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Video: McBike – McDonald’s drive thru packaging for cyclists McBike packaging (still taken from YouTube video)

Video: McBike – McDonald’s drive thru packaging for cyclists

Trials run in Denmark and Colombia, but no plans for the UK at present
by Alex Bowden
Tue, Jun 23, 2015 13:09
39

McDonald’s efforts to present a more health-conscious image have now given rise to McBike – takeout packaging specifically designed for cyclists using - if the accompanying video is anything to go by - McDonald's drive throughs.

Wired reports that the prototype McBike has so far been employed in Copenhagen and Medellin in Colombia. Burger and fries fit within their own compartments inside a box you hang from your handlebars with the drink hanging out of the bottom.

You can see more in the video below.

Further trials are planned for Amsterdam and Tokyo, but there’s no saying this is something they’re going to bring in permanently.

Even if it doesn’t come to much, this does at least hint at a change in attitude from the fast food giant. A couple of years ago, we reported how a Portsmouth cyclist and his four-year-old son were refused service at a McDonald’s drive thru.

The person at the service hatch seemed to take issue with his being a cyclist and he was told he had to park and go inside – something he couldn’t do because the trailer on his bike would have blocked traffic.

A McDonald’s spokeswoman explained: “McDonald’s supports the health and environmental benefits of cycling. However it is our policy not to serve cyclists through the drive-through lane.”

But nor can you take your bike inside. More recently, comedian Brian Conley was threatened with arrest after bringing his folding bike into a McDonald's in Aberdeen. Conley said that three Grampian police officers were called to the incident. He apologised and no action was taken.

McDonald's
Alex Bowden

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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39 comments

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PaulBox replied to GarethWyn | 9 years ago
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GarethWyn wrote:
danthomascyclist wrote:

I'm not sure if they understand their market here? If you can physically ride a bike, you probably don't eat at McDonald's.

Oh climb off your high horse - everyone loves a dirty burger once in a while!

Yeah, but normally when p!ssed...

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FluffyKittenofT... replied to GarethWyn | 9 years ago
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GarethWyn wrote:
danthomascyclist wrote:

I'm not sure if they understand their market here? If you can physically ride a bike, you probably don't eat at McDonald's.

Oh climb off your high horse - everyone loves a dirty burger once in a while!

I'd argue you don't have to be an anti-burger snob in general to not like McDonalds. They just aren't good bad food! Everything they do has the same paradoxically-distinctive blandness to it (as well as being not very satisfying given how unhealthy it is). If I'm going to fall off the (high-horse-pulled) wagon I'd rather have a kebab or fish and chips or some other burger chain's product! (Do Wendy's still exist?)

Never understood how they got so popular.

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Joeinpoole replied to FluffyKittenofTindalos | 9 years ago
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FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:

I'd argue you don't have to be an anti-burger snob in general to not like McDonalds. They just aren't good bad food! Everything they do has the same paradoxically-distinctive blandness to it (as well as being not very satisfying given how unhealthy it is). If I'm going to fall off the (high-horse-pulled) wagon I'd rather have a kebab or fish and chips or some other burger chain's product! (Do Wendy's still exist?)

Never understood how they got so popular.

McDonalds became popular because they literally wrote the book on how to produce fast food to a defined quality, wherever in the world that happens to be. For example the fries are generally made from Russet Burbank potatoes, with a defined starch/sugar content, cut to a specific size, fried in a specific oil at a specific temperature for a defined amount of time, after which they have a specific amount of salt added.

You should read 'Fast Food Nation' by Eric Schlosser. You'd be amazed just how much goes into a meal at McDonalds. Throughout the 80's and 90's McDonalds were the biggest buyer of satellite imagery in the world. They used it to work out which towns/cities were expanding, in what direction and therefore which would be the most important road intersections in the future. They got to buy the land near the intersection cheaply ... and then other food outlets would follow them.

Personally I'd always choose McDonalds over a kebab (especially from the rotating 'lamb' device) or small independent burger vans/shops. You really don't want to know what goes into the 'meat' in some of those things. I'm not referring to the 'gourmet burger' places obviously but particularly the cheap, late-night places.

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wycombewheeler replied to Joeinpoole | 9 years ago
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Joeinpoole wrote:

after which they have a specific amount of salt added.

and yet I have seen three people walk past the fries and consecutively salt the same fries.

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bendertherobot replied to danthomascyclist | 9 years ago
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danthomascyclist wrote:

I'm not sure if they understand their market here? If you can physically ride a bike, you probably don't eat at McDonald's.

Why not? They do coffee, several cakes. That's the preserve of a cycle cafe stop isn't it? Plus somewhere you can sit outside.

The main issue is really one which affects motorists. Why would you use a drive through only to park up in the car park and eat your food? Perhaps, with cyclists, you haven't brought a lock. With motorists it's generally because they are lazy.

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Matt eaton replied to bendertherobot | 9 years ago
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bendertherobot wrote:
danthomascyclist wrote:

I'm not sure if they understand their market here? If you can physically ride a bike, you probably don't eat at McDonald's.

Why not? They do coffee, several cakes. That's the preserve of a cycle cafe stop isn't it? Plus somewhere you can sit outside.

The main issue is really one which affects motorists. Why would you use a drive through only to park up in the car park and eat your food? Perhaps, with cyclists, you haven't brought a lock. With motorists it's generally because they are lazy.

I occasionally use the Golden Arch drive thru, usually after a ride/race when I'm barefoot, Lycra clad and covered in mud. It seems a better option than going inside.

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Gravelly Stu replied to bendertherobot | 9 years ago
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Have you tasted their coffee? I'd rather drink chain lube

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GarethWyn replied to danthomascyclist | 9 years ago
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danthomascyclist wrote:

I'm not sure if they understand their market here? If you can physically ride a bike, you probably don't eat at McDonald's.

Yeah, probably right there!...

Avatar
Tony replied to danthomascyclist | 9 years ago
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danthomascyclist wrote:

I'm not sure if they understand their market here? If you can physically ride a bike, you probably don't eat at McDonald's.

That would be why there are absolutely no McDonalds in the Netherlands then 39

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