Big Mac si vous plait - the Sunderland pensioners who went for their Christmas meal at McDonalds in France
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Fifty pensioners held regular meetings at McD’s in Wearside in 1993. In fact, they got together every week for Big Macs and a natter.
The bingo ‘n burger set from Sunderland
They became so fond of their get togethers that they decided to pop over to France for some real French fries.


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Hide AdThe city’s grannies were won over by weekly games of bingo and free cups of coffee at the restaurant, with more than 70 pensioners regularly attending the “eyes down for a quarter-pounder” session in Sunderland.
The Sunderland Echo described them in 1993 as ‘the bingo n’ burger set’.
Duty frees from Lille


They planned a whole programme of fun in France including stocking up on duty-free.
They were going to Lille were there were two McDonalds.
One of the members was Sue Hartis who said in 1993: “This is our first trip abroad, but we’ve been to Gretna, Scarborough and the Tyne Tees studios.”
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Hide Ad‘I come every week for the bingo’
Lilian Webster said: “I never used to come in McDonalds, but now I come in every week for the bingo. You get a good crowd in.”


After the weekend in France, the next major date on the pensioners’ social calendar was a Christmas meal.
Tell us if you know any of the people who were in the ‘bingo and burger set’. Email [email protected]
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