Forums → WEPR → Should they start serving alcohol at McDonald's ?

I highly doubt people will go to McDonald's JUST to drink. There are bars and pubs for that, and those are significantly more entertaining for an adult than a McDonald's would be.

A beer with a burger is about as American as it gets, so I don't see why not either.

I don't see a reason why they shouldn't be able to, but it should be limited. Like, only one drink (not a large cup size) if you go inside, and none from the drive through.

if they allow alcohol, then they will definitely gain a following for late night patrons

Yes a lot of kids nowadays buy tobacco and alcohol since the clerk does some under-the-table business.

The biggest issue that hasn't been pointed out is that a vast majority of the employees McDonald's hires tend to be high school kids, who are for the most part under eighteen and therefore unable to serve alcohol legally. Combine that with the legal and moral implications of a fast food restaurant that's built an image around catering to children, alcohol is a supremely bad idea.

And more to the point, isn't the food at McDonald's unhealthy enough before you add alcohol to the mix?

The biggest issue that hasn't been pointed out is that a vast majority of the employees McDonald's hires tend to be high school kids, who are for the most part under eighteen and therefore unable to serve alcohol legally.

Combine that with the legal and moral implications of a fast food restaurant that's built an image around catering to children, alcohol is a supremely bad idea.

And more to the point, isn't the food at McDonald's unhealthy enough before you add alcohol to the mix?

Okay, in response to many of the comments so far:
One beer doesn't make you go into rage mode and start attacking the nearest infant. Two beers don't either. Nor do three beers. or four. Many adults have a beer at dinner, its not really a big deal. There is a huge difference between a restaurant that serves alcohol and a seedy bar.

The real problem here is exactly what Kyouzou said: minors can't serve alcohol. As a past employee of Mickey D's, I can assure you that this would be a serious problem at many locations. You only need a few people working grill because the food is so simple and easy to prepare. Taking orders and payment is actually more time intensive than making the food, so more people work up front.

An obvious workaround would be to have an automated beer server like what they do for the drive-thru soft drinks. At the front counter, the machine would have a scanning device for I.D's. Then, the customer would enter their drink order, and BAM you get a beer. Since you would have to scan your I.D. for EACH drink, this would also be an effective way to limit consumption of alcohol, and reduce the risk of people buying drinks for minors.

I think that it would be wise to avoid hard alcohol, and just stick to beer, twisted tea, hard lemonade/cider (ooooh seasonal options) and the like. McDonald's could even make their own alcohol in order to maximize profits.

I vote that they just...destroy McDonald's. Every one of them. Burger King, Taco Bell, Wendy's, All fast food in general. Now by no means am I saying cost us thousands of jobs, no, just saying why not actually bring back real food?

Because this is now your "real" food. Because McDonalds responds to the demand for it's food. We need to look at ourselves before we play musical blaming chairs.

My answer here: No freaking way. I will never drink alcahol in my whole life. Why? When im going to have a car, im not going to be able to drink. Alcahols taste is horrible. When you yesterday have a party with alcahol then tomorrow morning your head will really hurt. There are massive possibilities that i will be so drunken that i will want more and more until... well. The bad part of the alcahol comes. Also. I do not want to see drunken people in my favorite burger store. McDonald is for burgers and fries. No alcahol. It will ruin everything.

-Jeff

Jeff? Restaurants also serve alcohol. You don't see a lot of drunk people in restaurants do you?

If you know that you couldn't stay reasonable about your personal alcohol consumption, then I compliment you on your decision to stay away from it. But a glass of wine or a beer does not make you drunk, and most people do not mind or even enjoy a bit of alcohol.

Though I agree that it sounds a bit strange to have a fast food chain serve alcohol. I don't know how it is in the locals that already serve beer, but I guess it might raise younger people's alcohol consumption marginally. But as long as the local serves only beer and soft alcohol, doesn't give any to underage people, and throw out drunks, I don't see a legitimate reason to prohibit it.

Hahiha.
McDonald is not a restaurant if you havent realised. Resaurants are made to serve alcohols. McDonald is made to serve burgers. In restaurants people behave like respectable persons. In McDonald people just dont have limits of their behaviors (well unless they go mad and rage or something) forexample restaurants arent places where just random people com in and just buy a tasty snack. McDonald is. So basically from restaurants McDonald is different, alot different. So McDonald should just keep as it is because it looks fine. If someone would want alcohol, why wouldnt they just go in a random bar?

-Jeff

Because this is now your "real" food. Because McDonalds responds to the demand for it's food. We need to look at ourselves before we play musical blaming chairs.

The biggest issue that hasn't been pointed out is that a vast majority of the employees McDonald's hires tend to be high school kids, who are for the most part under eighteen and therefore unable to serve alcohol legally.

And more to the point, isn't the food at McDonald's unhealthy enough before you add alcohol to the mix?

My answer here: No freaking way. I will never drink alcahol in my whole life. Why? When im going to have a car, im not going to be able to drink. Alcahols taste is horrible. When you yesterday have a party with alcahol then tomorrow morning your head will really hurt. There are massive possibilities that i will be so drunken that i will want more and more until... well. The bad part of the alcahol comes. Also. I do not want to see drunken people in my favorite burger store. McDonald is for burgers and fries. No alcahol. It will ruin everything.

McDonald is not a restaurant if you havent realised. Resaurants are made to serve alcohols. McDonald is made to serve burgers.

noun
an establishment where meals are served to customers.

In restaurants people behave like respectable persons. In McDonald people just dont have limits of their behaviors

(well unless they go mad and rage or something)

forexample restaurants arent places where just random people com in and just buy a tasty snack.

So basically from restaurants McDonald is different, alot different.

So McDonald should just keep as it is because it looks fine.

If someone would want alcohol, why wouldnt they just go in a random bar?

Resaurants are made to serve alcohols

If someone would want alcohol, why wouldnt they just go in a random bar?

In McDonald people just dont have limits of their behaviors

People don't into a fast food restaurant and magically turn into rampaging beasts.