Victory for the little man - Supermacs v McDonalds

fullstop · 15-01-2019 9:13pm

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

Supermacs are not the "little man" nor do they have anything in common with the "little man"

They absolutely are. They aren't a big company at all.

sxt · 15-01-2019 9:17pm

Supermacs chips taste like chips I.e potatoes

McDonald's chips taste like over oiled saturated, rehydrated potatoes leftovers , with added salt, and beef flavoring. They have 17 ingredients in their fries ffs

elperello · 15-01-2019 9:28pm

fullstop wrote: »

They absolutely are. They aren't a big company at all.

Annual revenue over €100,000,000. That's a big company. Granted not as big as McDonalds but big just the same.

fullstop · 15-01-2019 9:43pm

elperello wrote: »

Annual revenue over €100,000,000. That's a big company. Granted not as big as McDonalds but big just the same.

In the QSR game, it's not.

elperello · 15-01-2019 9:48pm

fullstop wrote: »

In the QSR game, it's not.

In the chip shop game it's a big company.
Support your local chipper if you must have fast food.

(by the way I'm not in the trade just prefer to support small business's)

15-01-2019 10:27pm

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

To be fair they have to protect their trademark. And giving in once causes a precedent.

There's a difference between trademark preservation and using a name that pre-existed the trademark. That is expecially true of the Mini repairmen.

rossie1977 · 15-01-2019 10:43pm

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

I got Supermacs burgers a couple of times and they always repeat on me.

I went to the McDs drive tru recently and got one of their selected burgers - really good but you pay for it. The chips are poor, too thin for me and drowned in salt.

You can ask for chips with no salt in McDonald's. Means they have to cook fresh batch for you too.

Self service machines are great because you can customize everything like no ice in drinks, no salt on chips, no bun on burger if you want

SEPT 23 1989 · 15-01-2019 10:46pm

a victory for the rednecks

mr_edge_to_you · 15-01-2019 11:02pm

Always Tired wrote: »

you mean victory for a company that pays all it's employees minimum wage, has anyone not management on zero hour contracts, deducts money from their employees for their uniform, staff meal, and makes them clock out for not only lunch breaks but bathroom breaks and smoke breaks and oh yeah, most of em put every sandwich/meal up by 1 euro, ostensibly to cover the VAT and min wage rises that came in this year, but they put the prices up start of December so they would get a pile of extra cash during the Christmas period when people are splashing out.

if you think they're some plucky underdog who isn't just as rotten as McD's...

I worked in a Supermacs in college. You'd be working from 6pm to 4:30am and you'd get a 30 minute break and a 15 minute break - both unpaid. Same would apply for 8am to 6pm.

I remember having the weekly deduction for uniforms.

Conditions were pretty poor overall - eventually premium payments for Sunday and Bank Holidays came in.

Guy:Incognito · 15-01-2019 11:46pm

mikemac2 wrote: »

A Canadian teenager getting cease & desist letters from a corporation in Washington State? Not even the same citizenship of this large corporation

My support lies with the young chap. What sin did he commit apart from being named by his parents and having an interest in software. Microsoft don't own Mike Rowe imo

Mikerowesoft.com , really?

Chose it completely by accident did he?

He knew what he was at and that's why you know who he is.

franglan · 15-01-2019 11:51pm

Soggy chips always fresh, never frozen!

Harry Palmr · 16-01-2019 12:04am

It's not really about liking Supermacs to be honest. Sometimes you just need to take on the mega corps (and the injury claims chancers).

poisonated · 16-01-2019 12:18am

Supermacs is ok. Nothing special tbh

Hotblack Desiato · 16-01-2019 12:26am

delly wrote: »

Spermacs

Don't order the "shake"

Stephen15 · 16-01-2019 12:31am

sxt wrote: »

Supermacs chips taste like chips I.e potatoes

McDonald's chips taste like over oiled saturated, rehydrated potatoes leftovers , with added salt, and beef flavoring. They have 17 ingredients in their fries ffs

I think comparing McDonalds and Supermacs chips are like comparing Pringles and Tayto. One are made from real potatoes with some added ingredients such as flavouring and salt but the are made mostly from artificial ingredients.

Stephen15 · 16-01-2019 12:38am

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

Supermacs are not the "little man" nor do they have anything in common with the "little man"

True Pat McDonagh himself now appears to be proven to a be a fraudster by forging signatures on made up submissions in support of a new service station in Ennnis.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/my-signature-was-forged-clare-locals-caught-up-in-fake-submissions-on-service-station-plan-1.3604135

magma69 · 16-01-2019 12:45am

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

Supermacs are not the "little man" nor do they have anything in common with the "little man"

I believe McDonalds pay better too.

elperello · 16-01-2019 12:46am

Stephen15 wrote: »

True Pat McDonagh himself now appears to be proven to a be a fraudster by forging signatures on made up submissions in support of a new service station in Ennnis.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/my-signature-was-forged-clare-locals-caught-up-in-fake-submissions-on-service-station-plan-1.3604135

Far from proven.
The company disowned the forged submissions.

Amalgam · 16-01-2019 12:52am

McDonalds were being w*nkers in Europe, to try and stop Supermacs, they trademarked, 'Snackbox', as far as I can tell.

It wasn't just about this, McDonalds have been preemptively trademarking anything they think might stop or slow down Supermacs..

fullstop · 16-01-2019 12:54am

elperello wrote: »

In the chip shop game it's a big company.
Support your local chipper if you must have fast food.

(by the way I'm not in the trade just prefer to support small business's)

This isn’t “the chip shop game”. It’s a small company taking on one of the biggest companies in the world, with 40,000 restaurants worldwide.

fullstop · 16-01-2019 12:55am

sxt wrote: »

Supermacs chips taste like chips I.e potatoes

McDonald's chips taste like over oiled saturated, rehydrated potatoes leftovers , with added salt, and beef flavoring. They have 17 ingredients in their fries ffs

Not in Europe.

begbysback · 16-01-2019 1:25am

Anyone else hungry reading through this thread?

Guy:Incognito · 16-01-2019 1:29am

sxt wrote: »

. They have 17 ingredients in their fries ffs

These companys have websites with information on them now.

http://www.mcdonalds.ie/iehome/promotions/trust-potatoes.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiApvbhBRDXARIsALnNoK2JAEVtkG0i5GotF4AhJ5ZaSOmt5VlfKTqPyzZoAcMFDumUf0ZsNuoaArZ8EALw_wcB

RMAOK · 16-01-2019 2:07am

begbysback wrote: »

Anyone else hungry reading through this thread?

Yes. For KFC, for some reason

whisky_galore · 16-01-2019 3:21am

Legend has it the further a Supermacs is from Galway, the ****tier the food is.

Massiveguganga · 16-01-2019 4:20am

The dashboard of Hiaces and Golf gtd are littered with supermacs my way.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater · 16-01-2019 4:41am

whisky_galore wrote: »

There's a lad with takeaways in co cork and limerick called McDonal's.

And a place in Abbeyfeale called Super Ma's!

begbysback wrote: »

Anyone else hungry reading through this thread?

I'm in New Zealand and reading this thread is the farthest I've felt from home in a while, I'd murder a Garlic Cheese Chips and a Mighty Mac and I know I can't get it!

Omackeral · 16-01-2019 4:51am

tomoliver wrote: »

Have the cows commented yet?

their the major player in all this

Pull the udder one.

KungPao · 16-01-2019 5:00am

The legal teams for Wheatbisk and Wheat Shreds must be putting their cases together as we speak.

And now to open another can of Breysers, the true King of beers.

Bottoms up!

Omackeral · 16-01-2019 5:07am

KungPao wrote: »

The legal teams for Wheatbisk and Wheat Shreds must be putting their cases together as we speak.

And now to open another can of Breysers, the true King of beers.

Bottoms up!

Crack open a packet of these bad boys while you're at it.

Grab All Association · 16-01-2019 5:11am

McDonald’s is the largest buyer of Bord Bia Quality Assured meat in Ireland and its bacon comes from Dew Valley in Thurles. This beef and bacon isn’t only purchased for the Irish market.

McDonald’s probably contributes a lot more to the Irish economy and society than supermacs does. McDonald’s employees are better paid and have more opportunities to upskill. McDonald’s also provides accommodation to the families of sick children in hospital.

pleas advice · 16-01-2019 5:45am

KungPao wrote: »

And now to open another can of Breysers, the true King of beers.

Bottoms up!

what's the story with this stuff? i'd presume there was a legal settlement years ago

Edit:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budweiser_trademark_dispute

The dispute has been ongoing since 1907, and has involved more than 100 court cases around the world. As a result, Budweiser Budvar has the rights to the name Budweiser in most of Europe and Anheuser-Busch InBev has this right in North America. Consequently, AB InBev uses the name "Bud" in most of Europe and Budvar sells its beer in North America under the name "Czechvar". In other territories, one or other or even both may use the name, depending on local trademark law.

nice_guy80 · 16-01-2019 9:05am

There used to be a chipper in Galway called the Snack Box. Was right across from Taaffes and did an unreal snack box
I wonder did McDonalds force them to close?

Hotblack Desiato · 16-01-2019 11:21am

Grab All Association wrote: »

McDonald’s also provides accommodation to the families of sick children in hospital.

It's unclear how much of that money comes from the public, and how much actually comes from McDonald's.

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/simon-harris-s-big-idea-the-kentucky-fried-chicken-pox-wing-1.3745309

McDonald’s, however, has been able to reap the benefits of having the facility named after it while also finding ways to offset the onerous financial burden that the association places on the $100 billion company.

Fun runs, cycles, charity walks and presumably containers beside the cash register are used to raise funds from their customers that McDonald’s itself presumably cannot afford.

The numerical breakdown of how much of the funds McDonald’s contributes from its profits and those that are collected from their customers in their restaurants may well not be getting through to the general public but the branding association continues unaffected.

Pretty unethical to use a hospital to promote junk food to children, though.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/options-are-limited-for-raising-funds-for-children-s-hospital-1.3741791

Ronald McDonald House – the charitable arm of the McDonalds fast-food chain – is providing parents’ accommodation in a 53-bed block at the new hospital, an arrangement that has been criticised as inappropriate by the HSE’s own anti-obesity leader.

Supermac's is hardly healthy eating but they don't aggressively market themselves towards children in the same way.

Laois_Man · 16-01-2019 11:29am

Sebastian Dangerfield wrote: »

Has the trademark of "Big Mac" by McDonalds been cancelled as the article reports, or just McDonalds opposition to the use of the Supermacs brand outside of Ireland?

I find the article confusing... "“This is a victory for all small businesses. It prevents bigger companies from hoarding trademarks with no intention of using them.” Is someone suggesting that McDonald's does not utilise the "Big Mac" trademark?

McDonalds have hoarded a ton of registered trademarks they do not use!

Maximus Alexander · 16-01-2019 11:45am

I don't know much about Supermacs, but their garlic and cheese chips are just the right medicine at 2am after a feed of pints.

AMKC · 16-01-2019 5:42pm

Always Tired wrote: »

you mean victory for a company that pays all it's employees minimum wage, has anyone not management on zero hour contracts, deducts money from their employees for their uniform, staff meal, and makes them clock out for not only lunch breaks but bathroom breaks and smoke breaks and oh yeah, most of em put every sandwich/meal up by 1 euro, ostensibly to cover the VAT and min wage rises that came in this year, but they put the prices up start of December so they would get a pile of extra cash during the Christmas period when people are splashing out.

if you think they're some plucky underdog who isn't just as rotten as McD's...

deducts money from their employees for their uniform

Tesco is worse. In Tesco the staff have to buy there own uniforms.

James Brown · 16-01-2019 5:45pm

tomoliver wrote: »

Have the cows commented yet?

their the major player in all this

To be fair they have a steak in it

Terrlock · 16-01-2019 5:48pm

kneemos wrote: »

Supermacs ruin shoite food.

MacDonald's at least add a bit of flavour to their crap.

I disagree, Supermacs while still fast food is superior in every way to MacDonalds

Ray Bloody Purchase · 16-01-2019 5:53pm

nice_guy80 wrote: »

There used to be a chipper in Galway called the Snack Box. Was right across from Taaffes and did an unreal snack box
I wonder did McDonalds force them to close?

Bon Iver worked there for a while when he lived in Galway apparently (prior to being famous).

BENDYBINN · 16-01-2019 5:57pm

AMKC wrote: »

deducts money from their employees for their uniform

Tesco is worse. In Tesco the staff have to buy there own uniforms.

in Ryan’s air you have to pay 3000 “to get trained”

DS86DS · 16-01-2019 6:01pm

At least the food in Supermacs looks and tastes real, unlike the cardboard feeling and taste of McDonalds.

The only problem I have with Supermacs is their Garlic Cheese Chips. A tiny tray with a load of grated cheese just dumped on top. WTF is up with that?

JohnnyFlash · 16-01-2019 6:19pm

Ray Bloody Purchase wrote: »

Bon Iver worked there for a while when he lived in Galway apparently (prior to being famous).

Snackbox Love.

Gimme A Pound · 16-01-2019 6:30pm

whisky_galore wrote: »

Legend has it the further a Supermacs is from Galway, the ****tier the food is.

There's just one in the centre of Cork and it's riddled. Only very specific members of society appear to partake.

The rest are either petrol stations or there's one in a business/retail park which might be ok.

Gimme A Pound · 16-01-2019 6:37pm

Audrey Faint Kelp wrote: »

Am I missing the joke here?

2:44 near the end:

https://youtu.be/LX99tUMAhtI

EdgeCase · 16-01-2019 6:42pm

sxt wrote: »

Supermacs chips taste like chips I.e potatoes

McDonald's chips taste like over oiled saturated, rehydrated potatoes leftovers , with added salt, and beef flavoring. They have 17 ingredients in their fries ffs

For some reason McDonnald's chips give me awful heartburn. I don't know what it is about them but I avoid like the plague. I didn't realise they had 17 ingredients. It might explain it!

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 16-01-2019 7:51pm

Carter Tall Meatball wrote: »

Wow, it's like David versus Goliath, only this time... David won!

PMan wrote: »

Am I missing the joke here?

Homer Simpson quote.

whisky_galore · 16-01-2019 8:02pm

EdgeCase wrote: »

For some reason McDonnald's chips give me awful heartburn. I don't know what it is about them but I avoid like the plague. I didn't realise they had 17 ingredients. It might explain it!

They're not worthy of the name 'chip', theyre reconstituted potato starch.

BeerWolf · 16-01-2019 8:09pm

Tried Supermacs once at O'Connell's, years ago, and never again... thought the food was absolute muck. Their chips was beyond mediocre, and the burger subpar...

Thankfully there's a Burger King right beside!

Galwayguy35 · 16-01-2019 8:37pm

Wouldn't work in either place, on minimum wage and having to put up with dogs abuse at the weekend from people tanked up on beer at 2am.

Victory for the little man - Supermacs v McDonalds

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