SAN PEDRO, CA—Eleventh-hour lunch-rush negotiations came to a successful conclusion Monday when, following a 30-second period of deliberation, area resident John Fowler opted to accept the McDonald's corporation's suggestion that he have fries with that. Though the fries were not part of Turnbee's initial purchase proposal to the fast-food giant, the addition of the processed, potato-based food item to his mid-day meal was a concession he felt would best serve his short-term side-order selection needs. "I wasn't gonna get fries at first," Fowler said. "But then I wound up getting them."After carefully reviewing his food-choice options based on such factors as cost, availability and deliciousness, Fowler arrived at the decision that a meal of Chicken McNuggets, an apple-pie and a chocolate shake would best fulfill his mealtime requirements. "At that point, fries were not part of the agenda," said Bill Blairg, Fowler's lawyer. "However, the cashier's friendly smile, courteous demeanor and low-pressure 'soft sell' technique of politely asking if Mr. Fowler would like fries with that made the fry purchase seem like a viable compromise to my client."
Public-relations professionals employed by the McDonald's corporation agreed. "To us, this represents a real 'win-win' situation," McDonald's vice-president of media relations Nathan Kramer said. "By actively suggesting that Fowler have fries with that, the McDonald's corporation was able to successfully maximize its profit potential on the deal. In turn, Mr. Fowler reaped the undeniable benefits of the hot, salty fries in question, enabling him to better enjoy his meal."
Fowler was similarly satisfied by the outcome of the negotiation. "I ate at McDonald's," Fowler told co-worker Joe Noriega upon returning from his lunch break. "It was good, I guess."
