McDonald’s reusable packaging

[bcla]

Just saw it for the first time today with a dine-in order. Chicken MnNuggets came in a plastic clamshell container with some paper sheets. Granted this location has been using thin paper sleeves for fries and Chicken McNuggets for a while and I suppose are still using them for take-out.

I had a look and the container had a manufacturing date stamped on the bottom for 2021, so it might have been a pilot project at some locations. I suppose if they’re equipped to wash trays, they can wash these.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

Just saw it for the first time today with a dine-in order. Chicken MnNuggets came in a plastic clamshell container with some paper sheets. Granted this location has been using thin paper sleeves for fries and Chicken McNuggets for a while and I suppose are still using them for take-out.

I had a look and the container had a manufacturing date stamped on the bottom for 2021, so it might have been a pilot project at some locations. I suppose if they’re equipped to wash trays, they can wash these.

That's fascinating. I wonder if the effort will catch hold. Did you have McRib?

 

[snowwite]

That's fascinating. I wonder if the effort will catch hold. Did you have McRib?

Do you mean the McTripe?

 

[bcla]

That's fascinating. I wonder if the effort will catch hold. Did you have McRib?

This location didn't have it yet. I thought it was in a few weeks.

Also - the clamshell packaging was clearly marked with the McDonald's name on the bottom, so it was definitely made for them.

Not sure about other locations, but this one is no longer carrying Mambo or Sweet & Spicy Jam.

 

[tvguy]

This location didn't have it yet. I thought it was in a few weeks.

Also - the clamshell packaging was clearly marked with the McDonald's name on the bottom, so it was definitely made for them.

Not sure about other locations, but this one is no longer carrying Mambo or Sweet & Spicy Jam.

Wow, Mambo and Sweet and Spicy gone in a month? Wonder if they were just out?
McDonalds doesn't do a very good job anymore estimating how much of a special item to have available. The McDonalds by me was out of the syrup for Shamrock shakes before February was over. The supply that was supposed to last until St. Patricks Day was all used up. That far in advance of St. Patricks day you think they could have the supplier whip up more.

I can't keep track of the McRib, I think I have missed the last three "returns".

 

[bcla]

Wow, Mambo and Sweet and Spicy gone in a month? Wonder if they were just out?
McDonalds doesn't do a very good job anymore estimating how much of a special item to have available. The McDonalds by me was out of the syrup for Shamrock shakes before February was over. The supply that was supposed to last until St. Patricks Day was all used up. That far in advance of St. Patricks day you think they could have the supplier whip up more.

I can't keep track of the McRib, I think I have missed the last three "returns".

I think McRib depends on franchise participation.

I had a look at the McDonald's app to see where they still had Mambo and Sweet & Spicy Jam in my area. Some locations showed they still had one but I couldn't find any that had both. I know it's not real time inventory though.

 

[kdonnel]

The trend is to ban single use plastic/paper.

There are communities that have banned single use coffee cups among other single use food service items.

I think the movement to more togo during Covid has set the environmental movement back many years.

At my son's college they can get a reusable togo container from the dining halls. They return it and get another, only one can be checked out at a time. They have to pay a $50 deposit initially to get the first container. The deposit is refunded at the end of the semester as long as the system shows no containers are checked out.

I think there should be a push to make businesses use reusable togo containers. Charge a very large deposit fee to encourage the return of the containers.

 

[dioxide45]

I think there should be a push to make businesses use reusable togo containers. Charge a very large deposit fee to encourage the return of the containers.

Most togo containers are reusable. Who doesn't have a bunch of these plastic containers in their cupboards? A large deposit certainly wouldn't be welcomed by the restaurant industry or consumers. I certainly wouldn't buy something knowing I have to fork out $25 bucks or whatever as a deposit on containers. I am sure if this was also brought on by government, that deposit would go to them and then you would have the whole administrative process for restaurants to collect, remit and get refunds on it. Kinda like how soda bottles work. It really ends up becoming another tax on the population. No thanks.

 

[Moliphino]

Most togo containers are reusable. Who doesn't have a bunch of these plastic containers in their cupboards? A large deposit certainly wouldn't be welcomed by the restaurant industry or consumers. I certainly wouldn't buy something knowing I have to fork out $25 bucks or whatever as a deposit on containers. I am sure if this was also brought on by government, that deposit would go to them and then you would have the whole administrative process for restaurants to collect, remit and get refunds on it. Kinda like how soda bottles work. It really ends up becoming another tax on the population. No thanks.

I think they'd be better off making compostable containers.

 

[bcla]

I think they'd be better off making compostable containers.

That’s the case for everything except PET cups.

 

[barkley]

I think there should be a push to make businesses use reusable togo containers. Charge a very large deposit fee to encourage the return of the containers.

with the water issues many regions face i think it would be counterproductive to ecological concerns to implement a practice that would create greatly increased water consumption/waste.

Most togo containers are reusable. Who doesn't have a bunch of these plastic containers in their cupboards?

my personal favorites are the wing containers little caesars uses-those suckers last forever and are dishwasher/microwave and freezer friendly.



many years ago there was a very popular restaurant in napa. very beloved by tourists and locals. locals were privy to a cost saving way to enjoy their food that also benefited the environment-call the restaurant and ask for the kitchen to do a 'container to go'. that was local speak to indicate you were bringing your own containers to the back door to pick up one of the pastas, soups or garlic bread. a 'container to go' sold for a nice discount off what eating IN the restaurant or doing a traditional to-go meal went for.

they were ahead of their time!

 

[nw6675]

Do you mean the McTripe?

Be nice Snow!

 

[snowwite]

Be nice Snow!

I used to work there years ago. You could not pay me to eat there.

 

[dioxide45]

I think they'd be better off making compostable containers.

Very few people have access to compost. People living in condos or apartments don't really have access to it and these items will just go in the trash instead. I suspect compostable probably doens't mean easily washable and reusable.

 

[kdonnel]

with the water issues many regions face i think it would be counterproductive to ecological concerns to implement a practice that would create greatly increased water consumption/waste.

There are always trade offs.

Take the humble polystyrene package which has been shown to have a 7-28% lower environmental impact than aluminum and six times lower impact than polypropylene, but it has been vilified.

Packaging accounts for 29% of all greenhouse emissions and food takeout uses a lot of packaging.

Something has to be done.

If packaging can't be eliminated or improved, maybe having a 20-50% take out tax to cover the environmental impact of takeout should be implemented.

 

[_19disnA]

I think they'd be better off making compostable containers.

I agree, it seems with any of these efforts to 'save the planet' they tend to only look at one piece of the equation and the solution may be worse in total when everything is considered. For sanitary reasons, you would obviously need to be able to clean any items intended for reuse. Most single use packaging is flimsy since it doesn't need to stand up to reuse. If most orders are 'to go' how do you get the packaging back for reuse and would people bother doing that? Where do you gather them, does each store reuse them or do they get shipped to some central location (i.e. transportation costs, fuel, processing, distribution, etc.) for cleaning?

I can still recall when Taco bell started to recycle those tiny sauce packets which I assume are made from aluminum which one of the most abundant minerals on Earth. Seems like the cost to collect/ship/reprocess would exceed any supposed benefit and looked more like a PR stunt to make them seem concerned about the environment.

During our last trip to Disney we used those dreadful environmentally friendly soda straws that would turn to mush even before you would finish your beverage. Sure makes me want to bring my own plastic straws next time I go there.

Any of these solutions need to be cost effective in TOTAL and should probably start with items where they could provide the greatest benefit/impact.

 

[Moliphino]

I can still recall during our last trip to Disney those dreadful environmental soda straws that would turn to mush even before you would finish your beverage. Sure makes me want to bring my own plastic straws next time I go there.

The paper straws are terrible. The agave straws they have in the Mexico pavilion are pretty decent, though.

 

[BrianL]

The paper straws are terrible. The agave straws they have in the Mexico pavilion are pretty decent, though.

Gideon's also has some kind of plant-based straws. I'd rather just not get a straw over using paper ones.