The Chinese tended to not dine out nearly as often as Americans. In China, McDonald’s was
expensive to the average citizen. In China, McDonald’s pricing was tiered by district relating to
the affluence of the consumer. Maintaining affordability was crucial to succeeding. When they
do dine out, they are typically not looking for their traditional cuisine, but something more novel.
Going to McDonald’s was an opportunity to experience the outside world that China was only
recently open towards. It symbolized their reformation, a modern society with private industry
and a growing economy separate from the state. The American experience offered by
McDonald’s was a popular dining choice; therefore the traditional Western style menu was still
the basis of McDonald’s Chinese menu. The Chinese menu did have some unique selections. In
the Chinese culture, beef was associated with strength and energy, so China was home to the
Mega Mac with four beef patties. The new quarter pounder in China had cucumbers instead of
pickles. There were some more traditional Chinese choices on the menu that were inexpensive
such as a corn cup, a pork sandwich, and seafood and vegetable soups.