That Hobbit Lady

This is going to be one of those “I’m appalled!” posts. The other day I went into McDonald’s for my standing order lunch of a side salad and iced tea, and saw that they were recalling the Shrek glasses. I asked the girl behind the counter why, and she said she had no idea. (She really didn’t know…or didn’t care…or was instructed not to say anything?) Anyway, as I was eating, I looked it up on my smart-phone, and found out that cadmium, a toxic metal, has been found in the design on the glasses.

I’m appalled!

The funny part is that when I asked why they were being recalled, I sort of already knew. I remember many years ago there being an issue about glasses with designs on them, and how you weren’t actually supposed to drink out of them, because there could be toxins. Only back then, when I was a kid, I don’t think we used the word “toxins,” we probably said they were “poisonous” or simply that there was “lead” in them. At any rate, that always stuck with me, and to this day I will not buy or drink out of a glass that has a design on the side.

I guess I’ve been right, and smart, all this time.

But what I’m appalled about is that a BIG company like McDonald’s could actually get to the point in this promotion where they have distributed—what?—maybe MILLIONS of these things to the unsuspecting public before they even think about asking whether or not there might be a problem.

Problems:

1. As I said, this whole issue of imprinted glasses being unsafe to drink from is not a new concept, it was around even when I was a kid. Are the executives at McDonald’s saying they never knew this COULD happen?

2. And if they knew it COULD happen (and I have to believe they knew it could happen), did it never occur to them to TEST this product before putting it on the market?

3. I say “before they even think about asking,” but the way I heard the story, they DIDN’T think about asking, it was brought to their attention by an outside source. So, if this outside source had never said anything, kids might be drinking from these glasses for years and years, and McDonald’s would never know, and never care, and never do anything about it.

It’s just inconceivable to me that something like this could happen. Especially with a company as big as McDonald’s. Russ points out that they probably got the glasses from a supplier who assured them that everything was safe and on the up-and-up. And…what? They took their WORD for it? I mean, if I were the powers that be at McDonald’s, I wouldn’t take anything for granted. How much could it have cost them to do a few simple tests before going into full-scale production? After all, this is their REPUTATION they’re talking about. A nationwide reputation.

Now I know what you’re going to say. A joint that peddles fat-laden, corn-syruped, over-salted JUNK food…what do they care about their customers’ health? If they cared about our health, they wouldn’t be in business at all. But still, there’s a VAST difference between selling someone a cheeseburger and selling them a cadmium-laced drinking vessel!!

I hate being cynical and suspicious, but I don’t think it’s without cause. For me, this is just another nail in the coffin of trusting idealism. The fact is, big business is in the business of staying big. If the little man gets hurt along the way, so be it.

Yes, of course now they’re recalling the glasses and giving people back a little more than they actually paid for them. But what else can they do? How else can they save face? By giving back a little more than people actually paid, now somehow they hope to look like “the good guys.” At least I’m sure that’s the general idea.

I wonder if they American public will quickly forget this ever happened, or if as a result of this fiasco more people than ever before will take the lid off the bun of their cheeseburger to give it a quick check before eating it.

Or maybe, less people than ever before will even think about going to McDonald’s for a cheeseburger. Maybe many people will find that cadmium leaves a bad taste in the mouth, whether or not they ever actually drank from the Shrek glasses.