Seems like a hit that combined “make it look like an accident” with “leave no witnesses”

Looks like McDonald’s changed their sourcing about 10 years ago. Now they use trimmings as you said; previously they used pink slime.

For the record, I never said (nor implied) that it would be fed to food animals. I was thinking more like dog food

McDonald’s gets the very last stage of leftover beef from the carcass. If they don’t buy it, it goes to things like animal feed.

I don’t know how much McDonald’s-grade beef is on a cow, but I’m guessing the real numbers are how much non-McDonald’s beef people are eating, divided by the average weight of cows

There are many reasons that people would use a particular schedule. Congestion is only one, and not even a big one usually.

A far bigger reason is to be done with it so they can get on with their day, whatever that might be. That way the errand(s) are done and won’t interrupt them or weigh on their minds.