McDonald's CEO Upset Over 'McJob' Word

AP ^ | 11/7/03 | AP- Strange News

[Jaded]

McDonald's CEO Upset Over 'McJob' Word

CHICAGO - McDonald's says it deserves a break from the unflattering way the latest Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary depicts its job opportunities.

Among some 10,000 new additions to an updated version released in June was the term "McJob," defined as "low paying and dead-end work."

In an open letter to Merriam-Webster, McDonald's CEO Jim Cantalupo said the term is "an inaccurate description of restaurant employment" and "a slap in the face to the 12 million men and women" who work in the restaurant industry.

The company e-mailed the letter to media organizations Friday, and it also was published in the Nov. 3 edition of an industry trade publication.

Cantalupo also wrote that "more than 1,000 of the men and women who own and operate McDonald's restaurants today got their start by serving customers behind the counter."

McDonald's, the world's largest restaurant chain, has more than 30,000 restaurants and more than 400,000 employees.

Walt Riker, a spokesman for McDonald's, said the Oak Brook, Ill.-based fast-food giant also is concerned that "McJob" closely resembles McJOBS, the company's training program for mentally and physically challenged people.

"McJOBS is trademarked and we've notified them that legally that's an issue for us as well," Riker said.

A message left at Merriam-Webster's headquarters in Springfield, Mass., was not immediately returned Friday evening.

[WackyKat]

Wouldn't the CEO's time be better spent developing a burger that is actually edible?
To a human being, I mean?

[BJungNan]

This is a little off subject but here is what I consider McStupid.

The best item on the menu is the Egg McMuffin and variations of it. And just how many hours a day does McDonals offer this best sandwhich. Just 4 hours out of an 18 hour day.

I'm sorry, it is 10:30 and 1 second. Breakfast is over! Would you like a Big Mack? No, I want and Egg McMuffin. I'm sorry sir, McBreakfast is like so McOver.

[paulklenk]

I recently discovered how to get a really great Big Mac:

By accident, the Big Macs I ordered recently came on fresh, soft, untoasted buns. I don't know if the cooks were too busy, or just forgot to run the buns through the toaster, but they tasted twice as good for some reason. (Ordering a Big Mac is a rarity for me, but that night I wanted a couple.)

Next time you get a hankering for a Big Mac, ask for untoasted buns.

[carlson]

Was this a McJoke?
I expected to see the socialist website as a source~

[GeronL]

M

[paulklenk]

I LOVE my Egg McMuffin. Ever try one on a biscuit instead of an english muffin? They're great, plus, when you order it that way, they have to make it fresh.

Another little-known secret to enjoying McDonald's food, instead of just tolerating it: Well-salted french fries. If there's too little salt, they're awful. Lots of salt -- ooh, baby, yum!

[general_re]

We need an IP McLawyer to render an opinion on McSuing dictionaries over McTrademarked terms...

[scan58]

Wouldn't the CEO's time be better spent developing a burger that is actually edible?

Like eating soggy ketchup sponges. blech!

[GeronL]

Only a massive dose of Mcketchup......

[Gideon7]

Owner-managers of a McD's can do quite well for themselves. When I bought my house at the final signing I noticed that the homeowner and his wife had gold diamond rings with the the "M" embossed on them. I asked them about it. He told me they owned a McD restaurant (some McDs are company owned but most are franchised). They were trading up to a new house that I estimated had to be worth at least $600,000.

[general_re]

Hey, waitaminute, isn't xshub an IP McLawyer? Personally, I would guess that McD's is McToast when it comes to McSuing, but what's his McTake on this? Is a McLawsuit against the McDictionary people over trademarked McTerms likely to get anywhere?

[dighton]

McBump.

[Husker24]

Next time you get a hankering for a Big Mac, ask for untoasted buns

They'll make you pull over and wait.

[paulklenk]

I don't mind the wait. Hey, I even got a manager at the Times Square McDonald's to scramble some fresh eggs for me (I'm on Atkins) so I wouldn't break my diet. The place is a huge MdDonald's and this guy didn't mind a bit. They didn't even use those disgusting powdered eggs, but fresh ones.

[dighton]

By the way, did you ever see Ronald McDonald and Daniel Smith in the same room?

[GeronL]

The Workers McWorld?

[Paleo Conservative]

Image is very important to them.

But their "food" which inditinguishable from cardboard is not.

[Keyes2000mt]

McDonalds is truly a dead end. I worked three fast food restaurants and McDonalds was the worst as an employer. Arby's was decent and Taco Bell was okay, but McDonalds was bizarre. They hired me and gave me a one month probationary period, they had me spend almost all my time cleaning the lobby and doing little things around the restaurant and then my final week of probation they didn't give me hours. They ended up firing me because they thought I just "couldn't do burgers". Maybe if they'd given me more than 1 hour of experience doing something other than cleaning up and taking out the trash, it'd have been different.

The worst part is that they messed up several jobs down the line for me by giving anyone who called them a negative reference, even though in firing me, my manager admitted I was "a great guy". The three weeks I worked at McDonald deadended me for a long time.

[general_re]

I understand David-Wynn: Miller has left the country, perhaps destined for McDonaldLand?

[dighton]

... for the McUninitiated ...