MMMMM or EWWWWW

What do you all think of this new Big Mac Snack Wrap? Have you seen the advertisement?

Here are my thoughts on the ad - Why are they showing the cut side of the burger?It really creeps me out. Also, the premise of it is kind of weird. Some guy talking to his food in a seductive way . . . . yuckles.

Website song is solid though - http://www1.mcdonalds.com/macsnackwrap/#/home

And you thought McNuggets were just good for throwing down your gullet

Nothing says sophisticated drinking like processed meat and BBQ sauce. Walking the fine line between fine-drinking and fast-food comes the McNuggetini.
This NYT article provides some insights on this concoction. Some favorite copy from the article includes:

“It’s fine once you get past the barbecue sauce,” Ms. Hardstark, 29, said of the drink, part chocolate shake, part Chicken McNugget. “It tastes just like a White Russian, but with meat.”

and One commenter on YouTube summed up their appeal: “Well-dressed cute girls mixing god-awful drinks? I can’t stop watching.” In response to a YouTube video on making the drinks.

It makes one wonder what's next? I mean what can the put fast food into next? A filet mignon with a McRib inside of it? Yogurt with a Whopper ground up inside? All I know is that I'm heading out to get a Spicy Chicken Sidecar after work.

That's a lot of golden arches

McDonald's plans to open 1,000 new restaurants next year and renovate 2,300 existing locations.

At a meeting of company investors on Thursday, the fast-food giant said it would focus on opening new restaurants primarily in the U.S., Germany, France, Russia, China and Australia.

Read the full article here

McDonald's Rolls Out Premium Burgers

While we are on the fancy fast food topic.

The new burgers are made with a third of a pound of 100% Angus beef and a choice of fresh ingredients, and served on a toasted, bakery-style sesame seed roll. They come in three varieties: Deluxe (topped with mayonnaise, yellow mustard, a slice of tomato, lettuce, red onion rings, sliced dill pickles and American cheese slices); Bacon & Cheese (topped with ketchup, yellow mustard, red onion rings, sliced dill pickles, three bacon slices and American cheese slices); and Mushroom & Swiss (topped with mayonnaise, sautéed mushrooms and Swiss cheese slices).

For the record, 5 Guys is all the premium I need in my fast food burgers.

Media Post

McDonald's Same Store Growth Increases

McDonald's Corp. said Monday its same-store sales climbed 5.1 percent in May, boosted by strong international sales but seeing slower sales growth in the U.S.

The Oak Brook, Ill.-based company said U.S. same-store sales climbed 2.8 percent, helped by classic menu items and its new McCafe espresso-based coffees. The espresso drinks are now being rolled out to all the company's U.S. restaurants.

Yahoo

Taking It To the Streets - McDonald's version, not Michael McDonald

Have you tried a beverage at your local McCafe yet? I haven't, but now I kind of want a McGriddle and a McCafe Beverage (btw do they come in real sizes, or is it made up sizes like Venti?)

Well, while the McCafe's are slowly popping up it seems franchisees don't feel like sitting on their hands, waiting for their $100,000+ investment to provide return, so instead of waiting for corporate McDonalds to roll out national advertising, many are taking it to the streets.

"In Houston, McCafe trucks idle in parking lots, giving drinks away. In Dallas, they gave away samples at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. In Detroit, there have been "First Friday Extravaganzas" at the MGM Grand Casino, giving drinks away to 300 or more consumers at a time. In New Orleans, Moroch partnered with the NBA's New Orleans Hornets to create activities at halftime, with the goal of giving free McCafe coupons to everyone in attendance. To celebrate Teacher Appreciation Day in Philadelphia, McDonald's is offering a free small McCafe drink to each of the city's 100,000 school teachers."

The interesting thing is that I would assume the franchisees will in essence be paying twice - once for their own marketing efforts and then through their franchise fees.

Read more via AdAge

Starbucks or McDonald's in Your Backyard

Would you rather have a McDonald's or Starbucks move next door?

Check out this study from the PEW Research Center . . . Looks like us Midwesterners would the ol' golden arches out back.

via slashfood.com

Free McDonalds . . . No, Really

From today's Enquirer.com :

Free McDonald's!

Posted 1/6/2009 10:16 AM EST on Cincinnati.com

Who doesn't love free food? In its way of tempting those who are dieting, participating McDonald's locations in Greater Cincinnati will offer free samples every Wednesday from now through April 15. You can get these deals either inside the restaurants or via drive-thru with a limit of one per customer while supplies last.

January

From 7-10 a.m, free sample-size Sausage McGriddle (half sandwich).

February

From 7-10 a.m, free sample-size Southern Style Chicken Biscuit (half sandwich).

March

From 7-10 a.m, free sample-size (7-ounce) of regular flavored iced coffee.

April

From 7-10 a.m. and from 2-5 p.m., free regular size (12-ounce) Mocha McCafe."

You Loving It?

Looks like Mc'D's is changing their look. Now you can figure out what's inside the package- may still have trouble figuring out what's inside their food.

McDonald's Give Packaging a Flashy Update - via AdAge.com

Some Fake Coffee With Your Real News

Oooooooh, they’re calling out your name.

Two cups of McDonald’s iced coffee (BUY!) sit on the Fox 5 TV news desk, a punch-you-in-the-face product placement (BUY!) to chase down your morning news.

They’ve been on the Las Vegas station set for about two weeks, following the lead of a few TV stations across the country, and they’re still looking every bit as frosty and tantalizing (BUY!) as they were the first day you laid your eyes on them.

But wait, here’s the best part: They’re not real. . . .

via Las Vegas Sun

A Maize Maze for the Golden Arches

Adweek