McDonald's Japan ordered to pay ¥21 mil over improper labeling

I avoid this place as much as possible and in fact any fast food place for the exception of Subway as they make their sandwiches right in front of your face and I feel relatively safe eating their food.

You have been misled. The problem with fast foods, or any cheap food services, is not something you can see while they assemble your sandwich. You can't see where or how they sourced their food, whether the lettuce, chicken or beef is from a tainted or unsafe source. Do you know what's in the avocado mash at Subway? Preservatives, flavorings, colorings? Do you know where they get the chicken from? - Possibly from factory farms where they live in filth and are pumped full of antibiotics? The shrimp? From filthy and contaminated shrimp farms, or wild shrimp caught by cruelly treated slave laborers in the seas of SE Asia?

You can't see any of this by watching the staff put your food together.

In fact, you are probably safer at McDonald's than at your local fast food shop or discount eatery - simply because they are the biggest. They are constantly watched, and any issue in any one of their 1000s of outlets always makes the news.

If you want healthy food, either buy it and make it yourself. Better yet, grow your own. Otherwise, if you eat out, avoid the cheap places. They have to make ends meet somehow. Avoid chains as well - they are always looking to cut costs and don't really care what they serve as long as they keep getting customers. Pay a little more and eat a a place where the owner takes personal pride in what they serve. These kinds of shops are everywhere in Japan, and are not all that expensive.

Izakayas mold stuff all the time too, not to mention in nomihodai where they dilute the alcohol levels too..

Most of the time it’s next to impossible to actually know what McDonalds puts in its ‘products’

You know your a fast food junkie when you can tell the difference between "molded", and "sliced", beef. I somewhat pity those that complained.

The toilets are the best thing about McDonalds! Especially in cities where it's hard to find a free public dunny.

And when you buy it, can we see where the store sources their food?

Isn't it pretty common, and required by law most places, that the origin of the product is written on it?

If you want healthy food, either buy it and make it yourself. Better yet, grow your own

True enough, but most residents in Tokyo are not blessed with an abundance of land and garden space.

McDonald's Japan ordered to pay ¥21 mil over improper labeling

Like, by calling it "food?"

Not in Japan - you must be a recent arrival?

The source countries of virtually all fresh and frozen produce, meats and fish are labeled in Japan. Don't know where you shop to think otherwise. They may be mislabeled, but that's another story - and not at all unique to Japan.

Of course, heavily processed food with multiple ingredients are not labeled this way, as in most countries.

But the country of origin really only gives a partial story. It still doesn't explain the conditions the food was produced in, which can vary widely. So, to be safe, I try to avoid most farmed fish from SE Asia and China, for example. Not easy to do sometimes.

Isn't Japan's own 'MOS Burger' should have more local chains than Mcdonalds?

Why? MOS burger isn't state owned, it's a business completing like all others.

There are more US Food chains than Asian Chains around the world when most of the people know Asian food are far better than Americans. So what really has been happening.

US marketers/business planners are better than Asians?

Canadians have a nickname for this place "Rotten Ronnie's" if you use this expression on any Canadian I can assure you they will know what you are speaking of. Any non-Canadians who have Canadian friends ask them if they know what "Rotten Ronnie's" is and I can guarantee they will know.

As a Canadian, I assure you that not everyone uses this slogan, heck I've never even heard of it... Must be a west coast thing

100% beef! The whole cow! Lips to tail. All of it, including the cow's last meal. It's minced so that you can't see what's gone into it. The plastic box the stuff comes in is more nutritious than what they call the "burger."

Recently, McDonald's Japan was selling a Big Big Mac(not the real name). It was the size of an American homemade hamburger, so I actually tried it. I was quite shocked! So much so I couldn't finish the whole set in one sitting. It didn't feel right.

McDonald's like other chains deal in Shrinkonomics when it comes to proposition. This is why some people don't realize eating too much is unhealthy. It was a real wake up call. After eating that Big Big Mac set, I am glad that I don't a lot of fast food anymore since I moved here.

This amount is but a pittance for a company like Macdonalds, but still what a bunch of crybabies

Isn't it pretty common, and required by law most places, that the origin of the product is written on it?

No, in most places it is NOT written. Surely they need to keep record that food inspectors can check, but the customer has no access.

The source countries of virtually all fresh and frozen produce, meats and fish are labeled in Japan.

Don't know where you shop to think otherwise.

Macdo etc. Eateries in general, not just chains, the Mom and Pop shops too. We are not talking about shopping for ingredients but meals. They don't give you the source list. You can only trust them.

If you have time and it's not rush hour, you can try ask the staff to get you the information.

They may be mislabeled, but that's another story - and not at all unique to Japan.

That's THE story. The clown's chain is caught mislabeling AGAIN after being condemned for major cheatings in the past (particularly during the mad cow scare and the Chinese chicken scandal).

most residents in Tokyo are not blessed with an abundance of land and garden space.

There is huge huge middle way between growing your own veggies fertilized only by horse p... and eating the p.... er ... the products from macdo.

And who will be paid said money?

Macdo etc. Eateries in general, not just chains, the Mom and Pop shops too. We are not talking about shopping for ingredients but meals. They don't give you the source list. You can only trust them.

I wasn't talking about restaurants. Of course they don't usually tell you where they source from. Though MosBurger sometimes has the name and a picture of the farmer who provides their lettuce, tomatoes and onions. Or at least they used to.

That's why I advised eating at owner operated restaurants. As you said, you have to trust them. That leaves chains out. Sure, some Mom and Pop restaurants skimp, but it's generally pretty obvious when they care about the food and when they don't.

You can't see where or how they sourced their food, whether the lettuce, chicken or beef is from a tainted or unsafe source.

Then

If you want healthy food, either buy it and make it yourself

And when you buy it, can we see where the store sources their food?

Never thought of suing...Dairy Queen has a picture of whole green leaf lettuce on a burger, but you get shredded iceberg lettuce. Guess that means I could do for thousands of millions too.

They should be fined over improper food

I immediately feel sick after eating McDonald's n Burger King. Surprisingly, I can handle Taco Bell.

Isn't Japan's own 'MOS Burger' should have more local chains than Mcdonalds?

There are more US Food chains than Asian Chains around the world when most of the people know Asian food are far better than Americans. So what really has been happening.

My GI track does not agree commanteer! I get the worse cramps and diarrhea after eating at McDonnell's! I am better off eating at Yoshinoya! I use to think the McDonnell's in Japan was better than in America but it is just that the stores are cleaner.

Not in Japan - you must be a recent arrival?