McDonald's, Kingsford (24 Sept 2016)

10 Barker St, Kingsford NSW 2032
https://mcdonalds.com.au

Big Mac guilty pleasure run

Truth be known one of my guilty pleasures is hitting up McDonald's for a quick lunch eat. Usually happens when I've been running around with the kids in the morning, shopping has been done, we need to get home with the groceries, we don't have lunch plans, and we just need something quick and easy to keep the kids happy and to kill the hangry in the adults. My go to is usually a Big Mac with fries. I don't mind the drive thru but usually prefer to park and walk in if the kids aren't too feral at the time. Looks like lots of renovations happening to the Kingsford store.

Limited edition 'Son of Mac' & 'Angus Mac' join the Big Mac special sauce family (6 & 8 Sept 2013)

http://mcdonalds.com.au

Old Big Mac had a son

A road trip to the snowy mountains included a pitstop in each direction at McDonald's for a break and toilet stop. On the way down I spotted the Son of Mac ($2.50) at Sutton Forest. Being a Big Mac ($4.85) fan I was intrigued to try this limited edition. Weighing in at 1370kJ it's 33% less than the original Big Mac of 2060kJ. Noticeably smaller in size but tasted pretty much the same and left that familiar special sauce smell on my fingers. It's also not as messy to eat due to less cantilevers in its structure. Not quite as satisfying to finish as a Big Mac but if this version was around when I was a kid with a smaller stomach it would have provided the right stepping stone between the cheeseburger and the more challenging adult sized Big Mac. A trip back through Majura Park near Canberra airport tempts me to try the Angus Mac ($5.95) weighing at 2680kJ. Certainly a meatier option over the Big Mac but still has the same familiar 'legendary taste' since it has all the same ingredients. My heart still goes to the original Big Mac — it must be a childhood thing and the challenge of trying to eat one without making a mess of it plus the ratio of bun, meat and sauce just seems to be right. Although that's also because it's the original and what I've always known to be the way it should be. McDonald's marketing has worked me over — taken my money by tempting me with an option — yet the legendary Big Mac will still live on.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Three option sizes depending on how hungry you are

CONS: Limited time only but hard to beat the original

MUST TRY: Big Mac lovers will probably try due to curiosity

VERDICT: It's not surprising they all tasted similar having the same ingredients but it does provide the Big Mac lover with three different meal sizes for that 'legendary taste'

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Son of Mac ($2.50) 1370kJ — 6 Sept 2013

Angus Mac ($5.95) 2680kJ — 8 Sept 2013

Big Mac ($4.85) 2060kJ — 16 Sept 2013

McDonald's: The illusion of the perfect Big Mac, Randwick (31 Jan 2010)

73 Belmore Road, Randwick NSW 2031
http://mcdonalds.com.au

Lazy Sunday Lunch

So hands up those who have ever had a Big Mac that actually looks like the advertising menu. Anyone? No one?

I actually used to work for McDonald's when I was a young one for about 5 and a half years and even when I cooked a Big Mac for myself with much care and attention to detail I still couldn't make it look like the advertising photos — hence the power and illusion of advertising aka Photoshop and Food Stylist. As I'm sure most of you know the celebrities are also reliant on having their photos retouched too — no wonder we have so many self-esteem problems in our society. And now that my Big Mac has provided 44% of my daily saturated fat intake along with 50% of my protein and 42% of my sodium I think I'll go for a nanna nap while my sugar rush subsides to normal levels.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Cheap, Quick, Easy, Childhood memories

CONS: Waistline, High in saturated fat and sugar

MUST TRY: Not eating it too often

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The way it will never look when you get one

Reality – Big Mac and French Fries.

% Daily intake — I'm now halfway through my protein for the day.

Before and after photoshop — if only magazines showed the truth.

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