Globalization

For all that McDonald's, along with Starbucks, is considered the stick against which all other aspirations to homogenize the planet can be measured, McDonald's does have its localized menu quirks. I get a big kick out of finding out what they are and giving them a try. I'm not the only one who does this - there are some other global McDonald's observers out there:

From Food Network Humor:

- Turkey's McTurco ("2 burger patties covered in cayenne pepper sauce, and vegetables, and served on a fried pita")
- Mexico's McMolletes (refried beans, cheese, and pico de gallo served on an English muffin)
- Hong Kong's Shogun Burger ("a pork patty with Teriyaki sauce and cabbage.")

Among many others.

In Korea, I tried the Bulgogi Burger, a nod to Bulgogi sauce, a local sweet/salty brown marinade. It was awful. Here in Britain, the adaptation incorporates one of the most popular local cuisines: Indian food. You have NO IDEA how strongly the British feel about Indian food. Curry is a national dish. The supermarket has half an aisle dedicated to bottled Korma sauces, canned Chana Masala, and bags of naan and pappadums. And McDonald's has, as a variant on the American Snack Wrap, the Chicken Tikka Snack Wrap.



Verdict: Not bad. Tangy and actually quite spicy. But you could safely say that no actual Indian seasonings were harmed in the making of this Snack Wrap. In the U.S., you could sell the exact same flavor and title it "Zesty Southwestern Ranch," and people would go for it. In fact, now that I've looked at the U.S. menu, I'm starting to wonder if "Chipotle BBQ" might not be the exact same sauce....