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100-508: Morgan Valentine Spurlock (November 7, 1970 – May 23, 2024) was an American documentary filmmaker, writer, and television producer. He directed 23 films and was the producer of nearly 70 films throughout his career. Spurlock received acclaim for directing the documentary Super Size Me (2004), which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film . He produced What Would Jesus Buy? (2007) and directed Where in
200-399: A nutritionist and a personal trainer . All of the health professionals predict the "McDiet" will have unwelcome effects on his body, but none expect anything too drastic, as his cardiologist Dr. Stephen Siegel cites the human body as being "extremely adaptable". Prior to the experiment, Spurlock ate a varied diet but always had vegan evening meals to accommodate his girlfriend, Alexandra,
300-491: A synth and tweak sounds with special effects. On the river Elbe in Hamburg, Germany, is the world's only "McBoat," a float-through service (similar to drive-through ) for people on the river. In 2006, McDonald's introduced its "Forever Young" brand by redesigning all of its restaurants, the first significant redesign since the 1970s. It resembles a coffee shop, with wooden tables, faux-leather chairs, and muted colors;
400-569: A "Walk-Thru" service in place of Drive-Thru. McCafé is a café -style accompaniment to McDonald's restaurants. The concept was created by McDonald's Australia, starting with Melbourne in 1993. From 2015 to 2016, McDonald's tried a more flexible burger service and restaurant concept based on other restaurants such as Shake Shack and Grill'd . It was rolled out for the first time in Australia in early 2015 and expanded to China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Arabia, and New Zealand, with ongoing trials in
500-582: A brand. Spurlock doesn't attempt to convey this message, presumably because the affects [ sic ] of too few vegetables and too little fiber aren't as dramatic as speedy weight-and-cholesterol gains." McDonald's UK responded that the author intentionally consumed an average of 5,000 calories per day and did not exercise, and that the results would have been the same regardless of the source of overeating. In his reply documentary Fat Head , Tom Naughton "suggests that Spurlock's calorie and fat counts don't add up" and noted Spurlock's refusal to publish
600-408: A counterpoint, the film features interviews with Big Mac aficionado Don Gorske , who eats multiple Big Macs each day, yet maintains healthy weight and cholesterol levels, as well as good mental health. A 2006 study on fast food consumption by healthy individuals inspired by the documentary showed that, while the heavy diet does affect liver enzymes, it did not show the same dangerous effect shown in
700-443: A day, whereas the average American walks 1.5 miles (2.4 km). Over the course of filming, Spurlock gained 25 pounds (11 kg), became quite puffy, and suffered liver dysfunction and depression by the end. His supervising physicians noted the effects caused by his high-calorie diet—once even comparing it to a case of severe binge alcoholism . Following Spurlock's December 2017 assertion that he had not been "sober for more than
800-475: A drop of 40 points." Of particular note was that she exercised regularly and did not insist on consuming more food than she otherwise would. Despite eating at only McDonald's every day, she maintained her caloric intake at around 2,000 per day. After John Cisna, a high school science teacher, lost 60 pounds while eating exclusively at McDonald's for 180 days, he said, "I'm not pushing McDonald's. I'm not pushing fast food. I'm pushing taking accountability and making
900-572: A group of people spend 30 days immersing themselves in a mode of life markedly different from their norm (being in prison, a devout Christian living in a Muslim family, a homophobe staying with a homosexual person, etc.), while Spurlock discusses the relevant social issues involved. The series ran on FX between 2005 and 2008. In the second-season finale, Spurlock spent 25 days locked in a Henrico County , Virginia (a county outside of Richmond ), jail to experience life as an inmate. The third season of 30 Days premiered on June 3, 2008. The first episode of
1000-407: A healthy balanced diet is more generally recommended for a man to maintain his weight. At the end of the experiment the then-32-year-old Spurlock had gained 24.5 pounds (11.1 kg), a 13% body mass increase, increased his cholesterol to 230 mg/dL (6.0 mmol/L), and experienced mood swings , sexual dysfunction , and fat accumulation in his liver. The reason for Spurlock's investigation
1100-542: A nutritionist said Spurlock had gained 17 pounds (7.7 kg) in 12 days. Spurlock's then-girlfriend, Alexandra Jamieson, attests to the fact that Spurlock lost much of his energy and sex drive during his experiment. It was not clear at the time whether or not Spurlock would be able to complete the entire month of the high-fat, high- carbohydrate diet, and family and friends began to express concern. On Day 21, Spurlock has heart palpitations and has liver damage. His internist , Dr. Daryl Isaacs, advises him to stop what he
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#17327832999761200-580: A restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald , in San Bernardino, California , United States. They rechristened their business as a hamburger stand and later turned the company into a franchise , with the Golden Arches logo being introduced in 1953 at a location in Phoenix, Arizona. In 1955, Ray Kroc , a businessman, joined the company as a franchise agent and, in 1961, bought out
1300-676: A seasonal basis, McDonald's offers the McRib sandwich. Some speculate the seasonality of the McRib adds to its appeal. During March of each year, McDonald's offers a Shamrock Shake to honor Saint Patrick's Day . In addition, the chain also sells some items within the United States on a regional basis; for example, the Hatch Green Chile Double Cheeseburger, which is topped with New Mexico green chile ,
1400-515: A shopping mall. Other McDonald's are located in Walmart stores. McStop is a location targeted at truckers and travelers who may have services found at truck stops . In Sweden, Happy Meal boxes can be used as goggles, with the game Slope Stars . In the Netherlands, McDonald's has introduced McTrax that doubles as a recording studio; it reacts to touch. They can create their own beats with
1500-407: A single arch for the architecture of their buildings. Although the "Golden Arches" logo appeared in various forms, the present version was not used until November 18, 1968, when the company was granted a U.S. trademark. The present corporation credits its founding to franchised businessman Ray Kroc on April 15, 1955. This was the ninth opened McDonald's restaurant overall, although this location
1600-635: A small amount of complex carbs to aid in satiety more quickly. There are over 36,000 McDonald's restaurants globally. Over a third of these (14,146 restaurants) are in the United States alone. The second highest number is in Japan, with 2,975 restaurants, followed by China, with 2,700. These three countries make up the majority of global McDonald's stores. In the United States, most standalone McDonald's restaurants offer both counter service and drive-through service, with indoor and sometimes outdoor seating. Drive-Thru, Auto-Mac, Pay and Drive, or "McDrive" as it
1700-525: A vegan chef. At the beginning of the experiment, Spurlock, who stood 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) tall, had a body weight of 185 pounds (84 kg). Spurlock followed specific rules governing his eating habits: On February 1, Spurlock starts the month with breakfast near his home in Manhattan , where there is an average of four McDonald's locations (and 66,950 residents, with twice as many commuters) per square mile (2.6 km²). He aims to keep
1800-495: A week" in three decades, the claims of his liver dysfunction being caused by eating McDonald's food solely for 30 days have been called into question. Spurlock also did not publicly release a diet log documenting his diet while filming the documentary. After completing the project, it took Spurlock 14 months to return to his normal weight of 185 pounds (84 kg). His then-girlfriend (and later wife), Alexandra Jamieson, took charge of his recovery with her " detox diet ", which became
1900-666: Is a 2011 documentary film about product placement, marketing, and advertising which was reportedly itself financed through product placement. The Greatest Movie Ever Sold premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2011 . In the United States, the film had a limited release , opening on April 22, 2011, in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington D.C., Boston , Philadelphia , San Diego , Phoenix , and Austin, Texas . Six days later,
2000-574: Is accused of paying less with arbitrary schedule adjustments and pay delays. McDonald's former CEO, Steve Easterbrook , earned an annual salary of $ 1,100,000. In September 2017, two British McDonald's stores agreed to a strike over zero-hours contracts for staff. Picket lines were formed around the two stores in Crayford and Cambridge . The strike was supported by then Leader of the Opposition Jeremy Corbyn . Workers at
2100-443: Is bad for you." Robert Davis of Paste said the film accomplished some of its goals and addressed an important topic, but, at the same time, sometimes looked more like a publicity stunt than a documentary. He primarily criticized the dramatic and unscientific approach of Super Size Me , saying Spurlock unnecessarily ate more than he had to and ignored his nutritionist's advice. Davis explained he would have been more interested had
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#17327832999762200-457: Is best known for its hamburgers, cheeseburgers and french fries , although their menu also includes other items like chicken, fish, fruit, and salads. Their bestselling licensed item is their french fries, followed by the Big Mac . The McDonald's Corporation revenues come from the rent, royalties , and fees paid by the franchisees, as well as sales in company-operated restaurants. McDonald's
2300-519: Is customized to reflect consumer tastes in their respective countries. Restaurants in several countries, particularly in Asia, serve soup. This local deviation from the standard menu is a characteristic for which the chain is particularly known and one which is employed either to abide by regional food taboos (such as the religious prohibition of beef consumption in India) or to make available foods with which
2400-418: Is doing immediately to avoid any serious health problems. He compares Spurlock with the protagonist played by Nicolas Cage in the movie Leaving Las Vegas , who intentionally drinks himself to death in a matter of weeks. Despite this warning Spurlock decides to continue the experiment. On March 2, Spurlock makes it to day 30 and achieves his goal. In thirty days he has "Supersized" his meals nine times along
2500-561: Is known in many countries, often has separate stations for placing, paying for, and picking up orders while the customer remains in their vehicle; it was first introduced in Sierra Vista , Arizona in 1975, following the lead of other fast-food chains. The first such restaurant in Britain opened at Fallowfield , Manchester, in 1986. In 1994, McDonald's attempted Hearth Express, a prototype specializing in homestyle takeout meals. Among
2600-458: Is only available in the southwestern state of New Mexico . Products are offered as either "dine-in" (where the customer opts to eat in the restaurant) or "take-out" (where the customer opts to take the food off the premises). "Dine-in" meals are provided on a plastic tray with a paper insert on the floor of the tray. "Take-out" meals are usually delivered with the contents enclosed in a distinctive McDonald's-branded brown paper bag. In both cases,
2700-499: Is the world's second-largest private employer with 1.7 million employees (behind Walmart with 2.3 million employees), the majority of whom work in the restaurant's franchises. McDonald's has been subject to criticism over the health effects of its products and its participation in various legal cases. Siblings Richard and Maurice McDonald opened the first McDonald's at 1398 North E Street at West 14th Street in San Bernardino, California , on May 15, 1940. The brothers introduced
2800-506: The Associated Press in 2019: "For me, there was a moment of kind of realization—as somebody who is a truth-teller and somebody who has made it a point of trying to do what's right—of recognizing that I could do better in my own life. We should be able to admit we were wrong." Additionally, he told Deadline : "Part of the reason I wrote that essay in the first place was to be on the right side of it. I'm hopeful that in time, with
2900-535: The #MeToo movement , Spurlock stated: "I've come to understand after months of these revelations, that I am not some innocent bystander, I am also a part of the problem." In the post, he said that he committed sexual misconduct in his past, including being "unfaithful to every wife and girlfriend [he] ever had". Spurlock recounts settling a sexual harassment allegation, brought by his assistant at his production company, Warrior Poets, for verbal harassment including yelling for her as "hot pants" or "sex pants" from across
3000-507: The CNN series Morgan Spurlock Inside Man , which aired from June 2013 to August 2016. Spurlock helped distribute A Brony Tale , a documentary directed by Brent Hodge on the brony phenomenon and on the musician and voice acting career of Ashleigh Ball . The film was selected for theatrical distribution under the label Morgan Spurlock Presents. The film was released in theaters on July 8, 2014. Spurlock teamed up with Hodgee Films again on
3100-476: The Georgie Pie fast food chain it bought out in 1996. In Greece, the signature hamburger, Big Mac, is changed by adding Tzatziki sauce and packaging in a pita. In the United States and Canada, after limited trials on a regional basis, McDonald's began offering in 2015 and 2017, respectively, a partial breakfast menu during all hours its restaurants were open. All-day breakfast was phased out from menus at
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3200-549: The McLibel case , much of the same criticism leveled against the tobacco companies applies to fast food franchises whose product is both physiologically addictive and physically harmful. The documentary was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and won Best Documentary Screenplay from the Writers Guild of America . A comic book related to the movie has been made with Dark Horse Comics as
3300-479: The Sundance Film Festival in January 2008. In the film and during interviews, Spurlock explored the fight against terrorism and views the argument from both sides, in which he tries to find Osama bin Laden . Spurlock directed The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special – In 3-D! On Ice! . Freakonomics is an adaptation of the book of the same name by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner , which premiered at
3400-532: The Super Size Me food log. The Houston Chronicle reports: "Unlike Spurlock, Naughton has a page on his Web site that lists every item (including nutritional information) he ate during his fast-food month." After eating exclusively at McDonald's for one month, Soso Whaley said, "The first time I did the diet in April 2004, I lost 10 pounds (going from 175 to 165) and lowered my cholesterol from 237 to 197,
3500-520: The Tribeca Film Festival in April 2010 and had a theatrical release later that year. Spurlock was at the helm of this project alongside five directors ( Heidi Ewing , Rachel Grady , Alex Gibney , Seth Gordon , and Eugene Jarecki ). Spurlock's segment dealt with people with unusual names. The one-hour documentary Committed: The Toronto International Film Festival premiered on AMC on October 12, 2010. The Greatest Movie Ever Sold
3600-592: The production company . The film was instead distributed in 2019 by Samuel Goldwyn Films . In 2024, Spurlock died at age 53 due to complications related to cancer. Morgan Valentine Spurlock was born on November 7, 1970, in Parkersburg , West Virginia, and was raised in Beckley , West Virginia. His parents, Ben and Phyllis Spurlock, raised him as a Methodist . Phyllis was an English teacher and guidance counselor while Ben owned an auto repair shop. Spurlock said he
3700-401: The "Speedee Service System" in 1948, putting into expanded use the principles of the modern fast-food restaurant that predecessor White Castle had put into practice more than two decades earlier. The original mascot of McDonald's was a hamburger-headed chef who was referred to as "Speedee". In 1962, the Golden Arches replaced Speedee as the universal mascot. Clown mascot Ronald McDonald
3800-453: The 2015 web series Consider the Source , in association with Disney 's Maker Studios . While attending a screening of the movie Catfish , Spurlock approached the film's producers afterwards and called Catfish "the best fake documentary" he had ever seen. In December 2017, Spurlock wrote a blog post admitting to what he described as a history of sexual misconduct . In the midst of
3900-668: The McDonald brothers. Previously headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois , it moved to nearby Chicago in June 2018. McDonald's is also a real estate company through its ownership of around 70% of restaurant buildings and 45% of the underlying land (which it leases to its franchisees). McDonald's is the world's largest fast food restaurant chain by number of locations , serving over 69 million customers daily in over 100 countries in more than 40,000 outlets as of 2021. McDonald's
4000-466: The McDonald's franchise at Saint-Barthélémy, Marseille , occupied the restaurant in protest against its planned closure. Employing 77 people, the restaurant is the second-biggest private sector employer in Saint-Barthélémy, which has an unemployment rate of 30 percent. Lawyers for Kamel Guemari, a shop steward at the franchise, claimed an attempt was made to kill him when a car drove at him in
4100-513: The McResource website amidst negative publicity and criticism. McDonald's plans to continue an internal telephone help line through which its employees can obtain advice on work and life problems. The Roosevelt Institute , a liberal think tank , accuses some McDonald's restaurants of actually paying less than the minimum wage to entry positions due to "rampant" wage theft . In South Korea, McDonald's pays part-time employees $ 5.50 an hour and
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4200-713: The New York International Fringe Festival in 1999 and the Route 66 American Playwriting Competition in 2000. In 2004, Spurlock co-founded the production studio Warrior Poets which would be the production studio for the films he directed and produced for the rest of his career. The list of documentary films that inspired Spurlock includes Brother's Keeper , Hoop Dreams , The Thin Blue Line , Roger and Me , Harlan County, USA , and The Last Waltz . He considered Brother's Keeper
4300-608: The U.S., including the hamburger, cheeseburger, double cheeseburger, McDouble, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, double Quarter Pounder with Cheese and the Big Mac. Nevertheless, the pickles will still be made with an artificial preservative, although customers can choose to opt out of getting pickles with their burgers. In November 2020, McDonald's announced McPlant, a plant-based burger, along with plans to develop additional meat alternative menu items that extend to chicken substitutes and breakfast sandwiches. This announcement came after
4400-665: The US market. In dedicated "Create Your Taste" (CYT) kiosks, customers could choose all ingredients, including the type of bun and meat, along with optional extras. CYT food was served to the table on wooden boards, fries in wire baskets, and salads in china bowls with metal cutlery at a higher price. In November 2016, Create Your Taste was replaced by a "Signature Crafted Recipes" program designed to be more efficient and less expensive. McDonald's playgrounds are called PlayPlaces. Some McDonald's in suburban areas and certain cities feature large indoor or outdoor playgrounds . The first PlayPlace with
4500-476: The World Is Osama bin Laden? (2008), POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (2011), Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope (2011), and One Direction: This Is Us (2013). Spurlock was executive producer and star of the reality television series 30 Days (2005–2008). In June 2013, he became the producer and host of the CNN show Morgan Spurlock Inside Man (2013–2016). Spurlock
4600-498: The basis for her book, The Great American Detox Diet . Super Size Me was later nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and Spurlock won the first Writers Guild of America Award for Best Documentary Screenplay . Spurlock wrote a book in 2005 as a follow-up to Super Size Me entitled Don't Eat This Book: Fast Food and the Supersizing of America . In each episode, a person (sometimes Spurlock himself) or
4700-432: The distances he walks in line with the 5,000 steps (approximately two miles) walked per day by the average American. Day 2 brings Spurlock's first (of nine) Super Size meals, at the McDonald's on 34th Street and Tenth Avenue, which comprises a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese , Super Size French fries, and a 42-ounce Coca-Cola , which took him 22 minutes to eat. He experiences steadily increasing stomach discomfort during
4800-611: The documentary been about trying to eat as healthy as possible at McDonald's: "You could choose low-fat options, but it would be impossible to get enough vegetables and fiber, and the low-fat meal would be incredibly bland, the product of a system that has worked to optimize food delivery and consistency and, in doing so, has invented foods so devoid of flavor that they require dressings, oils, beef tallow and goopy coatings to make them more than just textured blobs. The industry has worked hard to convince consumers that these odd, sweet flavors are not only good but also unique, recognizable parts of
4900-511: The documentary, told Variety , "We look forward to capturing the spirit, energy and people that Comic-Con has infused into legions of fans, bringing these audiences and projects out of the halls and onto a world stage." Spurlock's documentary Mansome was announced on March 8, 2012, as a Spotlight selection for the Tribeca Film Festival . The film takes a comedic look at male identity as defined through men's grooming habits featuring celebrity and expert commentary. Spurlock hosted and produced
5000-459: The documentary. This suggested that the extreme reaction must have had another cause, and in 2017, Spurlock–who previously told his doctors he did not drink–admitted to copious amounts of alcohol consumption during the making of the film, which some critics, such as documentary filmmaker Phelim McAleer , have argued may better account for his liver issues and other health problems, since he had only changed his diet and not his alcohol intake during
5100-564: The end of 2024 as a test. The outlets will have a smaller real-estate footprint than regular McDonald's restaurants and are focused on selling coffee and other drinks to afternoon customers. The name for the new brand comes from CosMc, a McDonaldland mascot that appeared in advertisements in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In October 2024, an E. coli outbreak occurred associated with contaminated Quarter Pounder burgers from McDonald's. As of October 30, one person died, 27 were hospitalized, and 90 were sickened across 13 US states. Since
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#17327832999765200-430: The end of the month he weighs about 210 pounds (95 kg), an increase of about 24.5 pounds (about 11 kg). Because he could eat only McDonald's food for a month, Spurlock refused to take any medication at all. At one weigh-in, Spurlock had lost 1 lb. from the previous weigh-in, and a nutritionist hypothesized that he had lost muscle mass , which weighs more than an identical volume of fat. At another weigh-in
5300-461: The ethics of marketing to children. A short epilogue showed that the salads can contain even more calories than burgers if the customer adds liberal amounts of cheese and dressing before consumption. It also described McDonald's discontinuation of the Super Size option six weeks after the movie's premiere, as well as its recent emphasis on healthier menu items such as salads, and the release of
5400-647: The experiment. Six weeks after the film's debut, McDonald's discontinued its supersize portions, although they claimed the decision had nothing to do with the film itself. In the United Kingdom, McDonald's publicized a website which included a response to and criticisms of the film. In theaters in the UK, the company placed a brief ad in the film's trailers, pointing to the URL and stating, "See what we disagree with. See what we agree with." Internationally, Super Size Me
5500-641: The familiar crawl-tube design with ball pits and slides was introduced in 1987 in the US, with many more being constructed soon after. McDonald's Next uses open-concept design and offers "Create Your Taste" digital ordering. The concept store also offers free mobile device charging and table service after 6:00 pm. The first store opened in Hong Kong in December 2015. Some locations are connected to gas stations and convenience stores, while others called McExpress have limited seating or menu or may be located in
5600-613: The familiar golden arches, the restaurants feature "semi-swooshes" (half of a golden arch), similar to the Nike swoosh . McDonald's began banning smoking in 1994 when it restricted customers from smoking within its 1,400 wholly owned restaurants. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic , McDonald's closed most seating and all play areas in its United States restaurants. It transitioned to drive-thru and curbside orders at locations and online food ordering delivery services. In July 2020, for
5700-469: The fare offered were meatloaf, fried chicken, and baked ham. This experiment started with a single location in Darien, Illinois but closed in only one year. In some countries, McDrive locations near highways offer no counter service or seating. In contrast, locations in high-density city neighborhoods often omit drive-through service. There are also a few locations, mostly in downtown districts, that offer
5800-456: The film Born into Brothels . It did, however, win the award for Best Documentary Screenplay from the Writers Guild of America . The film received overall positive reviews from critics and audiences. It holds a 92% rating on the film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes based on 171 reviews, with an average rating of 7.73/10. The consensus calls the film an "entertaining doc about the adverse effects of eating fast food." Metacritic assigned
5900-649: The film a weighted average score of 73 out of 100, based on 37 critics. Super Size Me received two thumbs up on At the Movies with Ebert and Roeper . Caroline Westbrook for BBC News stated that the hype for the documentary was proper "to a certain extent", because of its serious message, and that, overall, the film's "high comedy factor and over-familiarity of the subject matter render it less powerful than other recent documentaries – but it still makes for enjoyable, thought-provoking viewing." One reviewer said "he's telling us something everyone already knows: Fast food
6000-537: The film opened the 2011 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival . In mid-2010, Spurlock worked with Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon , Ain't It Cool News founder Harry Knowles , and comic book creator Stan Lee to create the documentary Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope , to cover the stories of convention fans. Whedon, Lee, and Knowles served as executive producers. Legendary Pictures ' Thomas Tull, who independently financed
6100-687: The greatest documentary of all time. Spurlock's documentary Super Size Me was released in the U.S. on May 7, 2004. He conceived the idea for the film when he was at his parents' house for Thanksgiving, and while watching TV saw a news story about a lawsuit brought against McDonald's by two teenage girls who blamed the fast food chain for their obesity. The film was produced for $ 65,000 and made $ 22 million in return. The film depicts an experiment Spurlock conducted in 2003, in which he claimed he ate three McDonald's meals every day (and nothing else) for 30 days, although he later disclosed he also drank copious amounts of alcohol. The film's title derives from one of
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#17327832999766200-770: The individual items are wrapped or boxed as appropriate. Since Steve Easterbrook became CEO of the company in 2015, McDonald's has streamlined the menu which in the United States contained nearly 200 items. The company has looked to introduce healthier options and removed high-fructose corn syrup from hamburger buns . The company has removed artificial preservatives from Chicken McNuggets , replacing chicken skin, safflower oil and citric acid found in Chicken McNuggets with pea starch, rice starch, and powdered lemon juice. In September 2018, McDonald's USA announced that they no longer use artificial preservatives, flavors and colors entirely from seven classic burgers sold in
6300-527: The last 4.5 pounds (2.0 kg). His then-girlfriend Alex, now his ex-wife, began supervising his recovery with a vegan " detox diet ", which became the basis for her book The Great American Detox Diet . The movie ends with a rhetorical question , "Who do you want to see go first, you or them?" This is accompanied by a cartoon tombstone, which reads " Ronald McDonald (1954–2012)", which originally appeared in The Economist in an article addressing
6400-493: The late 1990s, McDonald's has attempted to replace employees with electronic kiosks that would perform actions such as taking orders and accepting money. In 1999, McDonald's first tested "E-Clerks" in suburban Chicago, Illinois, and Wyoming, Michigan , with the devices being able to "save money on live staffers" and attracting larger purchase amounts than average employees. In 2013, the University of Oxford estimated that in
6500-463: The most common theme on the McDonald's Facebook wall was concern for hens. By September 2014, McDonald's heeded the criticism and declared they would strive to eliminate caged eggs by 2017. By January 2018, McDonald's accounced they had succeeded in meeting their goal. In 2015, McDonald's pledged to stop using eggs from battery cage facilities by 2025 for all American restaurants. McDonald's met their goal nearly two years ahead of schedule, announcing
6600-540: The new adult Happy Meal . McDonald's denied that these changes had anything to do with the film. Super Size Me premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, where Morgan Spurlock won the Grand Jury Prize for directing the film. The film opened in the US on May 7, 2004, and grossed a total of $ 11,536,423 worldwide, making it the 7th highest-grossing documentary film of all time. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature , but lost to
6700-432: The office. In the post, Spurlock also said that he was accused of sexual assault while in college. Spurlock wrote that while still "in college, a girl who I hooked up with on a one night stand accused me of rape. Not outright. There were no charges or investigations, but she wrote about the instance in a short story writing class and called me by name." He wrote: "This wasn't how I remembered it at all [...] She believed she
6800-763: The option of fixed contracts instead. A study released by Fast Food Forward conducted by Anzalone Liszt Grove Research showed that approximately 84 percent of all fast food employees working in New York City in April 2013 had been paid less than their legal wages by their employers. From 2007 to 2011, fast food workers in the U.S. drew an average of $ 7firstbillion of public assistance annually resulting from receiving low wages. The McResource website advised employees to break their food into smaller pieces to feel fuller, seek refunds for unopened holiday purchases, sell possessions online for quick cash, and "quit complaining" as "stress hormone levels rise by 15 percent after ten minutes of complaining." In December 2013, McDonald's shut down
6900-401: The ordering process (along with others working in the kitchen or other back-of-the-house roles). There was no seating in this restaurant. On August 5, 2013, The Guardian revealed that 90 percent of McDonald's UK workforce are on zero-hour contracts , making it possibly the largest such private sector employer in the country. In April 2017, due to employee strikes, they gave all employees
7000-558: The process, and then finally vomits in the McDonald's parking lot. After five days, Spurlock has gained 9.5 pounds (4.3 kg) (from 185.5 to about 195 pounds). It is not long before he finds himself experiencing depression , and he claims that his bouts of it, along with lethargy and headaches , could be relieved by eating a McDonald's meal. His general practitioner , Dr. Lisa Ganjhu, describes him as being "addicted". At his second weigh-in he had gained another 8 pounds (3.6 kg), putting his weight at 203.5 pounds (92.3 kg). By
7100-415: The promotional posters from Super Size Me . The premise of the 2011 documentary Forks Over Knives was to create the "reverse" of Super Size Me , where the film's director "goes on this diet and gets better, instead of getting fatter and sicker". McDonald%27s McDonald's Corporation , doing business as McDonald's , is an American multinational fast food chain , founded in 1940 as
7200-431: The publisher containing stories based on numerous cases of fast food health scares. Spurlock released a sequel, Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! , in 2017. As the film begins, Spurlock is in above-average physical shape, according to his personal trainer. He is seen by three physicians ( cardiologist Stephen Siegel, gastroenterologist / hepatologist Daryl Isaacs, and general practitioner Lisa Ganjhu), as well as
7300-420: The red was muted to terracotta, the yellow was shifted to golden for a more "sunny" look, and olive and sage green were added. The warmer look has less plastic and more brick and wood, with modern hanging lights for a softer glow. Many restaurants feature free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs. Other upgrades include double drive-thrus, flat roofs instead of the angled red roofs, and fiberglass instead of wood. Instead of
7400-591: The regional market is more familiar (such as the sale of McRice in Indonesia, or Ebi (prawn) Burger in Singapore and Japan). McDonald's restaurants in China include fried buns and soybean milk on their breakfast menus. In Germany and some other Western European countries, McDonald's sells beer. In New Zealand, until 2020, McDonald's sold meat pies after local affiliate McDonald's New Zealand partially relaunched
7500-525: The restaurant car park. In March 2015, McDonald's workers in 19 U.S. cities filed 28 health and safety complaints with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration , which allege that low staffing, lack of protective gear, poor training, and pressure to work fast resulted in injuries. The complaints allege that, because of a lack of first aid supplies, workers were told by management to treat burn injuries with condiments such as mayonnaise and mustard . The Fight for $ 15 labor organization aided
7600-484: The right choice for you individually... As a science teacher, I would never show Super Size Me because when I watched that, I never saw the educational value in that... I mean, a guy eats uncontrollable amounts of food, stops exercising, and the whole world is surprised he puts on weight? What I'm not proud about is probably 70 to 80 percent of my colleagues across the United States still show Super Size Me in their health class or their biology class. I don't get it." As
7700-466: The rules of Spurlock's experiment: he would not refuse the "super-size" option whenever it was offered to him but would never ask for it himself. The result, according to Spurlock, was a diet with twice the calories recommended by the USDA . Further, Spurlock attempted to curtail his physical activity to better match the exercise habits of the average American; he previously walked about 3 miles (4.8 km)
7800-501: The scenarios which transpired include eating a full jar of mayonnaise (US$ 235), eating a "worm burrito" (US$ 265), and taking shots of corn oil , Pepto-Bismol , lemon juice , hot sauce , cold chicken broth, and cod liver oil (US$ 450.00 for all nine shots). MTV later bought the show and aired it, which Spurlock hosted. Spurlock's second feature documentary, Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden? premiered at
7900-580: The start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In partnership with the Central Food Technological Research Institute in India , McDonald's has introduced millet -based buns on September 4, 2024. Three major ( Pearl millet , Sorghum , and Finger millet ) and two minor ( Proso and Paspalum scrobiculatum ) millets are used which makes up 22% of the bun. It provides more calcium, iron, and protein in addition to
8000-973: The succeeding decades, there was a 92% probability of food preparation and serving becoming automated in fast food establishments. By 2016, McDonald's "Create Your Taste" electronic kiosks were seen in some restaurants internationally where customers could custom order meals. In 2017, McDonald's launched an app in the United States that allows customers to skip the ordering line inside or drive through and order online. Many McDonald's locations have special parking spaces for such orders. In September 2019, McDonald's purchased an AI-based start-up, Apprente, to replace human servers with voice-based technology in its US drive-throughs. In early 2023, McDonald's opened its first largely automated restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas . The restaurant in question would de-emphasize human contact when ordering, with employees available if there were problems but who would otherwise be absent from
8100-620: The successful elimination of caged eggs in February 2024. Since McDonald's purchases over 2 billion eggs per year or 4 percent of eggs produced in the United States, the switch is expected to have a major impact on the egg industry. It is part of a general trend toward cage-free eggs driven by consumer concern over the harsh living conditions of hens. The aviary systems from which the new eggs will be sourced are troubled by much higher mortality rates, as well as introducing environmental and worker safety problems. The high hen mortality rate, which
8200-615: The successful testing of Beyond Meat plant based meat substitutes. In late 2022, McDonald's announced the addition of the Double McPlant at all restaurants in the United Kingdom and Ireland starting January 4 due to the success of the McPlant. In 2024, select McDonald's in the UK were testing vegan ice cream called Choco Scoop and Strawberry Scoop and receiving positive reviews. The company often introduces items temporarily or brings them back after long absences. McDonald's Menu
8300-545: The third season, titled "Working in a Coal Mine", was filmed in Bolt, West Virginia, which is located roughly 18 miles (29 km) from the city of Beckley , West Virginia, where Spurlock was raised before leaving for New York. In 2008, he signed a deal with Fox Television Studios . Spurlock also created I Bet You Will for MTV . I Bet You Will began as a popular Internet webcast of five-minute episodes featuring ordinary people doing stunts in exchange for money. Examples of
8400-408: The truthfulness of Spurlock's on-camera claims. Spurlock ate at McDonald's restaurants three times a day, consuming every item on the chain's menu at least once. Spurlock claimed to have consumed an average of 20.9 megajoules or 5,000 kcal (the equivalent of 9.26 Big Macs ) per day during the experiment. He also walked about 2 kilometers (1.5 miles) a day. An intake of around 2,500 kcal within
8500-680: The way (five of which were in Texas , four in New York City). His physicians are surprised at the degree of deterioration in Spurlock's health. He notes that he has eaten as many McDonald's meals as most nutritionists say the ordinary person should eat in eight years. (He ate 90 meals, which is close to the number of meals consumed once a month in an eight-year period.) The documentary's end text states that it took Spurlock five months to lose 20.1 pounds (9.1 kg) and another nine months to lose
8600-408: The work that I do and the changes that I continue to go through, that I can be there on the right side." In the blog post, Spurlock further disclosed that he had been the victim of sexual abuse as a boy and teenager, and that he had "consistently been drinking since the age of 13." Spurlock released a sequel film, Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! , in 2017, to be distributed by YouTube Red , but it
8700-499: The workers in filing the complaints. McDonald's has been criticized for using factory farmed fast growing chicken breeds in their supply chain. These breeds are more likely to suffer from welfare issues such as broken or fractured bones, leg deformities and heart failure. Throughout 2014, the Facebook page for McDonald's Australia was inundated with posts about McDonald's use of caged eggs. For 87 consecutive days during mid-2014,
8800-536: The year's second quarter, McDonald's reported earnings of 66 cents per share. Compared to the same period of last year, it represented a fall of 68%. In July 2023, the company announced it was working towards a new fast-food brand called CosMc's that would be tested at ten sites. The first location was opened in December 2023 in Bolingbrook, Illinois , and the company is working to open nine restaurants in Texas by
8900-480: Was a major success in the box office of Australia. McDonald's in Australia responded with an advertising campaign that included three elements: two advertisements for TV and one produced to be shown in movie theaters. The film was the inspiration for the BBC television series The Supersizers... in which the presenters dine on historical meals and take medical tests to ascertain the impact on their health. The film
9000-445: Was agnostic. On May 23, 2024, Spurlock died from complications of cancer at the age of 53 in upstate New York . Super Size Me Super Size Me is a 2004 American documentary film directed by and starring Morgan Spurlock , an American independent filmmaker . Spurlock's film follows a 30-day period from February 1 to March 2, 2003, during which he claimed to consume only McDonald's food , although he later disclosed he
9100-424: Was also drinking heavy amounts of alcohol . The film documents the drastic change on Spurlock's physical and psychological health and well-being. It also explores the fast food industry's corporate influence, including how it encourages poor nutrition for its own profit and gain. The film prompted widespread debate about public eating habits and has since come under scrutiny for the accuracy of its science and
9200-479: Was also the co-founder of the short-film content marketing company Cinelan, which produced the Focus Forward campaign for GE . The documentary Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! was set to be released in 2017, until Spurlock wrote a social media post saying that he had a history of sexual misconduct and referring to himself as "part of the problem", leading to a distribution drop and his resignation from
9300-406: Was also the inspiration for the 2007 documentary film Super High Me , directed by Michael Blieden. The film follows Doug Benson , a comedian and cannabis enthusiast, as he becomes the subject to a multitude of tests designed to measure the physical and mental impacts of, first, not smoking cannabis for 30 days, and then smoking non-stop for 30 days. The poster for the movie was modeled after one of
9400-507: Was destroyed and rebuilt in 1984. Kroc was recorded as being an aggressive business partner, driving the McDonald brothers out of the industry. Kroc and the McDonald brothers fought for control of the business, as documented in Kroc's autobiography. In 1961, he purchased the McDonald brothers' equity in the company and began the company's worldwide reach. The sale cost Kroc $ 2.7 million, a huge sum during that time. The San Bernardino restaurant
9500-535: Was dropped following Spurlock's admission of sexual misconduct. Samuel Goldwyn Films instead distributed the film in September 2019. In October 2022, The Washington Post reported that Spurlock had "suffered career death" as a result of his misconduct. Spurlock's marriages to Priscilla Sommer, Alexandra Jamieson, and Sara Bernstein all ended in divorce. He had two children. Spurlock was raised Methodist . He stated in an interview with TV Guide in 2014 that he
9600-927: Was eventually torn down in 1971, and the site was sold to the Juan Pollo chain in 1998. This area serves as headquarters for the Juan Pollo chain, and a McDonald's and Route 66 museum. With the expansion of McDonald's into many international markets, the company has become a symbol of globalization and the spread of the American way of life . Its prominence has made it a frequent topic of public debates about obesity , corporate ethics , and consumer responsibility . McDonald's predominantly sells hamburgers , various types of chicken , chicken sandwiches , French fries , soft drinks, shakes , breakfast items, and desserts. In most markets, McDonald's offers salads and vegetarian items, wraps and other localized fare. On
9700-412: Was introduced in 1963 to market the chain to children. On May 4, 1961, McDonald's first filed for a U.S. trademark on the name "McDonald's" with the description "Drive-In Restaurant Services," which continues to be renewed. By September 13, McDonald's, under the guidance of Ray Kroc, filed for a trademark on a new logo—an overlapping, double-arched "M" symbol. But before the double arches, McDonald's used
9800-478: Was of Scots-Irish and English descent. He would later state that he was sexually abused as a child. Spurlock graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Beckley, West Virginia , then attended New York University 's Tisch School of the Arts , graduating with a BFA in film in 1993. He was a member of the fraternity Phi Gamma Delta . Spurlock was a playwright, winning awards for his play The Phoenix at both
9900-401: Was raped. That's why I'm part of the problem." Spurlock said both he and the woman had been heavily drinking the night of the incident, and that during sex she had begun crying, and they had stopped. After publishing his blog post, Spurlock stepped down from his position with Warrior Poets, the company he had co-founded in 2004. The move ended his career as a documentary filmmaker. Spurlock told
10000-625: Was the increasing spread of obesity throughout US society , which the Surgeon General has declared an "epidemic", and the corresponding lawsuit brought against McDonald's on behalf of two overweight girls, who, it was alleged, became obese as a result of eating McDonald's food ( Pelman v. McDonald's Corp., 237 F. Supp. 2d 512 ). Spurlock argued that, although the lawsuit against McDonald's failed (and subsequently many state legislatures have legislated against product liability actions against producers and distributors of "fast food"), as well as
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