They got me wondering. Am I so ancient that I am not aware that fast food joints seems to be the latest ‘cafeteria’ for school kids? Just take a look at the pictures below.
The school kids, buying lunch at McD.
Look closely. McD is practically full of patrons who are actually school kids, and majority of them are not accompanied by their parents, but they’re sitting in groups, with their peers, happily eating and yakking away during lunch time. They did not come with their teachers for certain event or competition too, mind you.
It made me wonder… McD… is not exactly cheap, despite of their promotions during lunchtime. I mean… these kids got to have at least more than Rm10 in their pocket to be able to afford to eat this stuff. From what I understand through these kids’ conversation during lunch time, they have lunch in McD quite often. Some of the cashier even know their regular orders.
I’m not going to lecture about my concern over the nutritional values that these kids are taking. After all, I don’t quite give a damn about all these stuff. I’m the kind who would eat whatever that’s served on the table, as long as I’m not allergic to it and it tastes nice.
What I’m wondering is, how much these kids bring to school? Their pocket money must have been a lot to be able to afford eating at fast food joints quite often. Back in my time in school… I didn’t get enough pocket money to afford eating at fast food joints like this. My dad only gave me enough to spend in the cafeteria, and my daily spending at the cafeteria usually does not exceed RM2.50, considering that my mum usually packs up some home cook meal for me to enjoy during recess and lunchtime if I need to stay back in school.
Another issue that came to mind is safety. This McD is not exactly within walking distance to any school. That would mean these kids traveled by public transport and whatnot to get there. Shouldn’t this be somewhat a concern?
I almost never need to have lunch outside like these kids. I think I can say that I’m extremely lucky that I can have lunch at home every day. My mum cooks for the family everyday, for every single meal. Breakfast, lunch, tea-time, supper, you name it.
We only eat out occasionally. I’ve always preferred to eat at home. The food tastes better and it’s cooked to my liking. The only thing that we eat out is probably just the KFC… when I’m not feeling well or when my dad have the craving for some fast food.
I don’t remember my friends being able to afford to eat at the fast food joints frequently like these kids either. It’s unheard of.They would either eat at the school cafeteria or at home too. Their mum sometimes are working mothers, but back then, families subscribed to those monthly home-cook food to be delivered to the doorsteps, and growing kids are not deprived of home-cooked meals.
Time changes a lot of things, eh? Apart from having adopted fast food joints as a place to lurk instead of the usual mamak and cafeterias, the kids these days certainly are spoiled rotten.
I wonder if the kids knows the value of money, seeing how privileged most of them are. I don’t think kids of this era will have the memories of having their mum packing up stuff for them to enjoy during lunch or recess, unless they are in kindergarten, that is.
Cleffairy: ‘Maintenance fees’ for raising kids/teenagers these days is certainly a killer!
There is always 2 sides for everything. Maybe it is their parents tats too busy to cook for them? Many families dun even touch their kitchen nowadays.
Yes… true… no time… but why the kids go and eat at fast food joints instead of their school cafeteria? I mean… come on, not all fast food joints are in the vicinity of a school. Take this one for an example… this McD is not nearby any school. The nearest would be 8-10km away. So… that would mean the kids traveled there…by public transport and whatnot. Security issue also should be addressed, don’t you think so? And this is lunch time… what if some of these kids are playing truant? What if they are from the afternoon session kids? I really wonder…plus…don’t you think that having McD quite frequently is rather… damaging to the pocket?
You are so so right. I remember the younger days whereby a trip to KFC, A&W or McDs was a real treat for special occasions eg. birthdays. Nowadays, I cringe when I see those “lil ones” hvg more expensive handphones than mine.
+Ant+
Yea…back then it was a REAL treat. My dad only brings us to eat at those fast food joints during birthdays… and I will get very, very excited. These days, fast food are convenience…no longer treats like last time, eh?
i wan dan neh noh 2
*pengsan* Another littlebird!
what little bird..that one more like bird bird or ostrich la….
Wah! Now days kids are so good!! Eat McD for Lunch! my secondary school time only RM5 for my lunch.
Exactly lorr… I oso only get Rm5 everyday during my secondary school. Only enough to buy food and drinks at the canteen.
different values these days. and different pocket. some quite deep.
*sigh* Some kids are just lucky… lol…back then… such things are treats… not something that I can have on daily basis.
Nowadays all these cafes and aircon eateries depend on the young and not the elders..cos parents now mostly working, they can afford..
I guess so… but sometimes, I wonder lorr… if these kids knows how hard it is for the parents to earn $$?
maybe latchkey kids leh.
I saw some student having “Tuition” at McD also leh. They buy 1 coke then study there.
That sounds like the thing that I would do… but only during college years, not during school years. you should have seen these kids at lunch… yak around wan la… mana ada tuition. Some even paktor there wan leh.
Thanks for sharing your ability to see thing. This is a nice “ghost song”. Not that kind you see…
You’re welcome. Thank you for sharing the song too. 😀 Have a nice weekend.
And the canteens in the schools bukan main hebat…even way back in the mid-60s. I had a one-month stint in 1986 in Bukit Bintang Boys…and the canteen was like a big hawker centre/food court. You should come and see our canteen – more like a tuckshop…one counter selling not very edible food.
We do see a lot of students hanging in coffee shops here if they have extra classes in the afternoon and do not have time to go home…but not at such expensive places and when they hang around there in their free time, they would not be wearing their school uniform blatantly like that.
Ya…no need to talk about economic downturn or complain about rising prices. When people spend without control, prices sure to rise = inflation, too much money chasing too few goods! No need for the government to remove subsidies or impose GST or whatever…. Doesn’t change a thing! Maybe their money grows on trees!!!
Yea…. these days, those school canteen really hebat wan. not like my time. (make me sound so old, cilaka).
Seriously, in my time… my school… usually if stay back we only lepak at the canteen only…either that, or the small laksa stall in front of the school. Mana ada go to KFC or McD and all these sort of things.Unheard of. Mebbe that time we not that rich la… bawak to school oso Rm2-Rm 5 la, the most oso daily. Where got money for all these things? Makan in school canteen oso barely enough. Plus… last time, if parents are working… they would subscribe to those daily cook meals… yunno… delivery to ur house for lunch and dinner punya….so that the kids will go home to eat and wun rayau like this.
We also don’t go around in school uniform like this. Usually in the afternoon… if stayback it’s for those extra co-curicular activities… we would oredi change clothes, those baju sukan or casual tshirt…sked police tangkap ma… jalan around in uniform… even if just in front of the school.
Time change so much, eh? I don’t make it a habit to eat at fast food joints at noon. It really shocked me that day when I drop by for a quick lunch after going to the bank.
hmm.. so true.. I’ve always hang out at McD during my college years that I did not notice any problem.. It has become so normal seeing secondary kids at McD. When you point out the reality, I stone a minute. At first, I couldn’t see the problem with them hanging there as this trend had been going for sometime without me noticing the changes.. haha.. however, I tend to get your point after reading till the end.
It is true that kids nowadays live in a more luxury pace. I admit I am one of them as well eventhough I don’t go for McD during my secondary time. ^.^”
Family today are more well to go, they can afford more. Parents have gone through the era where they did not get much treat during childhood which is why most parents who can afford now tend to give their kids what they miss out on their own childhood. So that their kids have the luxury to enjoy it. Sometimes, I feel like it is a kind of compensation.
Depends on the limits though, if parents do not know where to draw a line, their kids wouldn’t know as well, which is why teenagers went stray. They have too much freedom and taken it for granted. It is such a sad case everytime I see crime evolve around teenagers.
Hmm.. I guess the cost of living today vary deeply with decades ago. Kids today don’t play ‘masak-masak’ already.. They play Cooking Mama..
I only hang out at McD in my college years. That one oso is during exam time. Go there to cram and get free flow of cokes.
Compensation is one thing… another thing is I wonder if these kids know how hard it is for the parents to earn money for all this?
I dunno… all these things makes me feel ancient. LOL… can’t understand all these teenage punks… hahahaha!
Lolz, this place looks like Center Point bandar Utama McD?? I used to have lunch during Fridays coz it’s near by office area….. Gosshh.. all the kiddos enjoying McD a lot.. until packed no place to sit.
I remember during my sec, mom gave me 1 week RM6 mon-sat (if sat I have sports on the Sat) other wise I have extra RM1 to save in my piggy bank. Lolz, my hometown don’t even have McD after 23 years McD actually come into my hometown ='( Geee…. kiddo are real luckily these days…