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McDonald’s Invites Customers to Ask the Hard Questions

Is that egg real?
Is that egg real?

Did it ever cross your mind that the perfectly round white glob on an Egg McMuffin might not be an egg? In its natural state, we observe that food comes in different shapes and sizes. The uniform quality of fast food can seem a little suspicious to some and even downright creepy.

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As part of a recent media campaign to show customers that the food they sell is actually real, McDonald's Canada is allowing people to post their burning questions online. "Ever wanted to ask us about the food in our Canadian restaurants? Now's your chance! We'll answer any questions about out food-even the tough ones-then post a personal reply…." promises the webpage "Our Food. Your Questions."

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McDonald's lovers and skeptics alike have jumped on the opportunity to get right down to the nitty gritty with queries like, "Why doesn't a McDonald's burger rot?" (Short answer: it dries out). Other curious souls have asked:

Question: Does your Egg McMuffin use real eggs? They look too perfect.

Answer: The short answer is yes! Every Egg McMuffin sandwich is made out of a freshly cracked, Grade A Canada large egg. To prove it, we made a video just for you. Check it out!

Question: When you say 100% beef, do you mean the whole cow: the organs, snout, brain, kidneys, etc. etc., or just the plain beef we buy @ the grocer?"

Answer: 100% beef, not 100% cow. We wouldn't call it plain beef, but it sure is beef. We only use meat cut from the shoulder, chuck, brisket, rib eye, loin, and round. In fact, our beef supplier is Cargill, a name you might recognize. They're the biggest supplier of beef in Canada.

Question: Inside the McNugget, is it actually the meat of the chicken or cut offs that nobody would actually want to eat?

Answer: It's definitely chicken inside our McNuggets….We use seasoned chicken breast and a few seasonings along with a natural proportion of skin for flavor and as a binder.

Other questions tackle subjects like Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), genetically modified ingredients (GMOs), and calorie content.

"Our Food. Your Questions" is part of a media blitz that includes videos, commercials, and online features aimed at making McDonald's seem more like a mom and pop joint that uses ingredients from the local farm or at least the local grocery store instead of the multinational corporate Godzilla. When McDonald's dropped using "pink slime" last spring after public concern about the meat product's safety, the move may well have been more about public relations and the bottom line than food quality.

We also know that fast food is full of salt, sugar, fat, and chemical additives and preservatives. Burgers are made of beef that contains antibiotics and hormones. Still, the fact that the company is promoting more transparency and listening to customers indicates that a growing mass of consumers are concerned about where the food they are putting into their bodies comes from. Most families can't afford to eat out at the pricey farm-to-table restaurants that are popular in cities like San Francisco, New York, and Chicago. Pushing one of world's biggest affordable restaurant chains toward a greater awareness that the public wants healthier food is at least a baby step in the right direction.

What question would you ask McDonald's about their food? Please let us know in the comments below.

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