The Golden Arches of McDonalds used to be a teenage right of passage. The Big Mac and vanilla shake were a common staple of the average teen’s diet not even ten years ago. Now, McDonald’s smallest consumer group is the millennials, otherwise known as today’s youth.

The present youth group is the most complex puzzle the fast food chain has ever come across – the percentage of people age 16 to 21 in the U.S. who visit McDonald’s monthly has fallen by a whopping 12.9 percent since 2011. Marketers believe that this generation has a strong desire to ‘change the world,’ resulting in teens that place a high value on sustainability and local, organic, hormone-free food. Moreover, this generation has a higher range of choices than any other generation before, meaning millennials expect customization and variety for their food options. The trouble for McDonalds, consumer surveys say, is that millennials perceive it doesn’t have the variety of chains like Chipotle and Panera.

But there’s no need for heavy research to know that the infamous Golden Arches no longer lead to a reigning fast food kingdom. A quick sample of students at North Atlanta reveals this very fact. Freshman Ezra Midkiff is someone who McDonalds executives worry about at night. “It’s just not my number one choice and you can’t customize anything there,” he said. “I feel like the burgers and fries are greasy and unhealthy – if they even use real burger meat at McDonalds.”

Freshman Danielle Milburn has never even been to the fast food joint. “It’s my impression that the place is kind of dirty,” she said.

However, there is still a glimmer of hope for this fast food empire. Sophomore Jack Yanoshik has an alternative viewpoint. According to him, the delicious burgers are worth the lack of nutritional value. “Come on people, live a little,” he said.

Sophomore Kate Breeden also asserts this opinion. “I mean have you had the McNuggets? They’re McWonderful.”

It appears that what used to be a cultural staple for teenagers has been lessened to a mere trashy second-rate burger joint. However, there are a few remaining loyalists to the Ronald McDonald.