Fast food has always been an appealing concept for Americans. If you’re running late to something and need to get a quick bite, you can just go through a drive-through. You’ll have your food in a couple minutes, and then can just eat on the go. If you point out certain golden arches to people, most can associate that with the McDonald’s chain. Through extensive marketing, McDonald’s draws you into their many establishments with photos of their mouth watering food and beaming customers seared into your mind. Considering that it is the most prevalent fast food chain in America, you can’t go far without encountering a McDonald’s in your area.

While the success of these establishments are worldwide, the majority of their business stems from their American customers. If you’re a person that’s glued to their couch watching television for mind-numbing amounts of time or even a person that just watches for an hour or so, you’ve most likely seen their commercials on the air. The commercials portray spotless dining areas, employees that are always smiling ear to ear, and a lively family spending time together. The truth is much more disconcerting, unfortunately. What the customer usually gets are tables with food from the last group that ate there smeared across the entirety of it, employees that look like they would rather be scrubbing their wrinkled grandparents in a bubble bath than working another second, and crowded waiting areas filled with agitated people waiting to be fed.

As much as I wish I didn’t get cravings to eat there every once in awhile, I sadly do. I live right near Cayuga Community College, so when I feel like I need some fresh air, I enjoy going for a nice walk on the Nature Trail. The only problem is, when you get closer to Grant Ave on the walk, you can smell the heavenly scent of fresh hamburgers roasting on the grill at McDonald’s. My mind is telling my stomach to ignore the hunger until I get home, but sometimes I just can’t resist. They even make it so accessible to get there from the main trail. A narrow bridge around 2 feet across leads right over the mud and onto a different trail. Guess where that trail goes? It leads right into the back parking lot of McDonald’s. Once I get into the parking lot, there’s no going back. The smell of burgers and fries flood into my nostrils and my mouth starts to water. Walking through the doors and knowing that I’m about to devour disgustingly unhealthy food, I always tell myself that I’ll stop eating here eventually. It’s too bad that I lie to myself every time I say that.

McDonald’s is not a dull place at all. It’s usually packed with people that all had the same idea of getting a quick bite to eat. Mixed with the sound of all the grease popping on the grill, you can also hear the delightful sound of kids screeching as they chase each other in the germ-infested play place as you wait for your food. Usually your food comes out fairly quick, but once in awhile you have to wonder how they can still call it “fast food” if it takes 10 minutes to get your order.

People watching is always interesting at McDonald’s because the people are so unique. You get people that look like they just rolled out of bed with pajamas on, people that don’t seem to own a belt judging from how far down their pants are, and people with so much body hair that they resemble Bigfoot. Eating at McDonald’s is definitely a memorable experience if you pay attention to your surroundings.

If you’re an American and have never eaten at or at least seen a McDonald’s, I would seriously question if you’ve been living under a rock. Even though it is extremely unhealthy for you, it tastes delicious, so why not treat yourself? Swallowing regret after eating too much at McDonald’s is practically a rite of passage for Americans. Having the feeling of your large intestine body slamming your small intestine after eating a 20-piece Chicken McNuggets by yourself gives you a sense of accomplishment. It’s so fantastic to live in the Land of McDonald’s.