On Sunday, November 4, 2018 at 11:08:03 AM UTC-10, Boron Elgar wrote:
> On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 10:04:09 -0700, U.S. Janet B. >
> wrote:
>
> >On Sun, 04 Nov 2018 08:58:30 -0500, Boron Elgar
> > wrote:
> >
> >>On Sat, 03 Nov 2018 22:25:45 -0600, U.S. Janet B. >
> >>wrote:
> >
> >snip
> >>>>
> >>>>-sw
> >>>I saw it on the shelf last week. Not interested
> >>
> >>I've no home interest, of course, but convenience is in the eye of the
> >>beholder. A food-fussy child can be accommodated easily with something
> >>like this, and so can an office worker with a microwave or a student
> >>away at school or anyone whose talents lie beyond even the simple
> >>boiling of water. These people exist and since take-away meals are
> >>becoming such a large part of eating these days, the price comparisons
> >>do not look so insane.
> >>
> >
> >I've got time to cook it. I understand your point about convenience
> >but my feeling is that 'people' are losing something important when
> >they lose track of how to boil pasta, bake a potato or boil an egg.
> >Janet US
>
>
> Times change, people change - my grandmother's generation usually made
> cakes from scratch, my mother's made them from mixes, now there are
> microwave mug cakes. Still, people are out there making cakes.
>
> I do not think cooking basics will be abandoned, just altered. I
> don't usually boil eggs any more. I have a fabulous electric gadget
> that makes them perfectly for me with no supervision at all.
>
> When I grew up, no one I knew even baked potatoes in the oven. There
> was a terrific stove-top thing to do them in. (wow, look at how pricey
> the old $1.95 item is now.
>
> https://www.houzz.com/products/conte.../pid=118981061
>
> This is me, of course - very accepting of newer ways of doing things,
> from electronics to kitchen toys. History sorts out the winners from
> the losers. Food gets made, whether it is an old fashioned Sunday
> roast or a sous vide tenderloin and all of that is fun. Think of it
> this way...I have not kneaded bread in ages. New fangled stretch and
> fold is so much more interesting, yet there are those who still swear
> that 10 minutes of elbow grease with a lump of dough is the only way
> to do it.
>
> (you know, lol, the kinds of things I am not accepting of, natch)

My wife and daughter and I went to McDonalds today. The place had been renovated and it was a pretty good glimpse as to the corporate direction McDonald's wants to take in some locations. The joint was more upscale with dark colors and dramatic, high-intensity led lighting. They're copying the Starbucks' vibe.

There's more open seating with fewer booths, the chairs aren't fixed to the floor, and there's more individual seating. They might be open to people lingering in the restaurant. There were kiosks for ordering and paying. You select from the big screen what you want and then take a table tent with a number on it. They want to cut back on humans taking orders. This is going to be and important trend.

The front counter has been greatly shortened so any order for pickup has less room for holding. The front counter had a wide opening with no door. They are expecting people to wait at a table and have their food delivered to the table. It's a good idea. Now I don't have to hang around the pickup area listening and waiting for my number to get called. It was quite a relaxed experience. The old way was like cattle waiting to be fed.