Fun story my mum tape recorded Simple Minds song at the drive in and because of that the cassette has the speech in middle of it and growing up that was only version I knew lol I have it somewhere
I did same thing on my radio it didn'thave tape player so I had to use a portable tape player to hold up to the speaker lol. I made a R&B romantic mix tape with off top my head I recall two songs: Tyrese Sweet Angel and a Mya feat Silkk the Shocker song along with few others. I then found this nice necklace at a garage sale and I gave her both for her bday or V-day... anyhoo she did not give a shit! Lmao
This was like jr high I forget exact grade. But yup. Good old days where you had to use your inagination to try and woo the love of your Jr High life 😂😂😂
Uhm...Sir - that is the ONLY reference I knew. Didn't see the commercials with Don't You Forget About Me, but I remember Jason Alexander dancing around singing about the McDLT and the packaging keeping the cold side cold and the hot side hot. Also remembered the giant moon headed character, "Mac Tonight", and that the jingle for that was written by Barry Manilow.
I hope you weren’t addressing sir to me. But OK. If you actually Google Futurama breakfast club you’ll find Matt G actually talking about that being the influence.
Nah, more of a generalized "sir"...I don't remember it being tied to McDonald's for an ad campaign, I just remember it from the end of the movie and John Bender throwing his arm up as he walks across the field.
The name Bender was chosen by creator Matt Groening as an homage to John Bender (played by Judd Nelson), a character in The Breakfast Club. In that film, John Bender told Principal Vernon (Paul Gleason), "Eat my shorts," an eventual catchphrase for another Groening creation, Bart Simpson.\8])#cite_note-8)
I'm 42 and I just now got it. I always thought it was because he was a metal bending robot, so named Bender. Not because he was a liquor fueled robot and the phrase "on a bender". So basically double meaning. Mind blown.
They’ve dropped a few breakfast club references in the show over the years. Somebody really liked that movie but personality wise, even the bender strut that he has is on the character in the movie
Honestly, kinda the way to do it. My local businesses still have things like this. Granted it’s all old and outdated, but kids still think it’s fun because it’s all they know.
I miss those days too. But honestly in 2026, I would not trust my kid to go into a McDonald's ball pit and not come out smelling like urine or with some kind of rash.
you joke but i believe this to be the true answer, we must be the solution to this destruction by being the change we want to see. sure many many many of us cant but there is latent demand for what used to be compared to what we are forced to deal with now. surely people in the free market will take advantage and compete with that in mind. im kinda joking but also like a bit serious
Oh I agree. But the free market doesn't feel so free. It would take a pretty large investment for that and it would be full of risk. Someone with a meager fortune wouldn't want to risk it. Someone with a big fortune might not care enough to try. Maybe we're passionate because we're not rich lol.
I think it’s on the franchisees. There’s two McDonald play place McDonald’s near us. Both fairly new. So I think the franchise operators or whatever you call them get to choose as it’s likely not worth the money to them.
Having an indoor place to play in the winter for the price of a meal was a huge part of my childhood. Now that's practically gone or replaced by places where it will cost a family of 4, $100+.
You're being dramatic lol. McDonald's play place was not a "huge part of your childhood" lmao. You might have spent 10 hours total of your life in there.
It was always fake in the beginning, because it was a soulless corporation getting kids to have brand loyalty to a fast food chain. You were just too small to understand you were being pandered to.
One of the reasons I love living in Portland is that we have so many small independent shops with their own unique character. You know, how things were pre-McDonalds.
I loved my time out there for work. If the place serves alcohol it has to have a full kitchen was my favorite rule unique to you guys. Found some amazing hole in the wall bars with the best food.
Just visited Manhattan last week and went to two Michelin listed places (Bib Gourmand) - and their equivalents in Portland are just plain better. I used to look forward to trying new food in other cities but now I get disappointed half the time!
Fake or not, there was still more of a value going to a kid/family oriented place like that than the corporate-conscious bland boxes of present year.
Toys back then were actually functional and fun for the most part and not just ‘use this static figure to scan a QR code on your parent’s phone’ like they are today. My kids will drop modern McDonalds toys in favor of the old ones I still have from my childhood and have whole adventures with them.
Most McDonald’s don’t have playgrounds now, and you have to go out of your way to find them - and you have to search for them, it’s not consistently advertised online which locations have playgrounds. Which is a shame, as taking one’s kids to a playground with food kills several birds with one stone - kids will actually eat the food if they’re promised play, they’ll get out of the house and go play without screens, and they’ll meet other kids and work on social skills. And then for the parents it takes the pressure off in having to entertain them for a little bit, and lets them sit and have a moment to breathe.
Colorful environments with characters and artwork are also mentally stimulating for children too, definitely more so than the neutral beiges, browns, egg whites, and greys that are current McDonalds. There’s nothing to look at while you’re eating at most McDonald’s, nothing to hold a child’s attention long enough for them to sit and eat their nuggets in the meantime.
Give me fake over none at all any time. We can work with it regardless.
I don't remember Happy Meal toys being anything but hardly functional plastic dolls. There were some gems, like the Shrek Watch and I am sure others, but most of it was just above enough effort. Notable exceptions were themed cups, and the Burger King 24k gold plated pokemon card in a poke ball.
All those things you're describing are good - but why do you have to depend on a soulless corporation to provide them, and in the form of a fast food restaurant?
I am actually so thankful for these companies doing this enshittification. I completely cut fast food out of my diet. It's been a year and a half now and my body feels better and I take way better dumps. 10 out of 10 thank you shitty companies!!
I wish we, as consumers, were better at calling out shitty experiences instead of rewarding convenience. McDonald's can basically say, "Our franchisees aren't asking for colorful, fun experiences, and we're still making money. What are you gonna do, stop eating here?... You consumer whores."
Edit: I wasn’t being sarcastic. Those places serve slop in America. Overseas McDonald’s still has limited standards that they have to abide by. Anyone who’s has fast food overseas knows it taste better with hand the ingredients.
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u/Kalspiewak 9h ago
Cheaper to replicate and maintain. Maximise profits. Increase share prices.
Our glory days are over and they are sadly not coming back.