Perhaps best known for supersizing their menus and establishing an ever expanding empire around the world, McDonald’s are for many a household name. It almost seems as if the Big Mac is a true global phenomenon. Yet throughout their 33,000 locations there is a great deal of variety in the choice of food available.
With dishes such as the Croque McDo sandwich in France to McTurco kebab in Turkey, plum dipping sauce in Japan to green tea McFlurry in South Korea, McDonald’s have proven time and time again that they are able to adapt their product to the needs of their markets. While these haven’t always worked effectively – the withdrawal of their McFalafel dish from Israeli restaurants in summer 2011 shows that, in some cases, a more “authentic” version might be preferred over something that while quick and cheap could be seen as nothing more than an imitation.
Other than simply changing menus to fit local tastes, McDonald’s also show their attention to the religious beliefs of their customers. Restaurants in many Islamic countries are certified halal, while in Israel they are kosher. Visitors to India will find an absence of beef and pork dishes, and Cypriots are offered shrimp burgers during Lent.
Furthermore, the announcement of their first all-vegetarian outlet, which will be located in India, indicates the belief that they may well capable of surviving without the very burgers that caused their rise to prominence, if only in certain regions.
While their presence across the globe is testament to the influence of American culture and serves as a textbook example for both proponents and critics of international expansion, there is no denying that McDonald’s certainly handle this growth in a manner that some would do well to emulate. Perhaps in future, the Golden Arches should be indicative not of yet another step closer to an unhealthy lifestyle but instead of a victory for intercultural discourse and adaptation.
Perhaps best known for supersizing their menus and establishing an ever expanding empire around the world, McDonald’s are for many a household name. It almost seems as if the Big Mac is a true global phenomenon. Yet throughout their 33,000 locations there is a great deal of variety in the choice of food available.
With dishes such as the Croque McDo sandwich in France to McTurco kebab in Turkey, plum dipping sauce in Japan to green tea McFlurry in South Korea, McDonald’s have proven time and time again that they are able to adapt their product to the needs of their markets. While these haven’t always worked effectively – the withdrawal of their McFalafel dish from Israeli restaurants in summer 2011 shows that, in some cases, a more “authentic” version might be preferred over something that while quick and cheap could be seen as nothing more than an imitation.
Other than simply changing menus to fit local tastes, McDonald’s also show their attention to the religious beliefs of their customers. Restaurants in many Islamic countries are certified halal, while in Israel they are kosher. Visitors to India will find an absence of beef and pork dishes, and Cypriots are offered shrimp burgers during Lent.
Furthermore, the announcement of their first all-vegetarian outlet, which will be located in India, indicates the belief that they may well capable of surviving without the very burgers that caused their rise to prominence, if only in certain regions.
While their presence across the globe is testament to the influence of American culture and serves as a textbook example for both proponents and critics of international expansion, there is no denying that McDonald’s certainly handle this growth in a manner that some would do well to emulate. Perhaps in future, the Golden Arches should be indicative not of yet another step closer to an unhealthy lifestyle but instead of a victory for intercultural discourse and adaptation.
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