finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by finaledition on Jul 30, 2021 4:08:36 GMT
We were discussing with some friends how our kids have never shown the same level of interest in watching the Olympics as we did as kids. We were so into them. And that sparked a memory for dh and as he was sharing I’m pretty sure I remember it too. This would have been in the 70s early 80s-no later. But he recalls that McDonalds would award you an item from their menu if the USA medaled in a specific event. We are thinking like a hamburger for the gold, fries for a silver and a drink for a bronze. This is so vague a memory, but we both recall something like that. Anyone remember if that actually happened.? We both think it made us more into it because when you’re 8, a McDonalds hamburger was a pretty cool reward back then. 😉
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chendra
Pearl Clutcher
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Location: The 33rd State
Jun 27, 2014 16:58:50 GMT
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Post by chendra on Jul 30, 2021 4:13:48 GMT
It was "the US Wins, You Win" promotion in 1984. A gold medal was worth a Big Mac, and since the USSR boycotted, we all won a bunch of Big Macs and were longing for fries and drinks to go with them!
ETA: Not a distant memory for me because I was a teenager with a lame summer job at the time and I ate at McDonald's often because I kept winning free Big Macs! 😄
You would receive a game piece with each order, scratch it to reveal the event, then refer to the poster display in the lobby with updated results. Surprise! Another Big Mac. And another game piece.
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kimi
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Aug 11, 2020 21:47:04 GMT
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Post by kimi on Jul 30, 2021 4:16:03 GMT
I remember McD had Olympic related promotions during the 70s where you were given a game piece that showed a medal, an event, and a McD prize. If the US won that medal in that event you would win that prize.
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finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by finaledition on Jul 30, 2021 4:16:37 GMT
It was "the US Wins, You Win" promotion in 1984. A gold medal was worth a Big Mac, and since the USSR boycotted, we all won a bunch of Big Macs and were longing for fries and drinks to go with them! Thanks. I was sure this had to happen when I was really young, but I was in high school then so now I guess I’m just old with a bad memory🤣 |
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chendra
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,860
Location: The 33rd State
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Post by chendra on Jul 30, 2021 4:18:00 GMT
It was "the US Wins, You Win" promotion in 1984. A gold medal was worth a Big Mac, and since the USSR boycotted, we all won a bunch of Big Macs and were longing for fries and drinks to go with them! Thanks. I was sure this had to happen when I was really young, but I was in high school then so now I guess I’m just old with a bad memory🤣 They could have done it for earlier Olympics as well, but I vividly remember 1984 because of the summer job circumstances. |
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finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by finaledition on Jul 30, 2021 4:18:21 GMT
I remember McD had Olympic related promotions during the 70s where you were given a game piece that showed a medal, an event, and a McD prize. If the US won that medal in that event you would win that prize. I’m pretty sure this had to be what he was thinking of. Because he kept saying he was rooting for sports he’d never really watched because he wanted to win the prize. |
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chendra
Pearl Clutcher
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Location: The 33rd State
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Post by chendra on Jul 30, 2021 4:23:39 GMT
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Post by Skellinton on Jul 30, 2021 4:33:08 GMT
Totally remember that too!
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Post by bc2ca on Jul 30, 2021 4:34:04 GMT
I did not grow up in the US, so have no memory of the McDonalds rewards plan but wanted to comment on the lack kids interest today. IMHO, it comes down to what else was available.
When I was a kid, we had 13 channels with cable (only 3 without). Summer TV was 100% reruns and cartoons were only on Saturday morning.
The Olympics were new and exciting, packaged as a Primetime show that the family watched together. There weren't 24/7 options to watch or stream.
Today we can watch world championships, national championships and Olympic trials in any and every sport continuously making it anticlimactic by the time we get to the Olympics.
I also think eliminating the amateur only aspect has made the Olympics less interesting.
Olga Korbut and Nadia Comaneci were not household names before their respective Olympics. We didn't know who the "stars" were until after an event was finished.
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Post by Skellinton on Jul 30, 2021 4:37:36 GMT
I did not grow up in the US, so have no memory of the McDonalds rewards plan but wanted to comment on the lack kids interest today. IMHO, it comes down to what else was available. When I was a kid, we had 13 channels with cable (only 3 without). Summer TV was 100% reruns and cartoons were only on Saturday morning. The Olympics were new and exciting, packaged as a Primetime show that the family watched together. There weren't 24/7 options to watch or stream. Today we can watch world championships, national championships and Olympic trials in any and every sport continuously making it anticlimactic by the time we get to the Olympics. I also think eliminating the amateur only aspect has made the Olympics less interesting. Olga Korbut and Nadia Comaneci were not household names before their respective Olympics. We didn't know who the "stars" were until after an event was finished. I think the spoilers are making it a lot less interesting this year. I know they are inevitable with such a drastic time difference, but it really sucks the fun of watching knowing who won. |
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Post by AussieMeg on Jul 30, 2021 4:50:46 GMT
I have a similar memory about McDonalds, but this one was related to the cricket, not the Olympics. It was sometime in the late 70s, and if you could recite the Big Mac "chant" in a certain time period, you won a poster of the Australian cricket team. (Obviously Australian McDonalds were tight arses, no free Big Mac for us!) I was only about 10yo, and my siblings were younger. They couldn't say it in the required time, but the servers gave everyone a poster anyway.
"Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun!"
ETA: I just googled, and there was a similar contest in the 80s, and if you could say the chant in 4 seconds you got a free Coke. I don't remember that one.
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Post by katlady on Jul 30, 2021 5:00:04 GMT
When I was a kid, we had 13 channels with cable (only 3 without). Summer TV was 100% reruns and cartoons were only on Saturday morning. The Olympics were new and exciting, packaged as a Primetime show that the family watched together. There weren't 24/7 options to watch or stream. Yes this! I grew up without cable. The only way to watch the Olympics was during prime time. We couldn't watch it whenever we wanted to, like we can with this Olympics. Here is another reason I think viewership is down. I was watching the "prime time" viewing of women's gymnastics tonight, and on the west coast it started at 5PM. A lot of people and families can't watch tv at 5PM! They are just getting home from work or school, they are making dinner or doing other activities. I don't know why they are showing it at 5PM! |
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anniebeth24
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by anniebeth24 on Jul 30, 2021 12:11:35 GMT
Younger generations are definitely missing out on a lot of the excitement I experienced watching the games.
The USA hockey team unexpectedly defeating the USSR is one of my fondest memories. It was a David and Goliath story with so much patriotic pride attached and I don't even like hockey!
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Post by Zee on Jul 30, 2021 12:49:51 GMT
It was fun and exciting because we didn't have all the entertainment choices kids have now.
I don't remember Mcds promos because we didn't eat there when we were kids, but I sure would like that now. I'm there every day for my Diet Coke!
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Post by Darcy Collins on Jul 30, 2021 14:04:04 GMT
I'm sure like most things it varies crazily, but I am actually seeing my son for all of the swimming - and my daughter and her bf are passionate about everything - we had to watch another couple hours after prime time of events that they're not showing last night. They're so enthusiastic they convinced a bunch of their friends to come back after robot club on Tuesday and I had a dozen kids in my living room screaming for the 4x200 women's relay.
ETA and I do have vague memories of the 1984 promo, but I was pretty young.
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Post by elaine on Jul 30, 2021 14:52:48 GMT
I remember both types of McDonald’s promos - the Big Mac for a gold and also the game pieces. I’m still watching them and my boys love them too, but I’m a fanatic. I have women’s soccer on right now!
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sueg
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Post by sueg on Jul 30, 2021 15:06:04 GMT
There was an episode of The Simpsons that featured a ‘gold medal bonus’ - possibly at Moe’s bar. It was for the 1984 Olympics - the sports were selected to be ones that the USSR were expected to win, but the US picked up a lot instead due to the boycott.
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Post by sleepingbooty on Jul 30, 2021 16:43:12 GMT
I wasn't born in 1984. 
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chendra
Pearl Clutcher
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Location: The 33rd State
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Post by chendra on Jul 30, 2021 17:21:33 GMT
I wasn't born in 1984. No Big Mac for you! |
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Post by sleepingbooty on Jul 30, 2021 17:49:11 GMT
I wasn't born in 1984. No Big Mac for you! Just don't take my FREEDOM FRIES! 🦅 |
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Post by mmmom on Jul 31, 2021 1:17:19 GMT
I have always loved the Olympics and passed on to one of 20 year old daughters but oldest not as much. I remember getting stickers from McDonalds back in 1976 and I got Bruce Jenner and decathalon. I remember my dad saying never heard of him and not to get my hopes up for a free burger. Lo and behold, he won gold and I got my Big Mac! And Who would have known the fame Bruce now Caitlin would become.
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Post by ScrapbookMyLife on Jul 31, 2021 1:53:56 GMT
I vaguely remember that McD's promotion.
I think, some generations watched, because there were no other option. We had one tv and a handful of channels. It was the big event of the moment, month, etc.... Thoughout the year(s), there were tv watching events that were traditions.
It was a priviledge, not commonplace to get to stay up and watch. It was a big deal. A special event. There was Jiffy Pop popcorn and we got to have our own soda(not koolaid).
Olympics
Rudolph
Frosty
Great pumpkin Charie Brown
Sound of Music
Wizard of Oz
Macy Parade
Superbowl
World Series
Willy Wonka
Etc.....
Nowadays....there are many channels and devices.
In some homes(but not all) children seem to rule the roost. If the children don't want to watch or partake in tv/movie night, they watch what they want on their own devices.
The traditions of years past, seem to have gone by the wayside.
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melissa
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by melissa on Jul 31, 2021 21:12:21 GMT
I vaguely remember that McD's promotion. I think, some generations watched, because there were no other option. We had one tv and a handful of channels. It was the big event of the moment, month, etc.... Thoughout the year(s), there were tv watching events that were traditions. It was a priviledge, not commonplace to get to stay up and watch. It was a big deal. A special event. There was Jiffy Pop popcorn and we got to have our own soda(not koolaid). Olympics Rudolph Frosty Great pumpkin Charie Brown Sound of Music Wizard of Oz Macy Parade Superbowl World Series Willy Wonka Etc..... Nowadays....there are many channels and devices. In some homes(but not all) children seem to rule the roost. If the children don't want to watch or partake in tv/movie night, they watch what they want on their own devices. The traditions of years past, seem to have gone by the wayside. Yes! This is exactly what I was thinking. Far less channels and it would take over the little programming we had everywhere! |
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Post by papersilly on Aug 1, 2021 4:50:24 GMT
I think kids today have so many more choices for TV viewing and media in general than we did. When I was a kid, it was channel 2,4,5,7,11 and 13. There was no cable and no streaming so the Olympics was big. It was a TV event. Today, kids are on their devices. They have social media. They don't seem to watch "regular TV" as much.
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Post by katlady on Aug 1, 2021 4:53:58 GMT
I think kids today have so many more choices for TV viewing and media in general than we did. When I was a kid, it was channel 2,4,5,7,11 and 13. There was no cable and no streaming so the Olympics was big. It was a TV event. Today, kids are on their devices. They have social media. They don't seem to watch "regular TV" as much. You forgot channel 9!  |
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Bridget in MD
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Post by Bridget in MD on Aug 1, 2021 14:24:25 GMT
I think kids today have so many more choices for TV viewing and media in general than we did. When I was a kid, it was channel 2,4,5,7,11 and 13. There was no cable and no streaming so the Olympics was big. It was a TV event. Today, kids are on their devices. They have social media. They don't seem to watch "regular TV" as much. You forgot channel 9! LOL I was just going to say that! |
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