The American Agenda???

Wonderob
Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've just got back from a 2 week vacation in Florida and here's a few differences I noticed from here in UK. (Please ignore my disgraceful eating habits whilst I was away and concentrate on my main point!)

I ordered a burger and was told to pick 2 sides. I only wanted one so just asked for fries - waitress ariived and said she gave me double fries - no extra cost

I didn't even notice whenever my coke was nearly empty - another coke put in front of me before I knew it each time - no extra cost

I ordered the delicious but massive calorie Oreo shake - it arrived with an extra 4 inches of whipped cream on top! - no extra cost

Ordered baked potato - arrived with whole pot of butter and whole pot of sour cream - no extra cost

Supermarkets were as bad..

One double cookie ice cream = $2.50
One pack of 6 cookie ice creams = $2.75

One donut = 75 cents
One bos of 6 donuts = 99 cents

Here's the worse! Special promotion - One Big Mac for 99 cents! As if that wasn't outrageous enough, they were offereing 2 for one on this. THAT'S TWO BIG MACS FOR 99 CENTS!

Seriously, what's the agenda??? Can't be just to make money as these make no economical sense, they just seemed intent on giving away as much food as possible!

I put on 7 lbs and left with a new respect for you Americans who manage to keep the weight at bay! Granted I was intent on letting myself go for 2 weeks but they sure make it easy for you to eat over there!
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Replies

  • Cocochickdeleted
    Cocochickdeleted Posts: 343 Member
    Yeah, the serving sizes here are insane. That is why I normally eat at home!
  • MeganDominique
    MeganDominique Posts: 229 Member
    i noticed that when i went to visit my grandparents, i cant remember the name of the place ..sabrro maybe there a pizza joint, there big pop was legit a liter of pop with a straw! and free refils!
    The promotions where endless to like for 2 dollars more get a larger drink and dessert ectect
    due to the economy everyone wants the best bang for the buck so they "go big or go home"

    explains obesity in my humble opinion..im from canada and we dont have things quit that bad but its deffintly on the rise, you need to be careful if going out.
  • jenniferstanton
    jenniferstanton Posts: 132 Member
    Lol! Supposedly you guys are catching up to us! We have around 28% of the population at obese and you guys are at around 25%. Mexico is number one at 30 % :0
  • natachan
    natachan Posts: 149
    Do they not have this in the UK? These things boost sales, and increase revenue. The food industry is a business like any other, and they do that by decreasing per-unit production costs and increased sales which drive down the per-unit production costs.

    When you are talking about the two industries: the service (restaurant) industry, and the grocery stores or overall consumer food market. I'll discuss them separately.

    Restaurants are THE most prolific industry in the United States. They are employing more people than any other in this country. This means there is a LOT of competition. Your no-cost refills, and double sides, extra butter, etc, was all to make you remember THOSE places. They want you to remember them as being generous, so when you do eat out you return to THEIR place.

    As to the grocery store that's different. Corn is subsidized, so it is kept artificially cheap. And corn syrup/corn oil is a cheap sweetener and preservative. Your donuts, ice cream, sodas, all are sweetened/fried/etc with corn or soy products which are kept very cheap and are VERY unhealthy.
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
    Welcome to our world!

    You should see the buffets at places like Golden Coral. All you can eat - one price. All you can eat??? My husband and I don't visit these places because we would have to pay an outrageous price for the one plate of food we can eat!
  • SkinnyChemicals
    SkinnyChemicals Posts: 86
    Do they not have this in the UK?

    Not at all. Free refills and the other things the OP mentioned are alien concepts to us(most of the time).
  • RainHoward
    RainHoward Posts: 1,599 Member
    So what you're saying is food in the UK is over priced?
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    ah capitalism

    don'tcha love it /eyeroll
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    I have yet to see 2 big macs for 99 cents... lol... just sayin :wink:

    But yeah, I dunno what is up with the way things are done here... And yet it's an arm and a leg to get the healthy foods.. Not so much the fresh produce, but it spoils soooo quickly, seems like by the next day the strawberries have mold on them...
  • msacurrie
    msacurrie Posts: 144 Member
    America is bad...but I've traveled to 7 other countries - including England - and it's just as bad :P haha. maybe in different ways...I saw a LOT of fried foods in London. In Barcleona, there were potatos everywhere I went, tons of red bull and alcohol!

    Don't blame the country :P where's your self control? ;) haha
  • Sarah_Wins
    Sarah_Wins Posts: 936 Member
    This is exactly why I cook all my own food. Only the nice restaurants here have decent portions and without using cheat ingredients to make food simply taste good, no matter the cost to our health. Fast food in America is the fast track to an early death.
  • rextcat
    rextcat Posts: 1,408 Member
    as far as the soda gose you buy one for around $2 and it comes with "free" refills, the amount of soda in your cup only cost around 5 cents to make and ship, so lets see your 1 soda you pay for has an equal value to 40 ish sodas. now my question is
    ''how much can you drink?":drinker:
  • naples89
    naples89 Posts: 33 Member
    Its because the cost of living and food is cheap in the US, they could not afford to do this in the UK. Part of business is giving your customer the best value possible for their money to get repeat business. Its not some freaking conspiracy
  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
    I have yet to see 2 big macs for 99 cents... lol... just sayin :wink:

    In fairness I didn't either but they kept on playing the advert on the radio
  • katmix
    katmix Posts: 296 Member
    So what you're saying is food in the UK is over priced?

    It can be. I've taken my kids over a couple of times...My local Pizza Hut charges $10 for large pizzas...have eaten at Pizza Hut in both London and Aberdeen, Scotland...outrageously priced. Our local subway...$5 for 12" long sandwiches (limited selection) in the UK, they charge to toast it!
  • SkinnyChemicals
    SkinnyChemicals Posts: 86
    America is bad...but I've traveled to 7 other countries - including England - and it's just as bad :P haha. maybe in different ways...I saw a LOT of fried foods in London. In Barcleona, there were potatos everywhere I went, tons of red bull and alcohol!

    Don't blame the country :P where's your self control? ;) haha

    I know its anecdotal but I'm pretty sure we're not as bad as you with portion sizes and the extra add-ons. Though I did go to America four years ago, so my memory may be skewed.
  • natachan
    natachan Posts: 149
    As to the corn subsidies, that's not capitalism. That's government bowing to the corn and soy industries. If the subsidies on those crops were removed I can guarantee the prices on anything with corn in it would go up. And how many unhealthy foods have corn in them? Sales of these foods would drop. (BTW: if more sales went towards healthy foods, the cost of those foods would go down)

    I only eat out once a month or so, and it is something I plan in. I KNOW I'm probably not going to make my calorie goals those days but it's one day, who cares. One day in the course of a month is not a big deal.
  • realme56
    realme56 Posts: 1,093 Member
    There are restaurant where serving sizes are like European ones but they are few and far between. A small container of raspberries will be up to $4-5, fresh fruits and veggies are like gold.

    And yes, English are bad food folks too that's why I ate Indian when there. The USA is still one of the most overweight countries anywhere and corporations are more important than our health to the government!
  • NataBost
    NataBost Posts: 418 Member
    I've just got back from a 2 week vacation in Florida and here's a few differences I noticed from here in UK. (Please ignore my disgraceful eating habits whilst I was away and concentrate on my main point!)

    I ordered a burger and was told to pick 2 sides. I only wanted one so just asked for fries - waitress ariived and said she gave me double fries - no extra cost

    I didn't even notice whenever my coke was nearly empty - another coke put in front of me before I knew it each time - no extra cost

    I ordered the delicious but massive calorie Oreo shake - it arrived with an extra 4 inches of whipped cream on top! - no extra cost

    Ordered baked potato - arrived with whole pot of butter and whole pot of sour cream - no extra cost

    Supermarkets were as bad..

    One double cookie ice cream = $2.50
    One pack of 6 cookie ice creams = $2.75

    One donut = 75 cents
    One bos of 6 donuts = 99 cents

    Here's the worse! Special promotion - One Big Mac for 99 cents! As if that wasn't outrageous enough, they were offereing 2 for one on this. THAT'S TWO BIG MACS FOR 99 CENTS!

    Seriously, what's the agenda??? Can't be just to make money as these make no economical sense, they just seemed intent on giving away as much food as possible!

    I put on 7 lbs and left with a new respect for you Americans who manage to keep the weight at bay! Granted I was intent on letting myself go for 2 weeks but they sure make it easy for you to eat over there!

    Yup. I just recently watched a documentary on food marketing though Netflix called "Killer at Large: Why Obesity is America's Greatest Threat." It pretty sums up why the food industry and our eating habits are the way they are. I highly suggest it.
  • beansprouts
    beansprouts Posts: 410 Member
    Hey...now you know!...Next time you visit America...avoid the franchise eateries like the plague (that they are)....Rule of thumb...The better the restaurant the better the quality of food and the smaller the portions.

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