When I’m traveling abroad, nothing reminds me of the efficiency (and the obesity) of the United States more than spotting the golden arches of a McDonald’s in some out-of-the-way spot. But as Rolf Potts noted in his article on the love-hate relationship travelers have with this ubiquitous fast-food chain, McDonald’s has a way of adapting itself to the country in which it’s located:
“In China, where familial identity is a core virtue (and where a sexually ambiguous bachelor-clown mascot might seem a little weird), Ronald McDonald is known as Uncle McDonald, and he has a wife, Aunt McDonald. In parts of Bangkok, where the laid-back Thai concept of sanuk (lightheartedness) threatens fast-food efficiency, McDonald’s staff members use James Bond-style digital countdown clocks to ensure the food arrives in a timely manner.”
One of the interesting parts about visiting a McDonald’s in, say, India (yeah, roll your eyes, hipsters) is seeing what regional specialties they’ll have on the menu, like the McCurry, the Chicken Maharaja Mac, and the McAloo Tikki Burger, to name a few.
A must-read post over at a site called Gunaxin has dozens more examples of McDonald’s regional fare. Some of the most (and least) appetizing:
- The McLobster (found in Eastern Canada and New England)
- SPAM, Eggs, & Rice (Hawaii)
- Poutine, which is fries with gravy and cheese (Quebec)
- The McLaks, a salmon burger (Norway)
- McSpaghetti (the Philippines)
- The McShawarma (Israel)
For more of the bizarre, the delicious-sounding-but-probably-not-very-good, and the downright unappetizing, check out the whole post here.
[via Marginal Revolution]