McDonalds cheesed off over 'McJob'

[zakur]

Story (http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/living/7260948.htm)In June, Merriam-Webster published the 11th edition of its College Dictionary, introducing to its pages the word "McJob" (n., "a low-paying job that requires little skill and provides little opportunity for advancement").

Now, you've heard the term "McJob." Most of us have had one at some point. The word has been floating through our culture for nearly two decades -- it's even had time to become passe. But apparently, the word is a total news flash to McDonald's CEO Jim Cantalupo. Now that it's November 2003, he's suddenly in a McSnit -- publishing an open letter (http://www.mcdonalds.com/corporate/press/corporate/2003/11102003_a/) to Merriam-Webster, complaining that the definition is a "slap in the face" to those who work in the restaurant industry and insisting that "when it comes to opportunity, the sky's the limit at McDonald's."

McDonald's wants Merriam-Webster to remove the word from its next edition. But the McProtest is coming a little late. Keeping "McJob" out of Merriam-Webster's 12th edition won't make the cultural catchword go away. Like Happy Meals and our national affinity for French fries, "McJob" is here to stay.

[Mr Manifesto]

Maybe they should sue Webster's. Lawsuits have worked wonders for them in the past.

[hgc]

Originally posted by Mr Manifesto
Maybe they should sue Webster's. Lawsuits have worked wonders for them in the past. Yeah, then we'd have McLawsuit to describe a dumb corporate lawsuit that backfires and brings delicious publicity to its target. But then, would that ever surpass foxsuit?

[LawnOven]

Originally posted by hgc
Yeah, then we'd have McLawsuit to describe a dumb corporate lawsuit that backfires and brings delicious publicity to its target. But then, would that ever surpass foxsuit?


foxsuit?

[Skeptic]

Originally posted by LawnOven



foxsuit?

There are two interesting cases:

1). The FOX network sent threathening letters to Al Franklin, claiming they own the copyright on the term "fair and balanced".

2). Recently, a "Simpson" parody--a spoof "news ticker", like the one on FOX news--caused some moron at FOX to threathen them with a lawsuit... until somebody remembered that FOX owns the "Simpsons", so they'd be suing themselves.

As for the "McJob" reference, I believe Merriam-Webster told them to go McScrew themselves.

[Regnad Kcin]

Now, you've heard the term "McJob." Most of us have had one at some point. The word has been floating through our culture for nearly two decades -- it's even had time to become passe. But apparently, the word is a total news flash to McDonald's CEO Jim Cantalupo.Mr. Cantalupo needs to ketchup with the times! Imagine, having such a silly beef with Merriam-Webster! As far as P.R. moves go, this one's liable to be quite a pickle!

[Mr Manifesto]

Originally posted by Regnad Kcin
Mr. Cantalupo needs to ketchup with the times! Imagine, having such a silly beef with Merriam-Webster! As far as P.R. moves go, this one's liable to be quite a pickle!

I thought he was gherkin my chain when I heard this one. Either that, or he mayo gone mad with eating too much beef.

[Tony]

This is the first Ive ever heard the term "McJob".

[Upchurch]

Originally posted by Tony
This is the first Ive ever heard the term "McJob". Me too actually, in this context. I mean, I've joked about having a McJob where I put on my McPaper Hat and cook at the McGrill to collect my McPaycheck, but I've never heard of anyone using it as an actual term outside of sarcasm before.

[Skeptical Greg]

Originally posted by Tony
This is the first Ive ever heard the term "McJob".

I don't think it has common usage among people who have one.. ( A McJob )..












Just kidding...:D

[Craig]

Originally posted by Tony
This is the first I've ever heard the term "McJob".

Aye, the first time I've heard it, as well. After reading the definition though it all fell into place. :)

[Skeptic]

Originally posted by Upchurch
Me too actually, in this context. I mean, I've joked about having a McJob where I put on my McPaper Hat and cook at the McGrill to collect my McPaycheck, but I've never heard of anyone using it as an actual term outside of sarcasm before.

Well, if it's used in sarcasm, it should be in the dictionary. Dictionaries, one must remember, do not give DEFINITIONS of words; they give their USES.

[Ladewig]

McJob finally made the OED (Oxford English Dictionary). McDonalds is still McIrked: Boston News. (http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2007/03/21/mcdonalds_seeks_to_redefine_mcjobs/)

[Darth Rotor]

McJob finally made the OED (Oxford English Dictionary). McDonalds is still McIrked: Boston News. (http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2007/03/21/mcdonalds_seeks_to_redefine_mcjobs/)

And McDonalds is still McIng money. :cool:

DR

[Tricky]

Me too actually, in this context. I mean, I've joked about having a McJob where I put on my McPaper Hat and cook at the McGrill to collect my McPaycheck, but I've never heard of anyone using it as an actual term outside of sarcasm before.
I've heard it for years. I even use it with some frequency, since I have a sister who is pathologically unemployed. I have told her often before that she needs to get out and work, even if it is at a McJob, just so she will have some employment history.

[Darth Rotor]

I've heard it for years. I even use it with some frequency, since I have a sister who is pathologically unemployed. I have told her often before that she needs to get out and work, even if it is at a McJob, just so she will have some employment history.
My brother introduced me to the usage of USA Today as "McNews" years ago. McDonalds is perhaps a victim of their own success in branding, in this matter.

DR

[Tricky]

My brother introduced me to the usage of USA Today as "McNews" years ago. McDonalds is perhaps a victim of their own success in branding, in this matter.

Yes, adding "Mc" to anything is the equivalent of adding a dimuating prefix. (You might also call a McJob a "joblet".) And yes, McDonalds Inc. are total flaming asshats about it, even though it is a testimony to their pervasive effect on our culture. As I recall, they sued a restauranteur in Scotland for using the name, even though his actual name was McDonald.

[brodski]

Yeah, then we'd have McLawsuit to describe a dumb corporate lawsuit that backfires and brings delicious publicity to its target. But then, would that ever surpass foxsuit?

Haven't you heard of the "McLibel (http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=mclibel&spell=1)" trial?

It caused the OED to redefine the term "Pyrrhic victory".

[rikzilla]

Yep....unless you can figure out how to hold down about 4 full time McJobs you'll never make the downpayment on your McMansion!

-z

[Mojo]

There's a kebab shop not far from here that used to be called "McDoners". With McDonald's UK HQ only a couple of miles up the road it didn't last long.

As far as "McJob" goes, I remember seeing the term in a near-future science fiction novel quite some time ago; possibly by William Gibson or someone like that.

[ChristineR]

Of course a McMansion is anything but a mansionlet. The analogy here is "poorly built and offering little aesthetic value to the community."

[Ladewig]

Of course a McMansion is anything but a mansionlet. The analogy here is "poorly built and offering little aesthetic value to the community."


I agree that McSomething does not provide a one-to-one maping to somethinglet. I would also add that McMansions are also defined as large houses with appearances so similar to each other that they have a feel of being hastily designed by a corporation.

[TragicMonkey]

Poor McDonald's. They want so much to be universally known and a household name, but when everybody does know their name and use it, they don't like how it's being used. Like a celebrity who wishes to be famous and talked about, then complains when they hear what people are actually saying.

Tough cookies!

[WildCat]

Yeah, then we'd have McLawsuit to describe a dumb corporate lawsuit that backfires and brings delicious publicity to its target. But then, would that ever surpass foxsuit?
You're missing the point. The Fox suit was stupid because it brought loads of free publicity to Franken's book, which people then bought because of it. McDonald's, for the cost of a press release, has essentially been given free advertising in every news outlet in the country and much of the world. I doubt they care if Webster sells a few more dictionarys because of it.

And your use of "delicious" in your response is exactly the kind of idea McDonald's wanted to plant in people's heads. ;)

eta: just realized I responded to a post made over 3 years ago... :blush: Damn you Ladewig!

[fuelair]

Poor McDonalds - flipped (burger) off by the legitimate inclusion of a word in public use in a dictionary of the language it came from and which exactly describes the low skilled low chance for advancement (as one of the commenters to The Economist responded to McDs' claim that a large number of McD execs started in the restaurant - 'but how many of those who start in the restaurant wind up as executives' ) job. (Oops, they neglected to get that statistic).

By the by, I have no problem with McDs or its' jobs - since I do not have to have one. I do have a problem with anyone trying to delete a word that is part of a language for any reason (that is messing with data/reality - you may not like it, you can work to convince people that the word/other data itself is rude, mean, not PC, demeaning, gross, intolerant, etc...........but it is still a word, it still means something, it is a part of the language, and no reputable dictionary would misstate the definition/usage of a word (and there is no doubt that "mcjob" means exactly what American Heritage Dictionary and OED say it means to the people who use the term. Legally, no dictionary shoul be sueable (yes, I am aware anyone can sue anyone else for anything so please do not waste time informing me of this)for adding and giving the definition AS USED for a new word that has become part of common (or specialized) language. Mcjob is, without question, one of those words. And it actually is not that new - since the first printed use of it OED found was 1986. It is likely but not proveable so far that spoken, but unrecorded, use was prior.

[Solus]

So this is just a another Mcthread about Mcnews on Mclawsuits against Mcjobs... My first chance to use this new Mcterm on everything.

Is this a MCmarketing gimmick? That would make sense as now more people will likely use the term, or is that for the CT section?

[TragicMonkey]

My rap name is Heavy M McMonkey Ggoldd Ddogg Skankkillah Monkey MacMacMcMac D-Dogg Yo. Think I'll get sued?

[Brown]

I've held a McJob. It was indeed low-paying (you started at minimum wage, then slowly worked up the the rate of an additional five cents per hour). I wouldn't say the skill level was all that high, but one did need to practice at it to become proficient. A person who can manage a grill full of burgers at rush hour is actually a joy to watch. My specialty was french fries, and there was a time when nobody handled rush hour better than me. And as for advancement, well, there were really three things one could expect, if one was willing to work long and hard: an additional nickel an hour; advancement to manager status; and the highest of all, the opportunity to get in on a franchise deal. No one had any illusions that one could work his way up from the dressing table to the corporate boardroom.

[Admiral]

You're missing the point. The Fox suit was stupid because it brought loads of free publicity to Franken's book, which people then bought because of it. McDonald's, for the cost of a press release, has essentially been given free advertising in every news outlet in the country and much of the world. I doubt they care if Webster sells a few more dictionarys because of it.

I disagree. Look at the number of people on this thread that had never heard the term "McJob" before. By making a big deal out of Webster adding it, they popularized the term.

If they sued, then Jay Leno would start making jokes about it and the term would become even MORE widespread.

I also disagree that McDonald's wants that kind of publicity. There's a huge difference between the publicity Franken's book got (he was pointing out problems with Fox, and the lawsuit proved him right in the public eye), and the publicity that your chain gives lousy jobs with low opportunity.

What's more, if there's one thing McDonald's doesn't need, it's for more people to HEAR about it. It's not trying to build name recognition, it's trying to build a better reputation!

Do you actually think that the term "McJob" is good advertising?

[Tony]

This thread brings back McMemories.

[Tailgater]

This thread brings back McMemories.

It's making me hungry. I love McRibs.

[fuelair]

[QUOTE=Brown;2456236]I've held a McJob. one did need to practice at it to become proficient. A person who can manage a grill full of burgers at rush hour is actually a joy to watch. My specialty was french fries, and there was a time when nobody handled rush hour better than me. QUOTE]

And, though I did not say so in my post, I happen to agree with you - though most of the McD people I have seen in operation are not that good, your phrase is exactly correct - such a person is a joy to watch and a workman deserving of his pay - and better pay at that - since he/she is taking the work seriously, making the customers happier and keeping them coming back (there are several restaurants -and branches of restaurants in some cases -I do not go to any longer because they have no one who works this way - or poor management decisions cause it to appear so by driving those who can to better pay, better choice of hours, etc.)

As a side note, recently - last year or so mostly - I have been witness to a huge increase in the number of times I and other customers have been forced witnesses to arguments between employees or manager and employee
(latest, employee had apparently come in to cover for another who did not show up at the request of the manager, was ready to leave when the manager told him to cover a station, he yells "Tell me to do that again and I'm walking out right now - I came in to help you out and now .............Argument still going on as I left). Fast food is not nearly as fast as it used to be. Too many choices on the menu I 'spects.:D

[Dark Jaguar]

Never heard the term until now, but eh, I still think that whole series of commercials for joining the McDonald's WORK FORCE were just PAINFUL to watch. They had all these super stars of... I guess playing soccer or something, talking about how McDonald's was the greatest choice they ever made, to WORK at. Are they really running out of employees? Was this neccesary? It was like watching a celebration of sad. Sorry McDonalds. You guys aren't going to change jack. Fire your marketting department and don't bother hiring a new one.

[Beerina]

Me too actually, in this context. I mean, I've joked about having a McJob where I put on my McPaper Hat and cook at the McGrill to collect my McPaycheck, but I've never heard of anyone using it as an actual term outside of sarcasm before.

It is, of course, always a sarcasm.

[dglas]

You know how much a society really values something by what they pay the people doing it.

...until their children get e coli, of course....

[Ranb]

You might like this link. Reasons why McDonalds is better than the Navy.

http://www.newnavy.us/navy/mcnavy.htm

I think the Nukes might enjoy it the most.

Ranb

[David Swidler]

My rap name is Heavy M McMonkey Ggoldd Ddogg Skankkillah Monkey MacMacMcMac D-Dogg Yo. Think I'll get sued?

Maybe by Dr. Suess. Remember Sylvester McMonkey McBean from The Sneetches?

[EvilSmurf]

2). Recently, a "Simpson" parody--a spoof "news ticker", like the one on FOX news--caused some moron at FOX to threaten them with a lawsuit... until somebody remembered that FOX owns the "Simpsons", so they'd be suing themselves.
Is that where the recent Coke Zero ads got their idea?

[steverino]

Yep....unless you can figure out how to hold down about 4 full time McJobs you'll never make the downpayment on your McMansion!

-z

Yeah, If the word "mcmansion" gets in the dictionary it would flatter McDonalds. The mcmansions I've seen in Chicago are 5000-10000 s.f. with tall ceilings, garages, and usually in the best neighborhoods.

Now THAT's a whopper! Woops.

[Mephisto]

Whoa, hang on a minute there, Zakur!

Like Happy Meals and our national affinity for French fries, "McJob" is here to stay.

Speaking of changing the dictionary . . . I thought that was supposed to be our national affinity for freedom fries?

[TragicMonkey]

Speaking of changing the dictionary . . . I thought that was supposed to be our national affinity for freedom fries?

I always mess that up. I've been calling them "Transalpine Gaul fries" .

[kittykatkarma]

I have never been able to really enjoy McDonald's, the American Menu is just not fit for human consumption, in my not so McHumble McOpinion. While looking at the corporate site I side lined to foreign sites and had a look at the menu offerings and found this; which looks really yummy. Offered in India on the Veg menu.Veg McCurry Pan™ (http://www.mcdonaldsindia.com/ourfood/veg/veg_mccurrypan.html) [Broccoli ‘n’ Mushroom]
A rich Béchamel eggless sauce mixed with exotic vegetables like broccoli, baby corn, mushrooms, red capsicum and freshly baked on rectangular spiced bread with a cheese topping.
I think I'd like that.

I will admit that the coffee is great, and an occasional Sausage McGriddle is an artery choking treat.

[Elizabeth I]

I have never been able to really enjoy McDonald's, the American Menu is just not fit for human consumption, in my not so McHumble McOpinion.

I will admit that the coffee is great, and an occasional Sausage McGriddle is an artery choking treat.

Sorry, I think McD's has the best fries in the fast food world. You can't beat them.