Oscar nominee James Franco has taken on a new role: Defender of the often-ridiculed McDonald’s.
Mind you, the actor only worked at the fast-food restaurant for three months. But that didn’t stop him from writing a 950-word defense of the purveyor of Big Macs, Happy Meals, and Egg McMuffins in The Washington Post. He says McDonald’s (MCD) was there for him before he became a working actor.
Here are some of Franco’s most notable musings in defense of the fast food chain:
1. Franco, the whistleblower.
The Academy Award-nominated actor says he hates to break it to you, but “everyone” ate straight from the fry hopper. “You’d walk by and snag a fry and pop it in your mouth.” He also added a ton of salt to the fries because that’s how he liked them. He isn’t sure if customers ever complained.
2. He wants the turnaround to work.
Earlier this week, McDonald’s generated headlines when new CEO Steve Easterbrook told Wall Street that he understands the “urgent need” to fix the chain. His plans, however, were short on specifics about improving the quality and reputation of the chain’s food and customer service, and instead were more about McDonald’s new organizational structure.
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Franco says he wants “the strategy to work.” As a college dropout with dreams of becoming an actor, Franco took a job working the late shift drive-thru position at a McDonald’s. It was there he practiced fake accents for scenes for his acting class. “McDonald’s was there for me. When no one else was.”
3. But he only eats there once a year.
In the final paragraph of Franco’s Washington Post opinion piece, the actor sums up why McDonald’s is failing. He admits that after reading “Fast Food Nation,” he finds it hard to trust the grade of the meat. That’s been a huge issue for McDonald’s. Fast-casual chains like Chipotle (CMG) have successfully convinced consumers, in particular Millennials, that for just a few dollars more than what they would spend at McDonald’s, they can get a better meal with higher quality ingredients.
Franco says “maybe once a year” he will stop by a McDonald’s for a simple cheeseburger.
Easterbrook can sure count on Franco’s support, but shouldn’t expect the actor to help boost lagging traffic.
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