SOURCE-BASED ESSAY ON GLOBALIZATION For Kimwoods

ST ORIES FROM ROADS & KINGDOMS

AUG. 9 2013 5:15 AM

Why the French Secretly Love the Golden

Arches

How McDonald’ s conquered the world by becoming a defender of local cuisine.

Anyone for a McCamembert?

B y M att G oulding

The M cBaguette, the French "baguette" so ld by M cD onald's in their French outlet.

Photo by Eric Piermont/AFP/GettyImages

E a c h  F rid a y  Roads & Kingdoms  a n d  Slate  p u b lish a n e w d isp a tc h fro m a ro u n d th e

g lo b e . F o r m o re fo re ig n c o rre sp o n d e n c e m ixe d w ith fo o d , w a r, tra ve l, a n d  p h o to g ra p h y,

vi si t th e ir online magazine  o r fo llo w  @roadskingdoms  o n Tw itte r.

P E R P IG N A N , F ra n c e —T h e o n ly re vie w I c a n fin d o n lin e fo r th e M c D o n a ld ’s o n B o u le va rd

Jo h n F itzg e ra ld K e n n e d y in P e rp ig n a n , F ra n c e is e xa c tly th re e w o rd s lo n g : tre s b o n

re sta u ra n t!

W h e n I a rrive a t n e a rly 3 p .m ., a fe w h o u rs p a st th e typ ic a l lu n c h ru sh , it se e m s a s if a ll o f

so u th e rn F ra n c e sh a re s th is se n tim e n t: T h e p a rki n g lo t is p a c ke d , m e n in su its lin g e r b y

th e e n tra n c e , a g ro u p o f p a in te rs w a d d le to w a rd th e ir tru c k w ith la zy sm ile s a n d sw o lle n

st o m a c h s. In si d e , a m a n h o ld s a n iP a d in o n e h a n d , a b e e r in th e o th e r. A c o u p le in b ig

c u sh y c h a irs re vie w a rc h ite c tu ra l p la n s o ve r a c a fé a u la it a n d a c rè m e b rû lé e . It’s n o t q u ite a b ist ro , b u t it’s c lo se . T h is is M c D o n a ld ’s a s a d e c id e d ly m o re g ro w n -u p

e xp e rie n c e , w h e re h a rd p la stic is tra d e d fo r le a th e r b a n q u e tte s, p u ll-o u t c h a irs fo r

a n g u la r c u sh io n e d st o o ls, a n d g o ld e n a rc h e s fo r b u rn t si e n n a a n d lo w -lit n o o ks w h e re

c o u p le s c a n st e a l a q u ie t m o m e n t. Yo u c a n st ill fin d a B ig M a c a n d a b o x o f n u g g e ts

h e re , b u t th e y a re o ve rsh a d o w e d o n th e m e n u b o a rd s b y th e b ig g e r st a rs o f th e F re n c h

u n ive rse : th e M c D o o , a w a rm h a m a n d c h e e se ta ke o n th e c ro q u e -m o n si e u r, le a fy sa la d s

th a t b o u n c e like a K a rd a sh ia n ’s b a c ksi d e , a n d a lin e o f b u rg e rs fe a tu rin g a rtisa n a l F re n c h

c h e e se s like C o m té a n d C a m e m b e rt th a t M c D o n a ld ’s ro lle d o u t e a rlie r th is ye a r.

A dve rtise m ent 

I h a ve c o m e fo r th e M c C a m e m b e rt, b u t I’m to ld th e b u rg e r h a s so ld o u t a ll a c ro ss F ra n c e ,

so I se ttle fo r a M c R a c le tte , n a m e d fo r th e fa m o u s c o w ’s m ilk c h e e se fro m th e A lp in e

h ig h la n d s. It a rrive s o n a c h e w y ro ll w ith c ru n c h y w isp s o f le ttu c e , a g a rlic ky m a yo n n a ise ,

a th ic k p a tty th a t st re tc h e d w e ll b e yo n d th e b o rd e rs o f th e b re a d , a n d , m o st im p o rta n tly, a

sl ic e o f rip e ra c le tte c h e e se , m id -m e ltd o w n .

A n a m a zi n g th in g h a p p e n s w h e n I b ite in to th e b u rg e r: A st re a m o f ju ic e d rib b le s d o w n

m y c h in . T h e p a tty is fa sh io n e d fro m a lo c a l b re e d o f g ra ss- fe d c o w c o m m o n in F re n c h

st e a kh o u se s. T h e c h e e se le n d s th e sa m e vi sc o u s c o ve ra g e o f a sl ic e o f A m e ric a n

c h e e se , b u t w ith a p le a sa n t n u tty u n d e rto n e . P a ire d w ith a sp rin g sa la d a n d w a sh e d

d o w n w ith a c o ld H e in e ke n , it m a ke s fo r a ki n d o f su rre a l M c D o n a ld ’s e xp e rie n c e .

A fte rw a rd , I d e c a m p to th e M c C a fé fo r a c a p p u c c in o a n d a p la te o f g re e n te a m a c a ro n s.

The Perpignan M cD onald's decor

Photo courtesy Matt Goulding

It m a y su rp rise so m e , b u t M c D o n a ld ’s F ra n c e —c a lle d M a c D o b y th e lo c a ls—i s th e

h ig h e st -g ro ssi n g M c D o n a ld ’s m a rke t o u tsi d e o f th e U n ite d S ta te s (d e sp ite th e fa c t th a t

w o rke r p a y, a re c e n t so u rc e o f c o n tro ve rsy in th e U n ite d S ta te s, st a rts a ro u n d $ 1 2 a n h o u r

—F ra n c e ’s m in im u m w a g e ). It’s a fu n st o ry to te ll: th e lo w -b ro w A m e ric a n c h a in th a t w o n o ve r th e fa st id io u s F re n c h . S o m e th in g a b o u t it m a ke s A m e ric a n s fe e l like a w a rm a p p le

p ie in si d e . T h a t’ll sh o w th o se F re n c h sn o b s!  B u t th is d id n ’t h a p p e n b y a c c id e n t. If

M c D o n a ld ’s h a s fo u n d su c c e ss in F ra n c e , it’s b e c a u se in m a n y w a ys it h a s b e c o m e th e

a n ti-M c D o n a ld ’s: T h e se rvic e is w a rm , th e in te rio rs th o u g h tfu lly d e si g n e d , a n d , a b o ve a ll,

th e fo o d —f ro m th e b a g u e tte ve sse ls to th e p a in a u c h o c o la t to th e c a m e m b e rt-sw a d d le d

p a ttie s—i s m a d e fo r F re n c h p a la te s.

B e fo re yo u b o o k a tw o -to p fo r F rid a y n ig h t, re m e m b e r th a t th is is st ill fa st -fo o d : T h e b e e f,

w h ile g ra ss- fe d a n d h o rm o n e -fre e , st ill c o m e s fro m a n in d u st ria l c a ttle lo t, th e le ttu c e st ill

w ilts u n d e r th e g la re o f a h e a t la m p , th e to m a to e s a re re d o le n t o f, w e ll, n o th in g in

p a rtic u la r. W h ile yo u ’re h e re , yo u ’re n o t like ly to fo rg e t th a t yo u ’re e a tin g a t a m u ltin a tio n a l

c h a in re sta u ra n t, b u t w ith e n o u g h m a c a ro n s a n d C a m e m b e rt in yo u r b e lly, it m a y ju st

so fte n yo u r o p in io n o f th e g o ld e n g o lia th .

A dve rtise m ent 

T h e se c re t sa u c e a t M c D o n a ld ’s u se d to b e lo c kst e p c o n si st e n c y, th e fa c t th a t a m e a l in

M e m p h is ta st e d th e sa m e a s it d id in M o sc o w o r M a d rid . B u t th e n o ve lty o f th e A m e ric a n

h a m b u rg e r st a n d h a s w o rn o ff in th e n e w m ille n n iu m , a n d w ith it M c D o n a ld ’s a b ility to

e xp o rt A m e ric a n c u ltu re a s its st a p le c o m m o d ity. A c h e e se b u rg e r, frie s, a n d C o ke d o n ’t

re g ist e r th e sa m e le ve l o f e xc ite m e n t w h e n th e c a fé n e xt d o o r a n d th e b ist ro d o w n th e

b lo c k a re a lso se rvin g b u rg e rs. M o re a n d m o re , th e ke y to M c D o n a ld ’s fu tu re a p p e a rs to

b e fo u n d in th e D N A o f th e p la c e s it in h a b its. A n d w ith it, su d d e n ly th e fa st -fo o d g ia n t th a t

to m a n y re p re se n ts th e g lo b a liza tio n o f ta st e su d d e n ly fin d s itse lf in a ve ry u n like ly

p o si tio n : a s a d e fe n d e r o f lo c a l c u isi n e .

“W e w a n t to b e a b le to sh a re lo c a l fla vo rs a ro u n d th e w o rld ,” sa ys C h ris Yo u n g ,

M c D o n a ld ’s se n io r d ire c to r o f g lo b a l m e n u  st ra te g y. “If yo u h a p p e n to tra ve l a ro u n d th e

w o rld , yo u ’ll se e yo u r fa vo rite s th e re a n d yo u ’ll se e so m e th in g s yo u ’ve n e ve r se e n o r

h e a rd o f b e fo re .”

B e yo n d a n o b lig a tio n to ru n a h a n d fu l o f ic o n ic M c D o n a ld ’s ite m s—c h e e se b u rg e r, B ig

M a c , C h ic ke n M c N u g g e ts—l o c a l o w n e rs a ro u n d th e w o rld h a ve th e fre e d o m to p la y w ith

b o th d é c o r a n d m e n u . “In n o va tio n o c c u rs in th e m a rke tp la c e . It d o e sn ’t o c c u r h e re in O a k

B ro o k, ” sa ys Yo u n g , re fe rrin g to th e c o m p a n y’ s g lo b a l h e a d q u a rte rs in Illin o is. “It o c c u rs

w h e re o u r c u st o m e rs a re .” T h e re su lt is n o t ju st fu n ky o n e -o ff m e n u c re a tio n s (sh rim p b u rg e r! M c K ie lb a sa !), b u t

re g io n a l p h ilo so p h ie s th a t p la y o u t o ve r th e e n tire M c D o n a ld ’s e xp e rie n c e . “In A si a , yo u ’ll

se e a lo t m o re sp ic y th in g s, a lo t m o re o f th o se u m a m i fla vo rs, th o se th in g s to m a ke yo u

sa liva te . Yo u ’ll g o o ve r to E u ro p e , w h e re th e m e n u is m o re re fin e d , th e ta st e s m o re

re le va n t fro m a lo c a l st a n d p o in t.”

C appucino and m acarons at the

Perpignon M cD onald's

Photo courtesy Matt Goulding

A dve rtise m ent 

B u t th is is M c D o n a ld ’s, so m a n y o f th e se m a n e u ve rs h a ve n ’t b e e n w ith o u t th e ir c ritic s a n d

th e ir c o n tro ve rsi e s. “A t M c D o n a ld ’s o u r fo o d h a s to b e tw ic e a s g o o d b e c a u se p e o p le

te n d to d isc o u n t it b e c a u se o f th e im a g e . W e h a ve h ig h e r h u rd le s to o ve rc o m e ,” sa ys

C h ris Yo u n g . T h o se h u rd le s in c lu d e p e o p le like 9 -ye a r-o ld H a n n a h R o b e rtso n , w h o

re c e n tly c a lle d o u t th e c h a in fo r “tric ki n g ki d s in to e a tin g yo u r fo o d ” d u rin g a sh a re h o ld e r

m e e tin g in M a y.

P re d ic ta b ly, M c D o n a ld ’s e ffo rts to ta p in to th e lo c a l ze itg e ist h a ve b e e n si m ila rly

sc ru tin ize d . W h e n M c D o n a ld ’s ro lle d o u t a “W e B u y L o c a l” c a m p a ig n in W a sh in g to n st a te ,

lo c a l a n d n a tio n a l m e d ia a like w e re q u ic k to  pick apart the fine print . A fte r Ita ly’ s fo rm e r

a g ric u ltu re m in ist e r su n k h is te e th in to th e M c Ita ly b u rg e r fo r th e c a m e ra s, S lo w F o o d

fo u n d e r C a rlo P e trin i to o k to th e fro n t p a g e o f L a R e p u b b lic a  to e xc o ria te th e p o litic ia n

fo r se llin g o u t B ra n d Ita lia . A n d w h e n F ra n c e d e b u te d th e ir lin e o f h ifa lu tin c h e e se b u rg e rs

in F e b ru a ry, P a tric k M e rc ie r, c h a irm a n o f th e a sso c ia tio n o f C a m e m b e rt p ro d u c e rs in

N o rm a n d y, said , “W e fe e l u se d . T h e y d id th is w ith o u t c o n su ltin g u s. ”

“T h e se e ffo rts sh o w th a t th e y w a n t to se ll p e o p le ve rsi o n s o f fo o d th a t th e y like a lre a d y,”

sa ys M a rk B ittm a n , w h o w rite s a b o u t fo o d p o lic y in th e  N e w Yo rk T im e s O p in io n se c tio n .

“T h e y sh o w th a t th e y kn o w h o w to m a rke t lo c a lly. T h a t d o e sn ’t m e a n th e y’ re su p p o rtin g

a n yt h in g m e a n in g fu l.” P e o p le like B ittm a n a n d P e trin i w ill a rg u e th a t yo u c a n ’t p u t lip st ic k o n a c o w , th a t n o

m a tte r h o w h a rd th e y m a y try to a p p e a r o th e rw ise , M c D o n a ld ’s p rim a ry ro le is to fla tte n

th e w o rld ’s ta st e b u d s. B u t th e n u m b e rs te ll a d iffe re n t st o ry. M a n y o f M c D o n a ld ’s m o st

su c c e ssf u l in te rn a tio n a l c a m p a ig n s in re c e n t ye a rs h a ve b e e n b a se d o n lo c a l sp e c ia ltie s:

C h in a ’s re d b e a n p ie s, G e rm a n y’ s B ig R ö st i, a n d F ra n c e ’s M c B a g u e tte w e re a ll

b e st se lle rs in th e ir re sp e c tive re g io n s.

A dve rtise m ent 

P e rh a p s n o b o d y c a n a p p re c ia te M c D o n a ld ’s h o m e g ro w n st ra te g y b e tte r th a n Ja m e s

M c G o w a n , a 2 6 -ye a r-o ld C a n a d ia n livi n g in S in g a p o re , w h o se

w e b si te  travellingmcds.com  c h ro n ic le s th e h ig h s a n d lo w s o f e a tin g a t th e G o ld e n

A rc h e s in m o re th a n 5 0 c o u n trie s. H e tra c ks n e w re g io n a l sp e c ia ltie s u si n g F a c e b o o k,

a sks frie n d s a n d st ra n g e rs a like p a ssi n g th ro u g h S in g a p o re to b rin g h im e xo tic

M c D o n a ld ’s e n tre e s—r e c e n tly, a c o lle a g u e re tu rn e d fro m A u stra lia w ith a c o o le r st o c ke d

w ith b u rg e rs—a n d p la n s h is fli g h t sc h e d u le a ro u n d th e p o te n tia l to try a n e w ite m . “I’d

p re fe r a fli g h t w ith fo u r la yo ve rs th a n tw o —e sp e c ia lly if th e re a re n e w ite m s to try.”

M c G o w a n ta lks re ve re n tly a b o u t To kyo ’s Tu n a M c M u ffin , w ith a n o te o f d isa p p o in tm e n t

a b o u t th e th in p u m p ki n so u p se rve d in H o n g K o n g , a n d in g e n e ra l a st o n ish m e n t o f th e

sp ic y st ir-frie s—a to u c h o f fish sa u c e , sh a llo ts, a n d fre sh m in t—se rve d a t M c D o n a ld ’s

T h a ila n d (h is fa vo rite M c D o n a ld ’s c o u n try in th e w o rld ).

C o m b th ro u g h M c D o n a ld ’s m e n u s a n d yo u b e g in to se e a m o re a d ve n tu ro u s w a y to e a t in

w h a t m a n y c o n si d e r to b e th e le a st a d ve n tu ro u s e a tin g e st a b lish m e n t o n th e p la n e t.

F o r b re a kf a st , w h y n o t a b o w l o f c h ic ke n c o n g e e w ith frie d g a rlic a n d c h ilie s b y th e b e a c h

in B a li? O r Gallo pinto —sp ic e -c h a rg e d ric e a n d b e a n s— o n th e st re e ts o f S a n Jo se ,

C o st a R ic a ?

A dve rtise m ent 

B ig M a c n o lo n g e r h o ld in g yo u r in te re st ? O rd e r th e B u lg o g i B u rg e r in S e o u l, a tra y o f

C u rryw u rst in B e rlin , o r a g rille d c h ic ke n p ita in th e M id d le E a st . A M cD onalds in Beijing

Photo by Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images

D o n ’t w a n t frie s w ith th a t? Yo u c a n try c a ld o ve rd e in P o rtu g a l, g a llo p in to in C o st a R ic a ,

yu c c a st ic ks in V e n e zu e la , c h e e se e m p a n a d a s in C h ile , o r a b lo c k o f D O P P a rm ig ia n o

R e g g ia n o in Ita ly. L a te -n ig h t m u n c h ie s? A h e a p in g p o u tin e in C a n a d a w ill so a k u p a b it o f

th a t b o o ze .

T h is isn ’t ju st a m a tte r o f sw a p p in g ra n c h fo r c h im ic h u rri o r su b b in g g ro u n d c h ic ke n fo r

g ro u n d b e e f. T h e se n e w a d d itio n s re p re se n t a p a ra d ig m sh ift in th e M c D o n a ld ’s w a y: in

th e so u rc in g o f in g re d ie n ts, th e a sse m b ly lin e p re p a ra tio n , a n d th e lo c a l p e rc e p tio n o f

A m e ric a ’s m o st fa m o u s e xp o rt. C o n si d e r Isr a e l, w h e re M c D o n a ld ’s o ffe rs 1 0 0 p e rc e n t

ko sh e r re sta u ra n ts, a n d th e b e e f is le a n e r a n d g rille d o ve r c h a rc o a l fir e s—m o re in

ke e p in g w ith th e lo c a l d e si re fo r a h e a lth ie r m e a l. O r In d ia , w h e re b e e f a n d p o rk h a ve

n e ve r m a d e th e m e n u , M c D o n a ld ’s is a b o u t to g o o n e st e p fu rth e r th is ye a r a n d o p e n

its first ever vegetarian restaurant . A n d in Ita ly, w h e re th e o p p o si tio n to M c D o n a ld ’s w a s

o n c e so fie rc e th a t it sp a rke d th e g lo b a l S lo w F o o d m o ve m e n t, th e fa st -fo o d tita n

h a s joined forces  w ith su p e rm a rke t su p e rp o w e r B a rilla to o ffe r u p a lin e o f p a st a d ish e s.

T h e fir st c re a tio n o n ta p ? P e n n e w ith tu n a , to m a to e s, o live s, a n d c a p e rs.

W h ic h b rin g s u s b a c k to F ra n c e . In 1 9 9 7 , w h e n B u rg e r K in g sh u tte re d th e ir fin a l 3 9

F re n c h lo c a tio n s a fte r 1 6 ye a rs o f so ft sa le s, a n a lyst s b la m e d it o n th e K in g ’s re lu c ta n c e

to a d a p t to th e lo c a l m a rke t. D u rin g th e sa m e p e rio d o f tim e , M c D o n a ld ’s g re w fro m

a ro u n d 6 2 9 re sta u ra n ts to m o re th a n 1 ,2 0 0 . B u rg e r K in g re -e n te re d th e F re n c h m a rke t la st

ye a r, a n d  yo u c a n b e t th e y' ll b e p a yi n g a tte n tio n to th e  M a c D o le sso n : T h e y’ re lo vi n ’ it n o t

b e c a u se it’s A m e ric a n ; th e y’ re lo vi n ’ it b e c a u se it’s F re n c h .