"A. A possessive name like McDonald’s applies not only to the business itself but to anything it produces and anyone it serves. So McDonald’s restaurants sell McDonald’s hamburgers to McDonald’s customers. And though double cheeseburgers are a thing, double possessives are not (except, technically, in a phrase like “a friend of mine”; see CMOS 7.26).
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Thanks for the aside about Florence King. I still miss her biweekly ration of insight, wit and humor. Thankfully, though, I have a sister-in-law. who is a native of Charleston, SC who embodies Ms. King's persona.
Interesting commentary about Starbucks outfits. Drama Queen, my 3rd daughter, used to work at Starbucks. I don't think she had to wear any particular shirt back then.
Webelos Camp staff get two free shirts, as well, but they still reek, unless their mother is also working on staff and takes their shirt home at night to wash. Probably some Starbucks employees live with their parents and can get their clothes washed on a quick turnaround, but what about those who don't?
My sons Thor and Sheldon live together in an apartment that doesn't have a washer. Sheldon, who works at Publix, goes to the laundromat, but Thor, who is in grad school, comes to our house every weekend to do his laundry. If either of them needed to wear the same shirt every day, they'd have to wash it in the sink and dry it with a hair-blower, because a retail or service worker doesn't have time to go to the laundromat every day or two.
Much to my mothers, or is it mother’s chagrin, I follow my own grammarly rules as much as I watched my language. Let me pause to reflect on the curious phrase, as it would never have occurred to me to right, I mean write “ess”, for just an s, I would have got, or is it gotten your point, embonics style. Anywho, never gave a Village Idiwitts second thinking about how to properly spell Mickey D’s until I was reading your Substack with my morning cup of Joe. Who wants to be a millionaire, I mean pay a million bucks for a cup of coffee anyway…save time and real money a make it at home. But speaking of the daily grind, did you know most Starbucks employees cannot afford to shop there…except with an employee discount. It was the same for me as a college kid, slave laboring while having the tremendous pressure of being in charge of sales and distribution at Carl Karcher Enterprises…all for the servitude of 3.16 (not the one the not so queer guy for a straight guy donning the funny rainbow wig that always had choice seat behind the goal posts on N.F.L. On CBS!…way back in time during something now called The Eighties) an HOUR! I mean Carl’s Junior. Or was is Carls Jr. Or so it be written Carls Jr. I forget as I do not care for grammar anymore as I always wondered wh6 contractions are kosher, but ain’t is not a word!? Anywho, this is the best, most thoughtful, situationally aware, ghost written stand in opinion piece ever…as I defecate you negatory…I gotta run on. Coffee has its positives and negatives Thanks for taking my rant Onward and Upward. Peace through superior mental firepower 🍺(how’s come their is, I mean there is not a coffee emoticon)
Jay good stuff as always.
From the Chicago manual of style:
"A. A possessive name like McDonald’s applies not only to the business itself but to anything it produces and anyone it serves. So McDonald’s restaurants sell McDonald’s hamburgers to McDonald’s customers. And though double cheeseburgers are a thing, double possessives are not (except, technically, in a phrase like “a friend of mine”; see CMOS 7.26).
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
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Thanks for the aside about Florence King. I still miss her biweekly ration of insight, wit and humor. Thankfully, though, I have a sister-in-law. who is a native of Charleston, SC who embodies Ms. King's persona.
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Interesting commentary about Starbucks outfits. Drama Queen, my 3rd daughter, used to work at Starbucks. I don't think she had to wear any particular shirt back then.
Webelos Camp staff get two free shirts, as well, but they still reek, unless their mother is also working on staff and takes their shirt home at night to wash. Probably some Starbucks employees live with their parents and can get their clothes washed on a quick turnaround, but what about those who don't?
My sons Thor and Sheldon live together in an apartment that doesn't have a washer. Sheldon, who works at Publix, goes to the laundromat, but Thor, who is in grad school, comes to our house every weekend to do his laundry. If either of them needed to wear the same shirt every day, they'd have to wash it in the sink and dry it with a hair-blower, because a retail or service worker doesn't have time to go to the laundromat every day or two.
Howdy partner,
Much to my mothers, or is it mother’s chagrin, I follow my own grammarly rules as much as I watched my language. Let me pause to reflect on the curious phrase, as it would never have occurred to me to right, I mean write “ess”, for just an s, I would have got, or is it gotten your point, embonics style. Anywho, never gave a Village Idiwitts second thinking about how to properly spell Mickey D’s until I was reading your Substack with my morning cup of Joe. Who wants to be a millionaire, I mean pay a million bucks for a cup of coffee anyway…save time and real money a make it at home. But speaking of the daily grind, did you know most Starbucks employees cannot afford to shop there…except with an employee discount. It was the same for me as a college kid, slave laboring while having the tremendous pressure of being in charge of sales and distribution at Carl Karcher Enterprises…all for the servitude of 3.16 (not the one the not so queer guy for a straight guy donning the funny rainbow wig that always had choice seat behind the goal posts on N.F.L. On CBS!…way back in time during something now called The Eighties) an HOUR! I mean Carl’s Junior. Or was is Carls Jr. Or so it be written Carls Jr. I forget as I do not care for grammar anymore as I always wondered wh6 contractions are kosher, but ain’t is not a word!? Anywho, this is the best, most thoughtful, situationally aware, ghost written stand in opinion piece ever…as I defecate you negatory…I gotta run on. Coffee has its positives and negatives Thanks for taking my rant Onward and Upward. Peace through superior mental firepower 🍺(how’s come their is, I mean there is not a coffee emoticon)