back to article UK lockdown easing heralds the return of burgers... and bork

A return to form for burger-botherers McDonald's with a summertime BSOD in today's entry in The Register's diary of distressed digital signage. Today we present a branch of the chain in Chelmsford, in the leafy home county of Essex, just northeast of London. The screen that might once have indicated who was next in line for …

  1. Hubert Cumberdale

    I don't blame it for regurgitating something it was fed in such a roadside food van of death disguised as a normal building restaurant. If someone tried to feed me reconstituted pressure-washed carcass food from there, I'd also be inclined to think they were trying to poke something into the wrong hole.

    1. Peter2 Silver badge

      I object to this strongly.

      The typical roadside food van turns out far higher quality food.

      1. Xalran

        I agree.

        We have One Star chiefs selling food out of roadside trucks on our side of the Chunnel.

  2. Chris G

    Eat out to help out?

    This would be an initiative from the same government that has concerns that the health service may soon be overwhelmed by obese diabetics?.

    The larger burger flinging chains don't need sny help, it's the smaller establishments that really need the help.

    I discovered a new thing about the Happy meal plastic tat the other day, apparently some of it is collectable and there are people who will part with actual money to acquire some pieces.

    1. Neil Barnes Silver badge

      Re: Eat out to help out?

      I helped out last week, at a place owned by a friend of Mrs B's - a Brazillian Rodizio. Not a burger in sight, just steaming slabs of meat arriving by sword. Yum... (and twenty quid off for the two of us, so the waiters got a very nice tip :)

      1. RM Myers
        Thumb Up

        Re: Eat out to help out?

        Um, we have a Rodizio Grill locally which has great food. The only negative is my strong tendency to overeat - they really push the food and everything tastes delicious. Definitely not the best place for vegetarians though, but this carnivore loved it.

        1. Neil Barnes Silver badge
          Mushroom

          Re: Eat out to help out?

          There was a brief moment of hilarity amongst the staff and customers when a party of four walked in. As they stood by the door, next the sign that announced 'Brazillian Steak House', one of the party asked if they had a vegetarian option...

    2. Prst. V.Jeltz Silver badge

      Re: Eat out to help out?

      Apparently McD is the biggest toy distributor in the world.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Eat out to help out?

      The reason for Boris pushing a new health initiative (while Dishy Rishi's pushing eating out) could have something to do with him losing a stone in weight while convalescing after catching Covid from shaking hands during a walk-about at a hospital treating Covid

  3. chivo243 Silver badge
    Happy

    clown-based fast-food

    Odd, the food doesn't taste funny? Just tastes bad...

    1. Robert Helpmann??
      Unhappy

      Re: clown-based fast-food

      Odd, the food doesn't taste funny? Just tastes bad...

      It's neither fast nor food, so what else should we expect? I think Melpomene is more appropriate than Thalia if you've had the misfortune of eating such.

    2. Chris G

      Re: clown-based fast-food

      It's made from clowns?

      That would account for that sort of grease paint flavour, I hope the clowns are ethically farmed.

  4. fidodogbreath

    Step aside, Ronald

    Borky McBorkface is the future.

  5. My other car WAS an IAV Stryker
    FAIL

    Fast food and IT just don't mix

    A couple of weeks ago, I tried to place a pre-order with Burger King via their mobile (cr)app. It wouldn't let me checkout, trying to tell me they were out of chicken nuggets, basic cheeseburgers, and fries (all for the kids) but my special combo was apparently okay.

    Frustrated, I tried McD's (cr)app, and got everything in place, but it would not accept the missus' credit card, and gave no reason why, just "card not saved".

    Doubly frustrated, I ended up driving (like a madman) to the Arches, getting the kids' food -- none for me; too angry to eat -- and paying with said card (hmm, went through just fine...).

    After getting back home, I decided that in addition to health and taste, and given BK's many previous order screwups, fast food is no longer worth my business. Some places I'll visit for the kids, but I pledged to never again personally eat Burger King, Wendy's, KFC, or even Taco Bell, or any other similar "restaurant".

    Notes: [1] McD wasn't in that final list because I already actively avoided their sheer blandness, except for the fries. [2] Some exceptions exist, notably Chick-fil-A, which will any day build the promised location within 5 miles of home instead of 25, and possibly Arby's and Jersey Mike's Subs. [3] While I do love some grease and salt in the morning -- mmm, hash browns -- I'm banning breakfast also.

    1. FatGerman

      Re: Fast food and IT just don't mix

      I no longer order from two major pizza retailers* for similar reasons - initial orders arrived withtin 20 minutes but progressively got slower and slower until the final order hadn't arrived after 90 minutes and the "resttaurant" was no longer picking up the phone.

      In the case of he second one, my final order did arrive, but by that time I had ordered, had delivered, and EATEN a Chinese meal FOR SEVENTEEN PEOPLE from my local Chinese.

      * Dominos, then Papa John's. This is not defamation, it actually happened.

      1. Kane
        Joke

        Re: Fast food and IT just don't mix

        "In the case of he second one, my final order did arrive, but by that time I had ordered, had delivered, and EATEN a Chinese meal FOR SEVENTEEN PEOPLE from my local Chinese."

        You certainly live up to the first part of your username, don't you!

    2. Tim 49

      Re: Fast food and IT just don't mix

      "Chick-fil-A, which will any day build the promised location within 5 miles of home instead of 25".

      Colo(u)r me perochial, but Chick-fil-A NO! we will not make you throw! (rinse, repeat).

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Looks like this terminal

    Has fried chips,

    Also Garbage in, garbage out springs to mind.

  7. First Light

    Anonymous?

    But you can see him in the perspex . . . Sleeveless Teeshirt Guy

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