Five years ago, we warned you that before long, “artisanal” would become the new “organic,” and companies would adopt it in their marketing. The prediction came true, and companies like McDonald’s and Arby’s are advertising “artisan” mass-produced meat products. In advertising their artisan grilled chicken products, McDonald’s may be taking their “we use real food, honest” thing a little too far.

Reader Gayle spotted this sign at her local McDonald’s, and it reminded her of our post featuring a McDonald’s placemat that reminds customers that they used to use highly-processed beef trimmings, or “pink slime,” in their burgers.

The basic idea is good: they’re trying to get across the idea that McDonald’s uses simple ingredients like the ones people use to cook from scratch in their home kitchens, including “pantry spices.” Or they’re threatening to come to my house and steal all of my food: I’m not quite sure which.

“I guess they figure to improve the quality of the food and save money they’ll use what’s in OUR refrigerators/kitchens!” Gayle wrote. Artisan meats, pantry spices…McDonald’s is going a little too far to try to attract an American public that is more concerned about what goes in their food.

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