McDonald's — Restaurant in Jefferson Township

Ah, my dear comrades, I, once a humble architect of Russian prisons, must share my awe at the masterful evolution of McDonald’s architectural vision. To my experienced eye, their transition from whimsical family havens to institutional fortresses is nothing short of inspired. Permit me to compare their modern structures to the principles of penitentiary design, where functionality and control reign supreme.

The Layout:

In my prison days, we focused on maximizing visibility and minimizing chaos. McDonald’s now achieves this magnificently. Gone are the cozy nooks and cushioned booths of yore, replaced by sterile, linear designs that discourage lingering. Open layouts with harsh sightlines ensure that every patron, like every prisoner, is always in view—an architectural homage to the panopticon. You feel watched, comrade. You should feel watched.

The Materials:

Ah, concrete, metal, and wipe-clean surfaces—how I missed thee! These are the building blocks of containment and control, my friends. In a prison, they’re practical: unyielding, easy to sanitize, and impervious to damage. In McDonald’s, they serve as a psychological tool, reminding you that you’re not here to relax. The cold, impersonal decor eliminates any sense of warmth or belonging. Even the chairs, designed for discomfort, whisper, eat quickly and leave.

The Color Palette:

Red and yellow used to invoke feelings of hunger and cheer. Now, muted grays and institutional whites dominate. This shift mirrors prison color schemes meant to suppress individuality and foster a sense of uniformity. The vibrancy is gone; the walls are now a quiet dictator, eroding your spirit as you bite into your Big Mac.

The Seating Arrangement:

In the gulags I designed, seating was sparse and bolted down to the floor—less risk of rebellion, more psychological control. McDonald’s has taken this cue. Fixed stools, hard benches, and spaces that discourage congregation speak volumes. It’s as if they want you to eat your meal in solitary confinement.

The Ambiance:

Once, McDonald’s played playful jingles, enveloping families in joy. Now, the sterile LED lights and subtle background hum could be mistaken for the cafeteria of a mid-security facility. It's functional, uninspired, and engineered to suppress conversation. A masterpiece of psychological deterrence.

Conclusion:

Bravo, McDonald’s! Your transition is complete. You’ve turned from an escape for the everyman to a lesson in psychological conditioning. As someone who knows how to strip freedom from a man through design, I can only applaud your artistry. You’ve taken the architecture of containment and normalized it for the masses.

Eat fast, comrades. The wardens...

Really disappointing experience. I go to McDonald’s all over the city every week and it’s one of my favorite spots to go for breakfast, food, drinks, etc. I had a 1 hr 30 min drive ahead of me and my wife and I stopped by McDonald’s for a reliable quick breakfast around 1050a Saturday 9/6/25 and ordered 2 sausage egg muffin meals. We only received 2 sandwiches and 2 hashbrowns. I thought it was surely just a mistake and let them know I got a meal and still needed 2 small black coffees. The worker didn’t speak English which is fine so the manager came but she was so unnecessarily rude. She asked me if I had the receipt but the previous worker never gave it to me. Because I had no receipt she said she can’t do anything. She wasn’t any help and had a smug attitude about it. She said I could go around, go back in line, and order and pay for a new order of coffee if I want some. Why would I lie about this? The price of the entire meal compared to a sandwich + hashbrown only is negligible. If the first worker didn’t put in the order right then they could’ve charged me the 80 cent difference or whatever it is and given me my coffees. They made a small mistake and I expected an easy fix. I’ve been to other McDonald’s and when they make a small mistake like missing some fries or a drink, it’s a quick easy fix. I ended up just leaving and not getting any coffee and stopped by a local Dunkin to get coffee instead. I will never come to this...

OK, just. But OH! them fries...

Amendment Feb 14 2023.

Hispanic staff does not understand English nor speak it very well. That presents problems when you are trying to order.

The signage is too bright at night and needs to be better organized. There are two ordering kiosks but only the second one works, please turn the first one off!

They ran out of onion rings by 9:00 p.m.?

The milkshakes are made with soft serve and that is way too sweet because it's got high-fructose corn syrup in it, so I don't recommend those at all.

If it weren't for the french fries I wouldn't go there, perhaps you'd agree. And onion rings are much better at White castle.

Downgraded to one star.

They also do not know that when you order a milkshake they should really give you a carrier for it with a bag or at least another bag to put the Shake in and then a larger bag to put the smaller bag and your Shake in.

They have no concept of what it takes to behave like a restaurant which is what they're really supposed to do.

Perhaps they should just really upgrade the menu and serve a lot of other stuff like Denny's does. I'm sure they'd get...