Weekly insights into our crazy world.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Feb 10 McDONALD'S IN HOT WATER


Feb 10
McDONALD’S IN HOT WATER

If you’ve ever been to a McDonald’s in a foreign country, you’ve discovered that most things are the same: Those delicious Big Macs, hot French fries, and tasty shakes can be found everywhere. Then there are unique items added to the menu in a specific country. In Hong Kong, you can order sides of rice and noodles. A McDonald’s in Germany will serve sauerkraut. But never before has the fast-food giant been so brazen as it was last week when it introduced the MC-ITALY sandwich.

There’s an old marketing saying: “Any publicity is good publicity.” Well, McDonald’s is certainly putting this old adage to the test with this new ‘sandwich.’ Italy is ablaze in media fury. It seems all of Italian culture has been terminated by this outrageous act of this culinary terrorism. One has to wonder if someone at the McDonald’s Corporate Headquarters just received a heavy raise or got fired.

So what is the McItaly Sandwich? It’s basically a cheeseburger, only with Asiago cheese instead of whatever it is they put on cheeseburgers here. Also, instead of a sesame-seed bun, the McItaly uses pan all’olio, a yummy, olive-oil-infused bread. But most importantly, it comes with a side-salad made entirely from ITALIAN-GROWN produce. Which will mean 1,000 tons of local products purchased every month by McDonald’s, according to the Italian Agriculture Minister Luca Zaia.

In fact, this is what has so many Italians angry. The McItaly was unveiled in Rome, at the McDonald’s on the Via del Corso. In a staged ceremony, Minister Zaia donned a McDonald’s bright red apron and began serving burgers to the media. All across Europe, people remain divided about the Golden Arches. Many look with disgust when a chain restaurant invades historic towns. To have a minister serve up burgers was truly shocking.
Whatever-We need more fast food Asiago cheese here!

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