Viral Photo of New McDonald’s ‘Play Place’ Shows ‘Heartbreaking’ Reality of Modern Childhood
A recent social media post by author Nancy French stirred significant attention after she shared a photo of a McDonald’s “play place” in Franklin, Tennessee, which she described as “heartbreaking.” The area featured only two small chairs in front of digital screens, a stark departure from customary playgrounds, prompting discussions on social media about the implications of such changes for children. The image garnered over 3.5 million views, with many users expressing nostalgia for more vibrant and engaging play areas of the past. French’s follow-up videos highlighted additional modern elements, including a vertical tower that encouraged exercise but failed to impress her or other commenters, who lamented the lack of genuine play opportunities. The discussions surrounding this photo reflect broader concerns about how the modern world seems to neglect children’s needs, resonating with a theme of lost innocence and traditional values, suggesting that many view contemporary developments as detrimental to childhood experiences.
When photos like this go viral on the social media platform X, the lesson involves something far deeper than nostalgia.
In short, it reminds us that the modern world, in most every way imaginable, feels hostile toward children.
On Wednesday, author and journalist Nancy French posted a photo of a McDonald’s “play place” in Franklin, Tennessee, which she described as “heartbreaking,” for it featured nothing more than two small chairs in front of two digital screens mounted to the wall in one corner.
As of Thursday afternoon, French’s photo had more than 3.5 million views on X.
This is so heart breaking. I’m at a new McDonalds in Franklin, TN and look at their “play place” for children. Two screens/two chairs. 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/j2gxrJZklq
— Nancy French (@NancyAFrench) March 5, 2025
A follow-up video moments later showed a vertical tower that lit up and made beeping noises when patrons stood on one of four different spots marked by footprints.
“Not sure what this is supposed to do. Oh, maybe get you exercising?” French said in the video.
Still, the author remained unimpressed. As the camera panned toward a sign featuring “Playground Safety Rules,” she waxed sarcastic.
“Playground safety rules so you won’t get carried away with all this excitement,” she joked.
I went back in to make sure I didn’t miss something. There was this column thing that might be for getting kids to exercise. But I don’t think this is temporary. I think this is it. pic.twitter.com/NkpTvACJ2J
— Nancy French (@NancyAFrench) March 5, 2025
Of course, McDonald’s and other businesses have no obligation to provide play areas for children.
What they do provide, however — if anything at all — speaks volumes.
French sounded horrified at the idea of digital screens in a “play area,” and rightfully so.
Other X users also expressed outrage.
“Never forget what they took from us,” one X user wrote in a post that featured four different photos of McDonald’s, two interior and two exterior, with two colorful photos on the left representing a more vibrant past, and two drab, Soviet bloc-looking photos on the right representing the sterile present.
Never forget what they took from us pic.twitter.com/VaFYmoOpFn
— Michael London (@Mlondon83) March 6, 2025
Seasoned social media users will recognize “never forget what they took from us” as a common theme on X.
Users have employed it as a kind of catch-all protest against everything from inflation to modern architecture.
Never forget what they took from us. pic.twitter.com/pnwuzGixLc
— Planet Of Memes (@PlanetOfMemes) February 26, 2025
Never forget what they stole from us with massive taxes, regulation, and the federal reserve. pic.twitter.com/IDobIoqGYW
— Declaration of Memes (@LibertyCappy) November 25, 2024
Never forget what they took from us. https://t.co/sVovv0UW6M
— Radix Verum ☦︎ (@NotRadix) February 13, 2025
That phrase, of course, does more than express nostalgia. It conveys resentment toward a political establishment that many believe has tried to destroy America, starting with its traditional values.
Who can deny, for instance, that the modern Democratic Party has made war on children?
After all, Democrats support child sacrifice on the altar of one’s career, genital mutilation for depressed and confused adolescents, as well as open borders that facilitate child sex trafficking.
French’s photo, therefore, went viral for reasons that had little or nothing to do with McDonald’s.
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