Ratings from the Gourmets

Granted. McDonald's cuisine is immensely popular, but how does it taste to a demanding critic of restaurants? TIME asked several of the nation's best-known food writers to sample the fare and render a judgment, bearing in mind that they were rating a fast-food operation rather than an aspirant to Guide Michelin accolades. The gourmets, few of whom had ever eaten at McDonald's before, were rather more impressed than might have been expected, though most found something to criticize. Their comments:

Craig Claiborne, publisher of a private food newsletter and former New York Times food critic: "The hamburgers are quite swallowable. There is a highly compatible onion flavor. The French fries are first-rate; they are made in fresh fat and are crisp. I do think they could put more pickle on the hamburger. Overall, I would rank them on a par with Howard Johnson's hamburgers."

James Beard, cookbook author: "McDonald's is a great machine that belches forth hamburgers. The whole thing is aimed at the six-year-old palate. They don't salt things enough, and the malts taste like melted ice cream. But the place is efficient and clean, and the help is pleasant. The packaging is damned smart because it insulates. The food may be more honest than some things you get at higher prices."

Julia Child, author and television chef: "The buns are a little soft. The Big Mac I like least because it's all bread. But the French fries are surprisingly good. It's remarkable that you can get that much food for under a dollar. It's not what you would call a balanced meal; it's nothing but calories. But it would keep you alive."

Gael Greene, New York magazine's Insatiable Critic: "When I want meat, I want a steak. But when I want a hamburger, I want a Big Mac. It has all those disreputable things--cheese made of glue, Russian dressing three generations removed from the steppes, and this very thin patty of something that is close enough to meat. It's an incredibly decadent eating experience. And I love the malts--thick, sweet and ice-cold. They're better than if they were real."

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