Project: LOOP

There are two specific McDonald’s in the Loop that interest me. One is on the corner of Wabash and Adams. The other is on State Street in between Jackson and Adams. I eat lunch at one of these fast food restaurants every now and then. Here, at McDonald’s, you can always learn about how people think and interact with each other.

Here, at McDonald’s, you can always learn about how people think and interact with each other. 

“You idiots put chocolate at the bottom of my strawberry shake!”
No response. No one helped this man in distress, screaming his heart out at the staff at the McDonald’s on Wabash and Adams. He was aggressive and upset. The customers stared on at the senior citizen with think black headphones. The employees ignored him completely without even a side glance.

“Get out of here you bad, bad man!”
The security guard escorted a man out the front door. Apparently, since I eavesdropped on the guard’s conversation with a father and son having lunch together, the “bad man” was attempting some sort of offensive act in the men’s restroom on the second floor of this McDonald’s on State Street.

Then again, it’s not all bad. There are people who show consideration, and help their fellow lunch strangers.

“Kids!” A suburban mom inquired to her three children. “Do you see any seats available?!”
This was a busy day at McDonald’s, at the peak of lunch time. The family must have been taking a break from a big day in the city. A middle-aged man with many newspapers alone at a table for four gestured his arm over for the woman to sit.
“Here, please.” The man said. “Take this table. I don’t need all this space for myself.”
“Oh, thank you. Thank you so much.” They sat down. “Wasn’t that nice of him to let us use this table?”

Also, there are always at least four or five different languages spoken in the restaurant, always someone who desperately needs and asks for more napkins or ketchup, always one person screaming passionately on their cell phone about work or personal-related drama, and always a customer who leaves their dirty tray and burger wrappers on the table or the ground for the employees to clean up.

At McDonald’s, you can always learn something.