According to a recent report by MSN, “‘McItaly’ storm for McDonald’s,” the global fast food giant, McDonald’s, has support for its new all-Italian burger from Italy’s Agriculture Minister, Luca Zaia. Even though McDonald’s localized the product to hopefully meet the palate of the Italian public (the burger has Asiago cheese and artichoke spread) plus uses all Italian beef, it was reported by MSN that Zaia is having to defend himself against accusations of “‘selling out’ and sacrificing the country’s culinary reputation by giving Government approval to the sandwich.”
Do you think McDonald’s ‘nailed it’ or bombed with the introduction of the McItaly burger to this country known for its cuisine? Whatever your opinion, it’s certainly not the first time McDonald’s has localized its menu, most times, successfully so.
Here’s a brief look at some of the ways McDonald’s has localized its menu to a region’s cultural preferences and tastes:
China: In China, Chicken McNuggets come with the traditional dipping sauces, but there’s also a chili garlic sauce (very popular in China). The menu also includes crispy chicken wings (called McWings), and a seasonal Chinese New Year meal is available, including Grilled Chicken Burger, curly fries, with a horoscope of the twelve zodiac animals of Chinese astrology and traditional “red” packets, or gift bags, for good luck. McDonald’s is trying to catch up to the country’s fast food leader, KFC, by offering more Western/beef items, such as the “Quarter Pounder,” which is also localized (cucumbers replace pickles, and tomatoes and spicy sauce were added, ingredients that appeal to local tastes.)
The Netherlands: Here you’ll find McDonald’s selling the McKroket, a deep-fried roll containing beef ragouts. Also available is “American Sauce,” a yellow mayonnaise-like sauce with bits of relish – for dipping french fries.
Australia: Love the name of this item…the Kiwiburger consists of an all-beef patty, egg, tomato, lettuce, cheese, onion, beetroot, sauce, and mustard in a toasted bun. Here you’ll also find the Down Under Deluxe – a home-style burger, named via a nation-wide public contest, and a “Made to Order” menu which allows patrons to personalize their item according to their specific tastes.
United States: Even within its home country, McDonald’s localizes its menu according to regional preferences. For example, in the southern U.S., breakfast items include a country ham biscuit and a sausage gravy biscuit, which is a split biscuit served in a tray with the gravy ladled on top.
For more unique regional ‘McItems,’ an excellent round up of localized McDonald’s menus can be found here.
Tags: brand globalization, Branding, international, Localization, marketing
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Enjoyed reading
the report – most informative thanks
Excellent post. I’ve twitted it and I’m following you on Twitter