🖤 Donations of all sizes power our public service journalism Give Now

How McDonald's serves as a refuge for local communities

Jul 27, 2017
For some, the fast food giant allows them to connect with others.
A 1955 Ford, left, and a 1955 Oldsmobile are parked in the lot of the McDonald's museum in Des Plaines, IL. 
Tim Boyle/Newsmakers

Who in their right mind approved this ad?

Jun 13, 2017
'There’s a lot of client engagement and collaboration along the way,' ad executive says.
What would Don Draper do?
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

McDonald’s beefs things up with fresh meat for Quarter Pounders

Apr 3, 2017
McDonald’s is trying to give its Quarter Pounder some juice by using fresh beef instead of frozen patties. The move will help the burger giant better compete with the likes of Wendy’s and Shake Shack, which use fresh beef. The burgers will cook faster, but the meat goes bad faster, too. McDonald’s franchise owners risk losing […]

Why your robot restaurant might get sued

Mar 24, 2017
A lawsuit alleges that Eatsa kiosks aren't accessible to the visually impaired. Company founders say it isn't true.
A customer uses an interactive kiosk to place an order at a San Francisco Eatsa in 2015.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Somebody's in McTrouble

Mar 16, 2017
Donald Trump’s favorite fast-food giant McDonald's deletes a tweet insulting the president.
McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook supported Andrew Puzder, President Donald Trump’s first pick for Secretary of Labor, before Puzder withdrew.
Darren McCollester/Newsmakers

McDonald's moves into mobile ordering and delivery to boost sales

Mar 3, 2017
In an attempt to reverse a continuing slump in sales, McDonald’s is making an innovation push: letting people order and pay on their phones for curbside pickup and even delivery. Starbucks already uses an app. It’s been so successful, it’s caused congestion in stores. So will all these new strategies help or hurt McDonald’s?  Click […]

For public good, not for profit.

McDonald's to offer soda for a dollar as customer numbers continue to decline

Feb 23, 2017
McDonald’s is slashing drink prices. Starting in April, you can get any size soda for a buck and drinks like smoothies and frappes for $2. It’s the latest in a number of promotions — from all-day breakfast to three sizes of Big Mac — to keep customers coming back in a time of increased competition.

The true origin story behind McDonald's

Feb 9, 2017
Journalist Lisa Napoli joined us to talk about the inaccuracies in Michael Keaton's "The Founder."
The exterior of a McDonald's restaurant from the '70s.
Hulton Archive/Getty Images

'The Founder' tells the contentious story of how McDonald's became a fast-food giant

Jan 17, 2017
Director John Lee Hancock tells us how Ray Kroc, played by Michael Keaton, helped the McDonalds brothers expand before buying them out.
Director John Lee Hancock on the set of "The Founder" with actor Michael Keaton.
Daniel McFadden