People taste coriander soapy.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, just KFC. There's just something about it that just makes me it's just not a very nice taste. I'm sorry, yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay. Uh Subway.

SPEAKER_02:

I love a Subway.

SPEAKER_00:

Subway.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh.

SPEAKER_00:

Um Domino Woohoo.

SPEAKER_02:

Domino woohoo. Yeah, had a dominoes.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. Pizza Hut.

SPEAKER_02:

Of course, yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

We've got one of them down the road as well.

SPEAKER_00:

We have. And my favourite in America.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Chick-fil-A.

SPEAKER_02:

Chick-fil-a.

SPEAKER_00:

I'm sorry, but you we need Chick-fil-A in the UK. If if you haven't had a Chick-fil-A, oh my god, that that chicken is the best.

SPEAKER_02:

I have I have recently found out, unfortunately, I hope this doesn't ruin it for you, but Chick-fil-A are not very uh let's say they're not very left-wing.

SPEAKER_00:

Really? Yes. Okay, back to McDonald's.

SPEAKER_02:

Um just so you're aware.

SPEAKER_00:

Um not to be political or anything. Yeah. Popeyes. Popeye chicken?

SPEAKER_02:

I don't think I've ever eaten out Popeyes.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay. So I'm gonna run through some stats.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay.

SPEAKER_00:

In Amer uh this is this is in America. I won't run through all of them because I've got um how many stores there are on each of these from the 1980s all the way up to today.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

But I'll just go to the 2024 column.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes.

SPEAKER_00:

So McDonald's in America has 13,500 stores.

SPEAKER_02:

They've basically doubled their stores from 1980.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, they have. Jeez, yep. Burger King 2 have doubled their stores. Uh to they have 7,000, so they have half the amount of stores as McDonald's have.

SPEAKER_02:

Wendy's have tripled.

SPEAKER_00:

Wendy's have tripled from 2,000 to 6,000. Taco Bell.

SPEAKER_02:

That's a massive.

SPEAKER_00:

Times by eight from 1,000 stores all in 1980 to 7,800 in 2024. Gee. Uh KFC, uh pretty much they've actually dropped.

SPEAKER_02:

They've dropped stores. They've dropped they on their way out.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, to four that from 4,500 in 1980 to 4,000 today.

SPEAKER_02:

Gee.

SPEAKER_00:

Subway.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00:

From 200 to 20,000. Subway have the most stores of all um fast food chains in America.

SPEAKER_02:

I have a f theory.

SPEAKER_00:

It could be Burmese.

SPEAKER_02:

Subway don't actually need to need a kitchen out back to cook anything because it's a few.

SPEAKER_00:

They don't well they do, because they toast the they toast the bread.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, I know they do. I know they do. That's it. Yeah. There is no element of frying, there's no element of anything like that because it's all fresh produce, right? And it's and they don't need a lot of space.

SPEAKER_00:

That's true. They don't need to be able to get it.

SPEAKER_02:

They don't need a back kitchen. They only need a storeroom.

SPEAKER_00:

And quite often subways are in things like petrol stations as well, aren't they?

SPEAKER_02:

Exactly. So I can understand why that number is so high. Whoever thought of Subway actually is very clever because they were like, ah, where can we fill the market with a cold sandwich uh chain shop? And there isn't really another sandwich shop like it. No, there isn't.

SPEAKER_00:

Not chain anyway. I do like a subway.

SPEAKER_02:

I like a subway.

SPEAKER_00:

I like a subway. Yeah. Um Domino's have gone from 200 to 7,000 or 6,700.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, nice.

SPEAKER_00:

Pizza Hut from 4,000 stores to 6,000.

SPEAKER_02:

They actually dropped from uh to the 2000s, they had 7,500. Pizza Hut is yeah, it's it's fine.

SPEAKER_00:

It's fine.

SPEAKER_02:

And that's why I think it's fine. It's fine.

SPEAKER_00:

It's not kids. Yes.

SPEAKER_02:

We know it's oh my god, that salad bar. Yeah, no, yeah, you're good.

SPEAKER_00:

Um Chick-fil-A have gone from 100 stores to 3,000.

SPEAKER_02:

Good. That's a nice that's a nice growth, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00:

And Popeye's chicken from 500 to 3,900. Nice. So you won't be surprised, really, when I say that in the UK, a lot of them are still the a lot of the number, a lot of the people are still the same.

SPEAKER_02:

A lot of the people.

SPEAKER_00:

A lot of the lot of the fast food outlets, shall we say, are very similar. So McDonald's. Uh they went from 20 stores in 1980 to 1,300 in 2024.

unknown:

I mean, compare that with America.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, that's what I was just thinking.

SPEAKER_00:

Like 13, we've got a thousand 1,300.

SPEAKER_02:

Basically, the US have 10 times the amount of stores.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

That's crazy.

SPEAKER_00:

That's nuts.

SPEAKER_02:

That is crazy.

SPEAKER_00:

Burger King, we've got 600 Burger King stores.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

So again, that's to compare that to 7,000 in America.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, look at Wimpy.

SPEAKER_00:

Wimpy. I used to love a Wimpy.

SPEAKER_02:

I think uh mum might have to correct me, but I have a feeling she craved Wimpy burgers when she was pregnant with me.

SPEAKER_01:

Really?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_02:

I think.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

I think she craved it, maybe craved it once. I'm not saying she craved it all the time. Something like Monster Munch comes to my mind as well, but I don't know if that was her or not.

SPEAKER_00:

Then of course KFC, Thousand Stores.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. Um I do like I do like KFC. I can think of two in my head where they are. You've got one on the uh uh near Falcon Road.

SPEAKER_00:

Yep. There's three. I can think of three.

SPEAKER_02:

Where's the other one? Oh, the one uh Sal House?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, and there's one just down the road here.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh yeah. Yeah. Oh yeah, and Sal House. That's the only two I get. Is there one in the city?

SPEAKER_00:

Uh must be. Actually, I don't know.

SPEAKER_02:

Well I can't think of one in the city.

SPEAKER_00:

No, I think there is one in the city. No, I don't know. City Centre Norwich. No.

SPEAKER_02:

Good.

SPEAKER_00:

Um Domino's 1300 stores. Domino. Um Pizza Hut. So these are all very similar to America apart from the Wimpy. Um Pizza Hut 500 stores. 500 Pizza Hut stores.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Greg's.

SPEAKER_02:

It's gone down actually.

SPEAKER_00:

Greg's. Love a Greg's sausage roll and a steak bake.

SPEAKER_02:

Greg's. Greg's has Greg's is like snacky time. That's Greg's is a snacksident.

SPEAKER_00:

It is. Greg's was always a northern. Um I think they were kind of from Yorkshire and then they've gradually come down. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

And they're floating down to us. We have a Greg's. I can think of one near the Mell, right?

SPEAKER_00:

Opposite the mall. Yeah, yeah. We've yeah, we've just quite a few. Quite a few Greg's.

SPEAKER_02:

That's the only one I can think of.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. Um Subway, of course.

SPEAKER_02:

Eat fresh.

SPEAKER_00:

Eat fresh. Now, ones that aren't in America. Nando's.

SPEAKER_02:

Nando's.

SPEAKER_00:

Uh we used to go to Nando's quite a bit. So when the bat Cheeky Nando's of the lads. Yeah. So with the baton, there used to be a bit of a not tradition, but it'd be like we'd go for something to eat beforehand, before the gig, before we performed. We set all the stage up, get everything down, sound checked, and then go and have a Nando's.

SPEAKER_02:

Because it's so close to the venue.

SPEAKER_00:

Because it's so close to the venue, and then go, yeah. And then go on stage.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay, question for you which which Nando's is better? Riverside or Red Lion?

SPEAKER_00:

Oh Red Lion, I think.

SPEAKER_02:

I think Red Lion.

SPEAKER_00:

Red Lion, because we went to Nando. When did we go?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, why did we go? Was it before a gig? Was it before yeah, I think did we go? Was it what did we see though? What would we do? Was it when we went to Youth Killed It?

SPEAKER_00:

No, we didn't go for a Nando's before Youth Killed It.

SPEAKER_02:

Did we go to the cinema?

SPEAKER_00:

Might have been the cinema.

SPEAKER_02:

Did was it like a Father's Day thing?

SPEAKER_00:

Did we do did we do Nando's and uh Yeah, I think you might have taken me out for Father's Day.

SPEAKER_02:

I remember taking you f out for Father's Day to Five Guys. Five Guys is the next one on there.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes.

SPEAKER_02:

Sorry about that. Yeah. I felt really bad about that.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, we went to see um the zombie film, didn't we?

SPEAKER_02:

Zombieland 2, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

That came out. Yeah. And we had a five guys beforehand, and you didn't tell me that you were feeling a bit ugly.

SPEAKER_00:

But that was really greasy.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, I really I really like Five Guys. I think it's actually better than Burger King, and I'm probably gonna get shot down for that, but I do think it's better. Um but I don't I doubt you'll go again actually. Now you've probably been put off a little bit by Five Guys.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh no, we well bizarrely enough, when I say about Nando's, when we did our last gig, we all went five guys.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh okay.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, we all went we all after Kevin.

SPEAKER_02:

There's one in Riverside now.

SPEAKER_00:

There's one down Riverside, so we all yeah, we all went down to Five Guys. That was actually quite funny because I went and so when I got it to Benji went in before me and went in considerable amount of time before me, and when I got into five guys, Benji was still standing there. I was like, Have you eaten already? He went, No, my food's not come. I ordered mine, Pierre walked in behind me, Pierre then ordered his, mine came out, Pierre's came out, and we was poor old Benji was still waiting for it.

SPEAKER_02:

Did that replace Frankie and Benny's? Was Frankie Benny still there? Uh because Chaquito's is no longer there either.

SPEAKER_00:

No, Chiquito's is no longer there.

SPEAKER_02:

Pizza Hut's still there though. There's another pizza hut there.

SPEAKER_00:

There is another Pizza Hut there.

SPEAKER_02:

I forgot about that.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, have you been to the Astab Luro?

SPEAKER_02:

No, I think Mitchell has. I think it's barbecue, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00:

Well, no, they keep bringing that meat. You it's really weird.

SPEAKER_02:

You have like a buffet, but Yeah. See, that would be wasted on me because I'm not a massive eater, so something like that would be wasted on me.

SPEAKER_00:

I messed up because I didn't I didn't quite understand the concept of the restaurant before I went in. So when they said you get a plate and you can go up, so I I thought basically they came out with these different types of meat and you you then sort of decided what meat you wanted. Yeah. Right? So I had loads of stuff on my plate. Kind of, well, kind of, I'd like loads of stuff on my plate, sort of like potatoes and duh duh duh. So I was like, and then they came around with this chicken, they went, Oh, would you like some of this chicken? I was like, Oh, yeah, actually that nice. So they cut, and then next thing someone came around with some beef, and then lamb was coming out, and they'll come around and go, Would you like some? I was like, Yeah, actually, so they yeah, you eat as much as you want, essentially.

SPEAKER_02:

I think that's that's why it would be wasted on me because the money is so expensive.

SPEAKER_00:

I just wouldn't be able to but I filled up on all the other stuff, yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Rookie move. Yeah, exactly. And but they're TGI's down there still as well. Yeah, I think I guess. I think it's next to Establo, isn't it? Is it TGI Fridays Establo or the other way around, maybe?

SPEAKER_00:

Something like that.

SPEAKER_02:

Then it's Pizza Hut. And then it's whatever replaced Chaquitos.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. Because you have used to have Old Orleans down there as well.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, and the Chinese buffet at the end, which is now Mulligan's, the um putt putt place.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, because old Orleans is where me and your mum went on our very first date, didn't we?

SPEAKER_02:

Oh La Las Aguanas used to be on the corner. Yeah. I don't think that's there anymore.

SPEAKER_00:

No, that's not there anymore. That's not there anymore.

SPEAKER_02:

And then of course you've got Queen. Queen's uh Queen of Queen. Oh, Queen of Icene. Used to call Lloyd's back way back when.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Now it's Icini.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, all those people in in um Norwich will know this, or all the people who live in Norwich, but when I was sitting in Esteblero the other day, I was like, I remember when this was squares.

SPEAKER_02:

Ah yes.

SPEAKER_00:

And then Norwegian blue, and then with time was down the road from the room.

SPEAKER_02:

Laver and ignite is not there anymore. It used to be above um the Hollywood bowl.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, well, it used to be time when it first came. Yeah, time and then turned into lava and lava and ignite and now.

SPEAKER_02:

I went to a teen social there. Yeah. And it was supposed to be a phone party, but no one turned up.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, it was a really like they didn't market it well or I don't know how I found out about it, but yeah, it was we ended up going bowling instead.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Um sorry.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, that's right. No, no, no. Um Tangents. Got some more figures here. Woo! So this is the how much the actual market value of the fast food industry is. So in America, this is USA.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

In 1980, it was worth 85 billion.

SPEAKER_02:

That's a lot.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. Today it's worth$365 billion.

SPEAKER_02:

A billion a day of the year.

SPEAKER_00:

Indeed. Yeah, a billion day a year industry. That's insane. UK, in 1980 it was one billion. Uh in 2024, 22 billion.

SPEAKER_02:

Damn.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

So that is um almost 2 billion a month.

SPEAKER_00:

Indeed. Indeed. And the average fast food prices.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh gosh, make me cry.

SPEAKER_00:

Let's go with McDonald's. Let's go with a Big Mac because everyone loves a Big Mac.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

In 1980, it was$1.60 in the U in the USA. It's now$5.15.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Over how many decades is that? Uh one, two, three, four. Over five decades, it's increased by five.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, exactly. I remember influenced. I remember when I went to what I was at college, Grantham College, where I was doing when I was studying drama, there. I remember we used to go to there used to be a McDonald's down there and used to eat McDonald's, and it'd be like I think I think it was like£1.30 something for a Big Mac meal.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. I don't even think you can get a burger for under a pound now.

SPEAKER_00:

You can get a 99p hamburger. Can you still get the hamburger? I think you still get the bigger.

SPEAKER_02:

So the cheese one is£109, isn't it? Yeah, for the cheese. For the cheese. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. But yeah. I remember I remember the hamburger being 89p and the cheeseburger being 99p.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

unknown:

Mad.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. I mean how many I mean the funny thing is, when I'm driving to yours, I pass what? Pass two McDonald's.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes. And I'm only Two Burger Kings?

SPEAKER_00:

I'm literally w how how far away are we? About eight miles?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. As as the crow flies, we're very close. But yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

About eight miles?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, I'd say ten miles maybe ma max.

SPEAKER_00:

And so I pass You pass Burger King. Theoretically, I pass a Burger King.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Two McDonald's.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

A KFC. Yeah. A Pizza Hut.

SPEAKER_02:

Greg's.

SPEAKER_00:

Greg's. Costa. Costa.

SPEAKER_02:

Uh what else is next to Burger King in Thickthorn? There's another one there. Little Chef.

SPEAKER_00:

Little Chef, they've gone there. Oh, that's a shame. Little Chef, yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

They were shit. Subway.

SPEAKER_00:

There's a subway. There's a subway.

SPEAKER_02:

There's a subway.

SPEAKER_00:

Eight fast food restaurants I pass in eight miles.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. It's mile.

SPEAKER_00:

In the UK. Yeah, just in that. And that's that's on the outskirts of Norwich. I'm not even going into the city.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

I'm on the ring road.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Around or the outer road. Not even the ring road, the outer ring.

SPEAKER_01:

Like, yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

On the A roads are on the outside. That's that's insane. And even like when you think when we went to when we went to America, we went to Florida, you know, every single when you're driving down the road and you've got like the the blocks. Yeah. Right on the out on the outskirts of Kissimmee and and all that going in. near Disney, every single one of those blocks has got a set of fast food restaurants in it. Every single one. Denny's. Denny's, yeah. Even New Jersey. So when we went to New Jersey, because I had a picture, I well your mum took a picture as soon as we got to um got to New Jersey, I was like, uh oh Chick-fil-A. Yeah. Like and your mum took a picture of me outside Chick-fil-A. But again, everywhere there's there's just food eateries all over the shop.

SPEAKER_02:

I have just I've just seen that large fries went from 59 uh uh uh 59 cents yeah to three ninety seven dollars that's insane three dollars ninety uh seventy nine cents yeah damn a medium coke went from 40 cents to two forty nine two dollars forty nine how do you say it I wanted to say two pound two pound forty nine is it two dollars forty nine how do you say how do you actually verbally say it's two dollars forty nine cents two dollars forty nine cents yeah so looking at some of these other figures as well when the menu was launched so in 1983 was the first time the McNuggets came out oh UK shortly after we're always late to the pie I know um I love McNuggets they're my favorite thing on the menu I think there's just oh just sometimes a nug is a comfort food yeah just want a nug mm-hmm we have chicken goujons emergency chicken gojons in the freezer for emergency naptime yeah I've got emergency chicken they're just such a comfort food aren't they always chicken a nugget yeah so the salad bar or the salad meals didn't actually come out until 2003 this is my timeline yeah 2000 bad isn't it let's be honest and then of course we had the Nando's periperry boom in the 2000s yes we did cheeky nando's with the lads yeah yeah and it wasn't until 2018 when plant based menus started coming out yeah the vegan movement the vegan movement yeah and your mum actually likes the plant burger yeah say what you want about the vegan movement but I'll tell you what for someone that has a dairy intolerance it has saved my life I can now have desserts which I never had access to before there's so many things that like the the kind of the the whole vegan movement come into like the environmental impact yada yada yada like I still eat meat I'm not like I'm not preaching here but bloody hell did that make my life easier when they started actually making dairy free things I'm like yes I can have ice cream again Ben and Jerry's do an amazing again we're not sponsored but Ben and Jerry's do an incredible um dairy free chocolate fudge brownie ice cream and I've recently had the normal fudge brownie ice cream and I could not taste the difference.

SPEAKER_00:

Really? No I did try so I did try a plant burger.

SPEAKER_02:

How did you feel?

SPEAKER_00:

It was alright yeah it was alright have you have you had the vegan Greg sausage rolls?

SPEAKER_02:

Yes it's they're all right again I also have the vegan Greg sausage roll because the pastry the pastry has no dairy in it so again perfect for me. Oh awesome I I I love how kind of the vegan movement made my access to food so much better as well like yeah there's there's a lot of things that I think people often rant about vegans and veganism but yeah thank you because it helped me out helped me out solid.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. So in um ordering trends because of course you have drive through delivery so what how do you how do you get your fast food if you're um my my dad brings it to me. Does he?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah yes um I did get it delivered the other day but only because I didn't have a car but I would have gone out and got it I would have because I think it's fresher and hotter.

SPEAKER_00:

I have never had fast food delivered never I don't like the idea of it being delivered.

SPEAKER_02:

How have you never had it delivered to the studio or anything like that?

SPEAKER_00:

No ah when you say things like Chinese or takeaway. See ah that's the difference isn't it takeaways or fast food. Yeah this is I'm talking fast food not takeaways you've never had a delivery McDonald's never had a delivery McDonald's that that astounds when we were at the studio there was a fish and chip shop just down the road so we would walk to the fish and chip shop.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay that's fair enough we have fish and chips um I think I'd prefer to go to the restaurant swiping on Tinder. What's funny about this is I think I'd prefer to go to the restaurant but I don't want to eat in the restaurant I'll eat in my car yeah we because I like the privacy of eating in my own space. Yeah I don't really like eating inside the restaurant often often it's because of the kids to be honest. Yeah because they're just loud and yeah and I just can't I don't have the patience. Yeah sounds a bit mean but I just don't I'm just one of those people that just don't vibe with that thing.

SPEAKER_00:

I mean yeah yeah so do you do you do drive through?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah drive through yeah then eat in the car and then eat in the car yeah I don't it's very rare but even that's really slow these days because they tend to prioritize the delivery people.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

So you often get that a little bit late. I think the best the best way to eat fast food is to go in and and get it to be taken away.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

And then eat in your car like a lonely little because that's that's it. Do you know what actually just a bittersweet memory when when my uh when my first cat died when Mitzi died yeah I remember getting the call that they were going to put her down and I was beside myself and as was Mitchell and the first thing we did after getting back from the vet um after uh like collecting her her little bits and stuff and her um her ashes we had a McDonald's and I remember it's bittersweet memory for me because we sat in Sainsbury's car park because the McDonald's was full just staring at the hedge and just both crying eating our nugs. And I know that sounds really sad and bittersweet but actually McDonald's brought us comfort because neither of us could be bothered to cook or eat and it made sure that even though it's crap food at least we ate even though we were like feeling really down. So I do I think there's a place for fast food and there is a place for fast food. The convenience of it personally I know Mitchell and I if we were in the city we would prefer to have something local. We love the Norwich Market for example we were very lucky in Norwich that we have a Norwich market which has food from around the world so I'd rather do that but the convenience side if we if we're traveling or something like that is usually a McDonald's breakfast or a McDonald's like lunch like if we're catching a flight because we have to go into like there's not many flights from Norwich so we have to go to Stansted or Gatwick Heathrow you know we have to go to the London ones and the convenience of having a McDonald's on the way because you know exactly what you're gonna get there's no surprises you know that it's gonna be fine that you're not gonna have a gippy tummy you know all of those things and also it's gonna be quick it's gonna be there.

SPEAKER_00:

And it's quick.

SPEAKER_02:

This is this is this is the thing. Yeah um so I think there's definitely a place for it.

SPEAKER_00:

This is not the question you asked I'm so sorry I've gone well off to hand on that but but yeah I just think well we used when you say about you know how going back to having things delivered when you said about um you know what do we do in the studio I was I was just then thinking yeah the amount of times we'd go somewhere as a band like if if we were if we were travelling um to a gig quite often we'd stop at Little Melton and we'd go to the pub in Little Melton. Oh no we've got the Stonehouse the Stonehouse to get the breakfast I know what you mean because we because that was kind of like a bit of a merge meeting point for all of us.

SPEAKER_02:

Or we would stop at McDonald's or like when we go to Ferryfest we'd stop at the um at the uh um on the way to Yarmouth I just don't think the quality is as good when it's delivered no it's it's convenient I guess again because you don't have to go to the house like you might want to deliver like I think delivery is good if you if you want either don't have a car to get out with which is normally the case when I deliver to home uh the convenience of um you can order separate things so sometimes when my friend Harry comes over he'll order a KFC and I'll order a McDonald's and we don't have to go out and get that we just get it delivered the other day we we delivered we done the same thing he got KFC I'll got McDonald's came with the same person yes love it when that happens yeah um but yeah I I I think I would rather drive through slash eat in the restaurant over delivery but delivery is often used again for convenience.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah it's it's it's really bizarre it's very it's very rare that I will use the drive-thru I will use the drive thru at Thickthorn because when I'm coming home god drive thru is the only thing I use the drive through there because I'll Because I do it on the app and then I just then I just give them the code and it's ready and done.

SPEAKER_02:

I don't even have to speak that much I think that's why the limited amount of interaction that I can have is like the perfect meal for me.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah I don't want to talk to people you don't even have to talk to anybody anymore because when you go into McDonald's on the screen and just order it on the screen.

SPEAKER_02:

True true and do it that way and then swipe your cards I also think controversially now I don't rate Thickthorn McDonald's I think long water is better.

SPEAKER_00:

No I agree. I don't think the chips are as they're a franchise aren't they McDonald's is a franchise.

SPEAKER_02:

Well yeah yeah they're all franchises aren't they yeah all fast food restaurants are technically franchises are they not?

SPEAKER_00:

I don't know to be fair I think probably yeah or what's the definition of chain and well I suppose it would be yeah yeah yeah yeah they are yeah yeah so um anyway sorry off topic yeah off topic so what is your what is your kind of favourite one?

SPEAKER_02:

I think my go-to is McDonald's cheap quick you know what you're getting yeah Taco Bell is the furthest down the list it could possibly be I was really put off I've only had one maybe I just had a bad experience but that was enough I'm like I'm not having that again I don't really like Mexican food to be fair which is a shame because Mitchell absolutely adores Mexican food.

SPEAKER_00:

There is an amazing burrito place in Norwich.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh are you gonna say plan burrito?

SPEAKER_00:

I don't know what what it's called but it's just outside Castle Mall.

SPEAKER_02:

Plan burrito. That's amazing it was really good yeah that is actually a chain but it's not yeah that was the best burrito I've ever had in real life I actually had the burrito bowl so just like without the bread side of it I had it oh very good yeah very very nice. But yeah Taco Bell could be couldn't be lower on my list. I think I since having a Burger King actually recently it's probably higher in my rankings. KFC's down the bottom as well because I just don't like the chicken taste. But I think McDonald's is probably top that's the one that I'm more likely drawing.

SPEAKER_00:

Have you ever seen Demolition Man? No with Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes? No in that because obviously because what happens is is Sylvester Snipes like Sylvester Snipes. Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes they get uh they get frozen that's their ship yeah they get they get frozen in time essentially okay and then they get woken up like 40 years later and the world has changed it's all and in fact if you watch it it's it's quite an interesting social commentary within that which you could argue to a perspective they kind of predicted the future quite well about what the world's like now but within that when when they wake up and he says uh he says you know where are we gonna go for for dinner tonight and Sandra Bullock's character says to Wesley uh says to Sylvester Sloan oh we're gonna go to Taco Bell and he's like Taco Bell what you really as in it's so low down on the list of restaurants that we go and then Sandra Bullock says well no all restaurants are Taco Bell they won the fast food like wars of so and so and they've got they've got every single fast food restaurant across the entire country is a Taco Bell.

SPEAKER_02:

They would not win in my mind.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah so but it's a bit of a joke yeah there's a bit of a joke within that film because they're not held in that high regard. Yeah I get it I get it yeah but yeah but well so the Taco Bell is it the is it opposite Gerald's yes it is yeah it's it's awful I do not recommend. Really?

SPEAKER_02:

I mean try it by all means.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah I'll give it a go give it a goo. We'll give it a goo. Give it a goo.

SPEAKER_02:

It was just so bland and tasteless and just the picture really put me off because the picture looked really good and then when I got it I was like oh it it was it was not worth the money. Really it was so small.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah very little meat in it at all.

SPEAKER_00:

So McDonald's is your go-to go to yeah I would say so I would say McDonald's is the one that I go to the most because I just think there's so many of them and again it's that fast it's easy convenience and it's probably the cheapest out of all of them as well.

SPEAKER_02:

I think so I mean it is getting expensive but yeah I would say it's cheaper. I do really like a subway if I was like if I if we were going out and saying we're gonna get fast food yeah I might pick subway because I always have McDonald's yeah yeah yeah yeah McDonald's is the one that I always get on a trip like if I'm going out somewhere but when we stop at the Cambridge services on the way back which has like pretty much all of them in there I always go for chopsticks. Oh yeah but the last chopsticks the last two chopsticks I've had there have not been very nice so I don't think I'll go for chopsticks again because I do like a Chinese.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah yeah um but yeah I think but no I think you're right I think it's a bit of a psychological thing in it where you kind of like because McDonald's it's what you know it's what you know but also it's there for convenience is there but like you say if you were going to go out to get something specially because not specially you go somewhere different.

SPEAKER_02:

If you know you're going out for food you wouldn't pick McDonald's no if you were on the road and you saw a McDonald's you'd be like oh let's stop for a McDonald's because I'm hungry right now. Exactly that and you know it has a toilet you know it's gonna be clean because they're all pretty clean. I've never I've never been in a McDonald's where I thought oh it's day in here.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah I I tend to not go to the toilet in in oh not like not on the road well yeah no actually we did we did when we went to um McDonald's yeah we did yeah yeah yeah that's one of my favourite McDonald's is actually yeah yeah okay um right should we do some crazy facts let's go for crazy facts crazy facts let's go wild weird unbelievable but true facts from the fast food industry let's go so did you know that the KFC double down is technically not a sandwich because it has no bread at all so it's just chicken fillets holding cheese and bacon I don't know what a KFC double down is I don't know what KFC double down is oh okay okay did you know that McDonald's once sold spaghetti in the 1980s as in like spaghetti spaghetti like spaghetti I I know of McPizza I know that's a thing I did not know about spaghetti yeah that's pretty that's pretty solid sold spaghetti I can't imagine them doing pasta do you know what they call a coir panda with cheese in Paris? No Royale with cheese oh royale you don't know what reference film that's from no sorry Pulp Fiction oh I haven't seen that in a while you know you can get a beer at McDonald's in Paris yeah they call it the Royale with cheese because they haven't got the metric system there's a whole there's a whole speech between John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson right oh it's funny the other day sorry just coming off the topic of fast food I was sat there and some I can't remember something was there was some kind of Bible passage or whatever that was read on on um on the on the I'm going somewhere there's people who have seen pulp fiction know exactly where I'm going with it. Okay, okay okay right and there was some kind of Bible there was somebody was reading some piece of scripture on the tell right and I just sat there with your mum and I just went Ezekiel 2517 and your mum went huh so I went the path of the righteous man is beset on all sides to be an expedition selfish and the tyranny of evil men and your mum went what how the hell do you know that piece of like I was like quoting it yeah as though it was like as though I'd like read this from the Bible and your mum was like looking at me because obviously she knows my feelings on religion even though I was brought up Catholic blah blah and I was just like she's like what are you going on about and they went it's from Pulp Fiction Samuel Jackson says it and it's not actually a real Bible piece of scripture it was made up by Quinton Tarantino as well. It's not actually in the Bible it's not Ezekiel 2517 it's yeah so yeah sorry I've completely gone on a tangent and we were talking about spaghetti and McDonald's and we somehow went to Bible scripture. Yeah I don't and pulp fiction and pulp fiction so related yes and did you know that Burger King once created a left handed whopper as an April fool's joke but the best bit is thousands of people actually asked for it.

SPEAKER_02:

But don't you eat a burger with two hands? You do what you do what would I don't know what people would think.

SPEAKER_00:

Did you know that McDonald's once released a bubblegum flavour broccoli for kids it failed immediately. I don't even want to know what they put on that broccoli to make it taste like bubblegum.

SPEAKER_02:

Bubble gum and broccoli would not be the combination I'd go for the only thing they have in similar is they both begin with B. Hello my my pipes are coming out of them ceiling even your the internal market of your house has gone what bubblegum broccoli the pipes are like don't shit in here my God house is alive.

SPEAKER_00:

Bubblegum flavour broccoli for kids eek eek eek it went nowhere yeah um did you know that the UK sells more KFC orders per hour on Christmas Eve than any other day because of a viral 2000s rumour copying Japan's Christmas KFC tradition.

SPEAKER_02:

I did not know that I have never ordered a KFC on Christmas Eve.

SPEAKER_00:

Mm-hmm we may have had a takeout on Christmas Eve but definitely not a KFC and Chick-fil-A makes more money per restaurant than a McDonald's KFC and Wendy's combined despite being closed one day a week oh I didn't know they were closed one day a week I didn't know they were closed one day a week makes more money per restaurant because it's more expensive? I think probably because it's so much more popular.

SPEAKER_02:

Honestly there's something about a Chick-fil-a I don't know what it is I do like the Chick-fil-a sauce I was just about to say that though so when I went to Vegas earlier on this year we had a Chick-fil-a and the boys were like you've got to try all these sauces and I was like oh my god I was I was overwhelmed. They had like they had a a packet per sauce I don't know I don't think any of them listen to this podcast but yeah they had like a packet per sauce and I was like I don't know what to do. I was like I'll just have nugs like I don't know yeah I didn't know what to have yeah the ch the Chick-fil-a sauces are amazing.

SPEAKER_00:

Well and I mean the thing is that's I mean let's just say this at this point a lot of the fast food stuff is so unhealthy. Oh yeah I mean it's so unhealthy but it just tastes so nice so good it tastes so good. So did you know that in 2019 Popeye's chicken sandwich caused a national shortage and at one there was at one at least one reported stabbing incident over it.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh no people were that angry about it.

SPEAKER_00:

Did they stab a co-worker like a worker or I I have no idea I do remember this one after the Greg's vegan sausage roll launch Greg's shares hit an all-time high and some shops sold out for weeks.

SPEAKER_02:

Do you remember I remember that do you remember yeah I do remember that again like I said earlier in the podcast vegan sausage rolls not only great for vegans but also the dairy sufferers like anyone that has any like dairy intolerance could be because pastry is one of the main triggers particularly for me it honestly it was the best thing that Greg's ever did.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah that probably saved the actual franchise I'm sure of it I'm sure of it steak bake isn't it I love a steak bake everyone loves a steak bake I love a steak bake do you know the thing is though with a steak bake you've got to eat it a certain way right you can't just go in because it all the Phillies go in there's a knack to it right you you you've got to come in at the corner right you've got to come in at the corner and bite the corner then I bite the other corner but I'm quite conscious of the meat coming out of the other side so you have to do it like a flip thing with your mouth to kind of do it around and you you yeah there's there's a definite knack to eating it's

SPEAKER_02:

Not to be a basic bitch or anything, but I actually really enjoy their baguettes. They're so nice. They're like a long thing. And at Christmas, they do a turkey stuffing. Again, we're not sponsored by Greg's, but they do a turkey and stuffing and cranberry filling, and then they toast it and then they put gravy in it. Oh it's so nice. Um and I also really enjoy in their little hot section. Yeah, they have like little chicken pieces. Again, I'm a nug girl, but they have like little barbecue chicken pieces. I used to have those for my lunch. Um like when I worked in what when I worked in Norwich, uh, main city centre. Like I just they uh Greg's just have everything. And then if you want a sweet treat, they've got donuts, they've got they've just got everything they've got there.

SPEAKER_01:

It's so good.

SPEAKER_02:

I love a Greg's and coffee's pretty good. I mean, I don't drink coffee, but their hot chocolate's pretty good.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, like yeah. There is one thing we haven't touched on before I go back to the crazy facts. There's about three more crazy facts uh regarding fast food restaurants.

SPEAKER_02:

Desserts. Desserts, yes. Desserts.

SPEAKER_00:

Do you have desserts?

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, McDonald's depends on the time of year, I guess. But I do like an apple pie if you count that as a dessert.

SPEAKER_00:

What do you mean the hot volcanic mixture between Satan's pocket and like more?

SPEAKER_02:

That's why you have it as a dessert because it is so hot to eat. Yeah. It's a nice that I think is quite Christmassy. It is quite Christmassy. Because it's it's like apple and cinnamon. Yeah. Um, so I do like that. I don't eat McFlurries because I can't eat ice cream. Um but any other restaurant, I guess the only other thing I can think of is Greg's and having a donut or I've been recently introduced to yum yums by my friend Vic. Okay. I don't know why no one had ever taught me about yum yums before, but Christ alive, they are good.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Very tasty.

SPEAKER_00:

That was what last last time we were in Florida. Um, my brother Anthony said uh it was in the car, obviously Hills knows this as well, but not no one else really knew. And said, Oh, shall we go to a dairy queen? I was like, Oh yes. Yes, please, let's go. Everyone else, everyone else and Hill Hills.

SPEAKER_02:

Is that ice cream dairy queen?

SPEAKER_00:

Hills was like, Yeah, we'll go to Dairy Queen, but everyone else in the car, because then it was like, What's Dairy Queen? It's like you'll find out.

SPEAKER_02:

Isn't is there dairy-free options at Dairy Queen?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I think so. Yeah. Oh no.

SPEAKER_02:

Do you like um crispy creme? Uh yes. Donuts. I think they're quite nice. I think they're overrated. I think that you could get cheaper versions just in supermarkets, but they are very, very nice. Yeah. I think they're expensive for what they are personally, but they are tasty.

SPEAKER_00:

Did you know that in the 1990s, 10% of all toys in America were distributed through McDonald's Happy Meals?

SPEAKER_02:

No way. 10% of all toys. That does not surprise me.

SPEAKER_00:

Um but when you think about the cost of toys as well, it's a it is, you know, from a financial perspective, with people who haven't got a lot of money, take the kids to get a happy meal and they're gonna get a toy as well.

SPEAKER_02:

I think that was one of the best parts about happy meals, particularly when I was younger. It wasn't all it's it's a good marketing ploy from McDonald's, really. And I think that's probably why a lot of children really resonate with McDonald's as well, is that they're like, oh, because not only do I get to eat really like naughty food, I also get a toy as well. And they started doing books, which I think is awesome because there's not not all children like toys, really. And it's nice that they do the book idea as well. I think I have to confess there are certain times in the Happy Meal calendar that I will partake in a Happy Meal to get the toy. For example, they did have a load of squish squ do you know what squishmallow is?

SPEAKER_00:

Squishmallow.

SPEAKER_02:

Tiny little toys that are like little little plushies. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, and they had such cute ones, and I was after a particular one and I never got it. But they were so cute. And then they did Halloween ones, and we've got little spiders, like little Halloween spiders.

SPEAKER_00:

Do the monopoly board thing?

SPEAKER_02:

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, so you know, sometimes you might be lucky, you might get like something and then you I like it when you get a free meal.

SPEAKER_02:

That's like top banana. Yeah. Uh free drinks is cool. But then I've never won anything big, but I did get a like a couple of like, oh, here's a free photo book or like here's a phone case.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, no, I've never won anything. Like you get money off those things rather than your mum entered a competition the other day. Oh successfully? Yeah, well she well she successfully entered it. But um wasn't successfully won it. But if she does win it, I mean we ain't gonna win anything, but it's one of those things where you win a home for it's four million.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

99p ticket and exactly, yeah, because it's in the lake district, so I think if we get that we we would have to move.

SPEAKER_02:

You'd you well you'd retire, wouldn't you, early, surely?

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly. So that would be nice. Did you know that some McDonald's locations use AI drive-through and it makes some ordering errors and such as six things have happened as in Is it real AI or is it someone like you know when they opened may I take your order, please?

SPEAKER_02:

Well, d have you heard about I can't remember what store it was. I want to say like IKEA or something, where there were robots that were apparently AI, but they weren't, they were just like little, little then like on the other side of it. No, this is what you shop.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, no, this is this is actually AI. This is AI actually AI. So apparently some things have happened where they've added 200 chicken nuggets or 30 bucka butt butter packets, stuff like that.

SPEAKER_02:

I didn't even know you could get butter from McDonald's.

SPEAKER_00:

No, I didn't. That's probably why it's yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. And did you know that McDonald's once launched the McLean Deluxe, a low-fat burger that used seaweed extract to hold it together? Oh I don't know how I feel about that. No. And the last fact on here, but then I'm gonna give you a little fact about McDonald's from my own experience.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay, so did you know that in 2012 in Canada, Pizza Hut launched their own perfume. Did it smell like pizzas? Smell that pepper, right?

SPEAKER_02:

I I have to admit it, Pizza Hut does smell good. Well, it depends on what sort of pizza you got. No, no, no, like the restaurant smells nice. I think the restaurant does smell good. Yeah. I tell you what, they do need to make. There is a ride in the UK in Alton Towers called Wicker Man. Yes. And oh my god, that smell all the way through the queue line, and when you go into that hut with the pre-show, it smells so good, and I cannot find that smell anywhere. I cannot find a candle that smells like it. They need to make Have you Googled it, what it is? I have Googled it. There I cannot find it. Really? It smells like Wicker, presumably. Yeah. It smells so good. Anyway, sorry, what's the one?

SPEAKER_00:

It smells like um Edward Woodward being burned in the Wicker Man.

SPEAKER_02:

Edward Woodward.

SPEAKER_00:

Edward Woodward was the original.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00:

In the original Wickerman with Britt Eklund. Very famous Brit Ecker. I didn't smell any crispy humans. But then they made a Nicolas Cage remake. Oh my god, the bees, love the bees! Which was absolutely diabolical. Right, yeah. Um, but my closing thought on fast food. Go on. My closing fact on fast food.

SPEAKER_02:

Go on.

SPEAKER_00:

I found I found in my car a chip. A chip. Which had probably been there for months. And do you know what? It hadn't decomposed.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

That worries me.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

I think about this at night.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. I think the only thing that would go mouldy on a burger would probably be the bread.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. I think about this and it worries me.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

About the preservatives and the shite that is in some food processing.

SPEAKER_02:

They're probably not potato, are they?

SPEAKER_00:

They're probably not potato. Yeah. Just as a final thought, I had to wrap up on fast food.

SPEAKER_02:

Lovely.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, so lovely things are. Did you enjoy your hash brown earlier?

SPEAKER_02:

I did. Um how long had it been in your car for? Did you just heat it up when you came through the door?

SPEAKER_00:

No, literally just yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

It's been sitting in the in the footwell for three weeks. Well, if you enjoyed this episode of Bonus Dad at Bonus Daughter, we have plenty in the bank. We've done an episode on food before way back when, way back when. That wasn't even on YouTube yet.

SPEAKER_00:

Hannah Two Times.

SPEAKER_02:

Hannah Two Times, yeah, I don't know. I said that twice. If you're watching us on YouTube, hello, um, nice to see you. Uh yeah, food won't be on YouTube, but it will be on other streaming services, Spotify, etc. etc. Just enjoy the rest of your day, I guess. And uh enjoy some fast food. Enjoy some fast food, enjoy your McDonald's, your chips that don't decompose, as we have mentioned. Uh cue the outro. Thanks for joining us on bonus dad, bonus daughter. Don't forget to follow us on all our socials and share the podcast with someone who'd love it. We are available on all streaming platforms. See you next time. Bye-bye.