Tipping at McDonalds

August 16, 2000 9:52 AM

Tipping at McDonalds *this* is what a private citizen does? This entire "spontaneous" stop seems awfully contrived to produce warm fuzzies on the part of the public. I mean, how often does one of us 'normal' folk leave a twenty dollar tip or go behind the counter for pictures at a fast food place?
posted by tsitzlar (18 comments total)

I think it's hilarious.
posted by milhous at 10:38 AM on August 16, 2000

Contrived? Getting McDonalds is probably the first genuine thing he's done.
posted by Nyarlathotep at 11:31 AM on August 16, 2000

This reminds me of that skit on SNL where Phil Hartman played Clinton stopping by a McDonald's while jogging. He ends up stealing a little bit of food from everyone and explaining foreign policy to people with his mouth full, spitting stuff everywhere.
posted by jkottke at 12:09 PM on August 16, 2000

What ya wanna bet Clinton's gonna be in a couple Mickey Dee commercials soon as he's "back in the private sector"? I bet he pulls his saxophone out of the mothballs too. God help us.

Love'm or hate'm, Clinton's about the closest thing this country has to ...well, then again I just can't compare him to royalty.. or celebrity. He's not like any president living or dead. The man's quite an anomaly. I have trouble imagining he'll be a recluse, but he's also not gonna stand for just being Hillary Clinton's 'first gentleman of New York.' He loves being the center of attention, and even though he'll be thrown in court eight different ways by this time next year, he's always landed on his feet. Slick Willie's gonna be with us, for good or ill, for several years to come.

Anyone wanna start a betting pool? How many weeks it takes before Clinton is offered an option to have his own tv or radio talk show? Imagine: a daytime show slotted up against Oprah Winfrey (probably owned and operated by Oprah) Bill Clinton's Town Hall.

...Toto we ain't in Kansas anymore.
posted by ZachsMind at 12:13 PM on August 16, 2000

I remember reading the coverage of the '92 election in Details (back in the pre-web days when it seemed to offer an insight into American culture). Clinton had the "man of the people" off to a T even then: he'd take "unscheduled" trips to diners and convenience stores, press the flesh and flash the smile. And no matter what you think of the man, he's definitely got more charisma than both the current candidates put together.

He's two months younger than GWB. He's younger than my dad. He's actually smart. And to be honest, it'd be good if he actually takes up the rumoured visiting professorship here. Venison for dinner: though I doubt he'd retire to the SCR for port and cigars.
posted by holgate at 12:44 PM on August 16, 2000

So when are we gonna see the link to the Ad Age article telling about Clinton signing a bajillion dollar McD's endorsement contract?
posted by endquote at 1:26 PM on August 16, 2000

All I know is that I was stuck in a 5 mile traffic backup while they had the freeway closed off while he pulled this little stunt!
posted by tj at 1:35 PM on August 16, 2000

Clinton had the "man of the people" off to a T even then: he'd take "unscheduled" trips to diners and convenience stores, press the flesh and flash the smile.

But the great thing is, he's doing all this stuff because he loves it, not because he's trying to impress someone? What, just because he's been the President now, he can't enjoy a little of "real life"? This is as close as he's going to be able to get, so maybe it's staged, but that's because the Secret Service won't let him have it any other way.

Holgate is right, he's a genuinely nice guy in person. I'm from Arkansas, and I knew a lot of people who were friends with him. Heck, my high-school English teacher dated him in college! For the most part they really liked him (remember, this was when he was governor and just as controversial in Arkansas as he has been in Washington), and even if they didn't, they definitely loved Hillary. I've met them both briefly, and they really are quite charming individuals.

If Bill's smart (which he is) he'll be endorsing Mickey D's and more. It's gotta be a better job than Bob Dole has endorsing Viagra.
posted by daveadams at 2:52 PM on August 16, 2000

i don't think Clinton will ever be just another private citizen - he's too vain
posted by alethe at 2:53 PM on August 16, 2000

I think he should be Conan's new sidekick on Late Night.
posted by Nyarlathotep at 3:16 PM on August 16, 2000

I was sorta hopin' he'd just retire to San Clemente and fade into obscurity until the phlebitis finally kills him. Uh, no, wait...
posted by quonsar at 3:41 PM on August 16, 2000

He loves being the center of attention, and even though he'll be thrown in court eight different ways by this time next year, he's always landed on his feet.

Anyone wanna register fuckedpolitician.com?

(I'd have said fuckedpresident.com, but we've already had the threatening the president conversation this month, and the Secret Service doesn't have any more of a sense of humor than the FBI.)
posted by baylink at 5:02 PM on August 16, 2000

But the great thing is, he's doing all this stuff because he loves it, not because he's trying to impress someone? What, just because he's been the President now, he can't enjoy a little of "real life"? This is as close as he's going to be able to get, so maybe it's staged, but that's because the Secret Service won't let him have it any other way.
Well, as an individual with a B.S. in POLS (concentration: American politics) I read this entire thing another way. It was to impress someone -- look at the timing. Don't you find it the least bit odd that this occurred immediately after "symbolically" handing the reins to Gore?
This was a political maneuver, plain and simple. He needed positive press to help spin the Clinton stain away from Gore. Because of this little stint into MickeyD's we now see "Ordinary Guy Leaves White House" rather than "Clinton Passes Adultry Mantle to Gore".

posted by tsitzlar at 7:30 PM on August 16, 2000

Ok I think we were talking about tipping at McDonalds. :) Businesses like grocery stores and probably fast food restaurants frown upon taking tips from customers.. when it's not a norm like a regular restaurant the business thinks it's like having a customer pay for something they're already paying for. Like customers always gave me some change when I helped them bring their groceries to their car, the boss wants customers to think that they shouldn't be forced to tip for a free service though.
posted by thirdball at 8:17 PM on August 16, 2000

Remember, too, that Clinton's had to put up with sending out for pizza these past eight years. (Now that was the revelation from the Starr report that really surprised me: I can't imagine Our Glorious Tony doing that...) So he's used to tipping by force of habit. And that Hillary got lambasted for not tipping the waitress at a NYC diner. So you can't win either way: you're either tight or out of touch.

(And yeah, I tip 10%.)
posted by holgate at 1:08 AM on August 17, 2000

i think the funniest part of the article was when he says, "you guys go out and have some fun"...i imagine a little wink-wink, nudge-nudge, but that's only because of the clinton scandal i guess.
posted by Butterfly at 7:54 AM on August 17, 2000

Re thirdball's comment, at McDonald's they specifically prohibit employees from taking tips, at all, ever. If you get caught taking a tip you get fired.
posted by wiremommy at 1:49 PM on August 17, 2000