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From: ron@brl-sem.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>)
Newsgroups: net.legal
Subject: Re: finding toes
Message-ID: <584@brl-sem.ARPA>
Date: Mon, 9-Dec-85 22:14:49 EST
Article-I.D.: brl-sem.584
Posted: Mon Dec  9 22:14:49 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 11-Dec-85 04:16:04 EST
References: <485@unmc.UUCP> <652@tellab1.UUCP> <3121@hplabsb.UUCP>
Organization: Ballistic Research Lab
Lines: 34

> 
> Good point. I go to them (because they are much cheaper). That does not
> explain, however, the reasons for the throwing out of so much food. Just as
> another example, McDonald's (at least in this area) is not supposed to
> sell any food that is over 10 minutes old (after preparation). Maybe the
> question should be does this country have such an abundance that the
> distributors of this stuff find it more convenient to toss it than do
> something useful with? There just seems to be something inherently wrong
> with this. Am I off base more than usual or is there something here....
> -- 

McDonald's throws out their food after a specified "holding" time
for one very important reason:  quality control.  Of all the things
you can say about McDonald's, one positive one is that the food is very
consistant from location to location.  They have their own "by the book"
way of doing everything.  Of course, the real trick is to balance demand
versus production to keep service quick but waste low. Every once and a
while you catch an individual location cheating (keeping food longer
than specified) but that will get them in trouble during inspections
(which does happen, and boy are those inspectors picky).

Of course, the real problem is McDonald's can't really allow you to have
this food for nothing, they would be competing with themselves, they
want you to buy THE PRODUCT which is the standard McD hamburger.  So
they through them out (unless you come at closing and smile a lot at the
clerk).  The problem with these United States is the enormous waste of
food in general. It's amazing how much food "goes bad."  Well friends,
most of the food in the refrigerator didn't "go bad" it was allowed to
stay too long due to lack of adequate planning.  Even slopping the pigs
with the edible garbage has gone by the way side as modern agribusiness
has taken over pork production (specially controlled everything to get the
maximum input dollar to output poundage).

-Ron