beef contain worms?” asked another person (“No. Gross. End of story,” replied the company). Others wanted to know whether it uses real eggs or whether the McRib is made with the same plastic contained in yoga mats. McDonald’s Chief Executive Don Thompson acknowledged the company had a job to do in addressing misconceptions about the freshness, quality and integrity of its ingredients. Yet, just as McDonald’s has been losing the customers who will pay a bit more for food perceived as fresher and healthier, it has also lost its edge in fast-food essentials: speedy service at low prices. Ever since it introduced $2 items on its dollar menu, it has gained a reputation for being more expensive than its rivals, while many consumers complain that service is slower. The “expensive” tag was unjustified, said Mary Chapman at Technomic. “Prices have indeed gone up but they haven’t gone up as quickly as the rest of the fast-service chains in the US.” Prices at McDonald’s have increased by 4.8% since 2009, well below the “quick service” sector average (up 19.4%), while the cost of “fast casual” eating, a category that includes the much-hyped Chipotle, is up 16.9%, according to Technomic’s menu monitor. US consumer prices rose 11% over the same period. But critics have a point when it comes to longer queues. McDonald’s has a bigger menu than some, with