Highrise Tower Posted January 28, 2023 Share Posted January 28, 2023 Anyone want to start a conversation about the presence of fast food in our world class hospitals? I walked into the St. Luke's Patient Tower today and saw a McDonald's stationed, literally in the middle of the hospital. Shouldn't we want to appeal to the healthier side of food since it's located within a hospital? Studies have shown eating fast food is bad for you and can lead to obesity and other health complications. Maybe instead of fast food there should be a small deli serving sandwiches, salads, burgers, soups, etc. Of all things present in our world class hospital district we have a McDonald's front and center. About a decade ago, there was a local protest regarding fast food in our hospitals. I searched and couldn't find the thread. Maybe it was too taboo to discuss? My friends work at Anderson and they have a Chickfila there. It's always packed with people. MDACC also has a cafeteria with lots of good food though. The sign outside of the McDonald's at the St. Luke's Patient Tower says: The Auxiliary to Texas Children's Hospital will share in the proceeds from this Restaurant, thanks to the generosity of McDonald's Corporation. Dedicated 1995 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted January 28, 2023 Share Posted January 28, 2023 People have objected to that McDonald's for years. I spent a fair amount of time at St. Luke's thirty-plus years ago when my father had bypass surgery there, and even back then its presence in a hospital seemed somewhat questionable. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbg.50 Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 On 1/28/2023 at 12:56 AM, Highrise Tower said: Anyone want to start a conversation about the presence of fast food in our world class hospitals? I walked into the St. Luke's Patient Tower today and saw a McDonald's stationed, literally in the middle of the hospital. Shouldn't we want to appeal to the healthier side of food since it's located within a hospital? Studies have shown eating fast food is bad for you and can lead to obesity and other health complications. Maybe instead of fast food there should be a small deli serving sandwiches, salads, burgers, soups, etc. Of all things present in our world class hospital district we have a McDonald's front and center. About a decade ago, there was a local protest regarding fast food in our hospitals. I searched and couldn't find the thread. Maybe it was too taboo to discuss? My friends work at Anderson and they have a Chickfila there. It's always packed with people. MDACC also has a cafeteria with lots of good food though. The sign outside of the McDonald's at the St. Luke's Patient Tower says: The Auxiliary to Texas Children's Hospital will share in the proceeds from this Restaurant, thanks to the generosity of McDonald's Corporation. Dedicated 1995 Good grief if you want deli food then go one level down to the Bates Cafeteria. The cafeteria has a visiting vendor come in once/week. When we were there La Madeline set up shop. Having spent a week recently in St. Luke’s, that McDonald’s is a god-send for a quick breakfast or coffee. It’s nice to get comfort food when away from home but it does get old. Texas Children’s also has a Chick-Fil-A but it was inaccessible to non-patients due to COVID protocols. A Food Hall in the medical center would be a welcome addition as food offerings are scarce. I did use DoorDash one day for some Kim Son and it was delivered all the way to the room, which was nice. But being at a hospital is stressful and taking a walk outside is welcome relief/therapy. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asubrt Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 The Methodist cafeteria is excellent. Almost like a food hall with tons of different options, many which are healthy. By far the best I've ever seen at a hospital. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 1 hour ago, asubrt said: The Methodist cafeteria is excellent. Almost like a food hall with tons of different options, many which are healthy. By far the best I've ever seen at a hospital. The food served to Methodist patients is awful, though. Or was when I spent a week there in 2021. All I could eat were fruit cups and pancakes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 (edited) Restaurants in the Medical Center. Probably an incomplete list (does not include any hospital cafeterias) McDonald's 6621 Fannin - 5:00 am - 3:00 am Every Day Main & Green 6580 Fannin - 6:30 am - 2 pm M-F; 7 am - 11 am Sat/Sun Fresh Bites - 6580 Fannin - 6 am - 11 pm Every Day Fannin Street Market - 6580 Fannin - Breakfast & Lunch Every Day Curate 2 pm - 11 pm Every Day The Halal Guys - 6609 Main - 10:30 am - 10 pm M-F; 11 am - 9 pm Sat/Sun Poke in the Bowl - 6611 Main - 11 am - 9 pm Every Day MOD Pizza - 6622 Fannin - 10 am - 10 pm Every Day Piada - 10:45 am - 10 pm Every Day Chipotle - 6600 Fannin - 10:45 am - 10 pm Every Day Terrace 54 - 1709 Dryden - 6:30 am - 10 pm Every Day Safina Mediterranean - 6750 Main - 6:30 am - 10:30 am/11 - 3/5-10 Every Day RG Grill - 7501 Fannin - 11 am - 9 pm Every Day The Naturalist Cafe and Lounge - 6750 Main - 6:30 - 10:30/11-2:30/5-10 pm Every Day Herb N' Kitchen - 6633 Travis - 6:30 am - 10 pm Every Day The Shamrock - 6633 Travis - 4 pm - 11 pm Every Day Three Meal Restaurant - Doubletree Hotel - Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner Every Day PIzza Hut - 2100 West Holcombe - 10 am - 11 pm Sun-Thur; 10am - 12am Fri/Sat Burger King - 2116 West Holcombe - 5:30 am - Midnight Every Day Starbuck's - 6400 Fannin - 5:00 am - 7 pm M-F; 5:30 am - 4:00 pm Sat/Sun Starbuck's - 6600 Fannin - 5:00 am - 7 pm M-F; 5:30 am - 7 pm Sat/Sun Subway - 1502 Ben Taub Loop - Open 24/7 Citadel Barbecue - 8 am - 8 pm M-F; 10:30 am - 6 pm Sun Miller's Cafe - 6560 Fannin - 10 am - 6 pm weekdays; 10 am - 3 pm Sat Chick-Fil-A - 1515 Holcombe - Mon - Sat: 6:30 am - 10:00 pm Au Bon Pain - Open 6:00 am - 2:30 pm weekdays French Corner - Scurlock Tower - 6:30 am - 4 pm weekdays Chick-Fil-A - 6550 Bertner - 7:00 am - 2 pm weekdays Chick-Fil-A - 6621 Fannin - 10:30 am - 6:30 pm weekdays Time for Thai - 6550 Bertner - 11 am - 2 pm weekdays Subway - 6550 Bertner - 8 am - 2 pm weekdays Subway - 6621 Fannin - 10:30 am - 6 pm weekdays Starbuck's - 6550 Bertner - 6:30 am - 5 pm weekdays III by Wolfgang Puck - 11 am - 9 pm weekdays Murphy's Deli - 6624 Fannin - 6:30 am - 4 pm weekdays Blackwater Coffee Roasters - 6560 Fannin - 6:30 am - 4:30 pm weekdays Salata - 6620 Fannin - 10:30 am - 8 pm Weekdays Skyline Houston Deli - 1020 Holcombe - 7 am - 4 pm Weekdays Edited February 2, 2023 by Houston19514 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pleak Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 After our family spending over 7 months at TX Childrens over the last year and half - I think we would probably qualify as experts on their food. The hospital food is stomach-filler. Nothing more. At TCH - it appears to be targeted to the 4-year old who only likes 3 items and does not have a discriminating palate. There is a better TCH menu you can sometimes get on during extended stays. It is the one from the birthing center. But your doctor has to pull a lot of strings. Our experience with the Bates St. cafeteria wasn't the best. Had some rubbery chicken that was like bad conference food so we never went back. A lot of those restaurants listed above are only open during weekday business hours. Some of them have Saturday hours - but if you are there on weekends - you have a very limited selection - it is pretty much a ghost town. As stated above - the McDonalds ends up being a god-send as it is open on weekends for breakfast or late suppers. Starbucks was also open on weekends as was Mod Pizza and Salata (sometimes). Door-Dash ends up being your best friend. The lack of easily accessible weekend/late-night dining choices in the med center is probably one of the biggest drawbacks we came across. That and the parking. Went from $13 a day to $15 a day while we were there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 (edited) On 1/31/2023 at 6:13 PM, Pleak said: After our family spending over 7 months at TX Childrens over the last year and half - I think we would probably qualify as experts on their food. The hospital food is stomach-filler. Nothing more. At TCH - it appears to be targeted to the 4-year old who only likes 3 items and does not have a discriminating palate. There is a better TCH menu you can sometimes get on during extended stays. It is the one from the birthing center. But your doctor has to pull a lot of strings. Our experience with the Bates St. cafeteria wasn't the best. Had some rubbery chicken that was like bad conference food so we never went back. A lot of those restaurants listed above are only open during weekday business hours. Some of them have Saturday hours - but if you are there on weekends - you have a very limited selection - it is pretty much a ghost town. As stated above - the McDonalds ends up being a god-send as it is open on weekends for breakfast or late suppers. Starbucks was also open on weekends as was Mod Pizza and Salata (sometimes). Door-Dash ends up being your best friend. The lack of easily accessible weekend/late-night dining choices in the med center is probably one of the biggest drawbacks we came across. That and the parking. Went from $13 a day to $15 a day while we were there. I've edited the list to add locations and hours and to do some updating/correcting. Also reorganized them so those open seven days a week are at the top of the list. It turns out there are quite a few choices available even on the weekends. I count 17 places where one can get Sunday night dinner. One would be hard pressed to find a hospital anywhere with more dining choices within a short walking distance than Texas Childrens. Edited February 2, 2023 by Houston19514 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pleak Posted February 8, 2023 Share Posted February 8, 2023 Wow. A lot of time spent to prove something on the internet. smh. That's fine. But a lot of those restaurants over the last year and a half had severely curtailed hours - especially on weekends. Their published times definitely say one thing. But when the paper sign on the door says closed - it doesn't matter what the published hours are. The reliably open ones within a short distance of TCH a were Halal Brothers, the poke place next door to them, Starbucks, McDonalds, Burger King and Mod. Salata starting getting better with their hours towards the end of our stay. The BBQ restaurant was one in particular that was never open on Sat/Sun. It was a specific destination several times as it sounded good. But every time headed that way - closed for the day sign was up. Admittedly did not try the hotel restaurants as when you are sleeping on a couch in the room - just not the best presentation for afternoon tea at the Doubletree. At that point - McD's unfortunately would win far too often for being open, better than hospital food, and non-judgemental on customer appearance. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbg.50 Posted February 9, 2023 Share Posted February 9, 2023 On 2/8/2023 at 12:10 PM, Pleak said: Wow. A lot of time spent to prove something on the internet. smh. That's fine. But a lot of those restaurants over the last year and a half had severely curtailed hours - especially on weekends. Their published times definitely say one thing. But when the paper sign on the door says closed - it doesn't matter what the published hours are. The reliably open ones within a short distance of TCH a were Halal Brothers, the poke place next door to them, Starbucks, McDonalds, Burger King and Mod. Salata starting getting better with their hours towards the end of our stay. The BBQ restaurant was one in particular that was never open on Sat/Sun. It was a specific destination several times as it sounded good. But every time headed that way - closed for the day sign was up. Admittedly did not try the hotel restaurants as when you are sleeping on a couch in the room - just not the best presentation for afternoon tea at the Doubletree. At that point - McD's unfortunately would win far too often for being open, better than hospital food, and non-judgemental on customer appearance. I agree with you, also having recently spent a week at St.Luke’s. On paper the food locations appear accessible but in practice they are not practical options for patients’ family members. Family members spend most of their time waiting around for the doctors to show up (always at irregular times). Otherwise the nurses and PAs generally come in 3-4 times a day. Then you have the PTs that will pop in, and the chaplains. In the fortunate event when a visitor comes to give you a bit of relief you generally only have 30-45 minutes to rush down and grab something to eat. I never thought I could quickly make it across the rail line to find anything to eat. Maybe I could have but the days were tense and I always wanted to be close by. As it was I went downstairs to make a phone call (with a healthcare provider) and I missed a liver specialist coming into the room. I was so mad. Maybe the best option is for hospitals to improve their cafeteria food and offer delivery options for in-room dining? Not sure… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted March 2, 2023 Share Posted March 2, 2023 On 1/28/2023 at 12:56 AM, Highrise Tower said: I walked into the St. Luke's Patient Tower today and saw a McDonald's stationed, literally in the middle of the hospital. I guess you've never walked down a sidewalk in the Medical Center and noticed all the doctors and nurses smoking outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted March 2, 2023 Share Posted March 2, 2023 3 hours ago, editor said: I guess you've never walked down a sidewalk in the Medical Center and noticed all the doctors and nurses smoking outside. That's far better than when they smoked in their offices, though. I haven't noticed many outside of MD Anderson at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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