How McDonald’s fries became the world’s best fries

Although one can eat French fries any day of the year, July 13 has been designated as French Fry Day. French fries, undoubtedly, are everyone’s favourite potato dish. But if you thought there was only one way to enjoy those fries – with tomato ketchup – you couldn’t be more wrong!

But first, let’s see the entire process that goes behind making those perfect fries, in this video: https://youtu.be/mD97ThmoGro

Countries around the world eats them in their own special way. Some like to dip their fries in salsa, others like to have them with cheese and gravy. But there’s no doubt that French Fry lovers everywhere have a soft corner for MacFries.

Let’s start our round-the-world trip from America. Americans love their french fries best with simple tomato ketchup, although they sometimes go for toppings like cheese, chili, hot sauce, barbecue sauce, onions or ranch dressing.

However, though the Americans think the French fries came to their land from France, they actually came from Belgium. Yes, even though the fries go by the name “French”, French Fries were actually invented in Belgium.

The people of Meuse Valley loved their fish fries, but they didn’t know  what to do when winter froze their river. So, they came up with the idea of frying potatoes, instead. Viola! The French Fries were born, although in Belgium, they are known as frites. The Belgians love their frites so much that they make them the center-piece of a meal, much more than just a side dish. Not that you can’t enjoy them on the streets: Streetside shops known as freitkotten serve them fries in cones made of cardboard, with a choice of many sauces.

In French regions of Canada, they love their poutines: fries topped with gravy and cheese curds, all served hot, so the flavours blend. There are even annual poutine festivals held across Canada.

In good ol’ Britain, as we know, fries are called chips, while what the rest of the world calls chips, are known as crisps. The Brit like their “chips” with a sprinkling of malt vinegar and salt.

In Netherlands, fries are cooked just the way they are in Belgium, but they like to dip their fries in mayonnaise, believe it or not! But it’s not a bland mayo but a spicy one, unlike what one is used to in other parts of the world.

In Japan, they are called furaido and munched with seasoning in powder from, which the Japanese sprinkle on top. The Japanese also prefer to shake their fries in a paper parcel, (probably the origin of McFries Piri Piri). The locals of Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia also like to do the same.

However, neighbouring Philippines likes its fries with a totally different flavour of ketchup: banana, at that. This sauce is made of mashed bananas, vinegar, sugar and spices.

No matter how many different ways the world eats its French Fries, the MacFries - French Fries from McDonald’s – has proved to be the “Great Leveller”, uniting fry lovers around the world in one special taste – potato fries that are crispy outside and soft inside, with just a sprinkling of salt or piri piri spice.

So, MacFries anyone?

Source :http://articles.org/how-mcdonalds-fries-became-the-worlds-best-fries/

McDonald’s EOTF Has Samsung tablets now

Visited the McDonald’s EOTF restaurant at south Mumbai’s posh office-cum-residential locality, Nariman Point, yet?, You might be surprised to spot Samsung’s tablets fixed at many of the tables. Go ahead, play!

It’s a bid by Westlife Development, whose subsidiary Hardcastle Restaurants manages the McDonald’s franchise in west and south India, to keep its customers engaged and happy as they enjoy their food at the restaurant.

After all, in today’s “connected” world, there are few people who can’t be seen doing serious work or entertaining themselves via social media on their smartphone or tablet. So, once inside an Experience Of The Future restaurant, you can use the new Samsung Touch2Play Samsung Galaxy Tablets to browse, check your social media updates, or simply play a game.

The move began in the UK, with McDonald's Corporation installing Samsung Galaxy tablets in its restaurants across the island nation as part of the of new initiative called "Experience of the Future". While the Tablets are meant to be used to order food, they do offer basic access to the internet, mobile games and social media apps.

It was not the first time that McDonald’s came up with a tech-focussed marketing plan. Customers in Sweden have already been treated to ‘Happy Meal’ boxes that could be converted into cardboard virtual reality headsets based on Google's Do-It-Yourself design. Elsewhere in Europe, some restaurants offered wireless charging pads. McDonald's is also known to have supported the Apple Pay mobile payments system since its launch in October 2014.

McDonald’s digital tablet enclosures are akin to entertainment hubs, where guests can relax and have a good time. They can play games, read the news, interact on social media, charge their phone using wireless charging, or do what we all love doing: simply browse the internet.

According to a statement, "Technology has an important role to play in all walks of life, including  customers' ‘eating out’ experience. So, the changes we're making as part of the Experience of the Future programme bring us closer to the way people live their lives today."

Another experiment has been the introduction of touch-screen, self-order stations, which goes a long way in reducing the waiting time before an order. The touch-screen kiosks also give customers the option of having their meals delivered to their respective tables, an unheard-of trend in a Quick Service Restaurant.

With its latest initiative, McDonald’s is creating more appeal for its adult as well as child customers, who are never far away from a touch-screen.

In the US too, McDonald's is betting on new technology like mobile orders and payments. The hamburger giant unveiled plans at its annual investor day to make "mobile order and pay" available at all of its 14,000-odd US restaurants by Fall of 2017. "Through enhanced technology to elevate and modernise customer experience, a focus on the quality and value of our food and redefined convenience through delivery, we have a bold vision for the future and the urgency to act on it," McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook told the meeting.

Source: http://articles.org/visit-a-mcdonalds-eotf-and-you-may-not-want-to-come-back-home-soon/

McDonald’s in Hyderabad Serves up a Kebab Burger

When the McDonald’s Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) arrived in India around 20 years ago, the earliest strategy by the company to please its clientale was to create a menu that would be familiar to the local customers. Viola! the McAloo Tikki burger was born!

This desi addition to an otherwise international menu, thrilled the customers and helped the restaurant to quickly increase footfalls inside its restaurants.

McDonald’s (West & South) recently took efforts to replicate its success story in the southern city of Hyderabad by launching a range of new products with local flavours – it was a kebab inside a burger!

So, what’s the connection between Hyderabad and kebabs? Hyderabad is as famous for its kebabs as it is for its biryanis. The kebab, which originated in Iran and the Middle East, was inspired by culinary methods from faraway places like the Mediterranean. Today, a huge variety of kebabs are cooked using a variety of exotic spices. Then, when the kebabs came to India, the city of Hyderabad added its own Mughlai tradition by cooking it with hot South Indian spices. The kebabs of Hyderabad bore the smokey flavour of skewered meat and vegetables, topped by the unmistakeable flavour of Indian spices.

Now, McDonald’s India (South & West) has launched not one but three new kebab dishes. The new meals launched in Hyderabad are: the Chicken Kebab Burger, the Kebab Wrap, and the Chicken Kebab Double Patty Burger. Just the names can make you feel the whiff from the kitchens.

The three new flavours were first launched at the McDonald’s restaurant at the busy City Centre Mall in Hyderabad. Today, the menu has been extended from one store to 22 stores across Hyderabad.

In the words of Kedar Teny, Director, Marketing and Digital, McDonald’s India (West and South), 

“We aim to delight our customers in Hyderabad by offering them their favourite kebabs in a unique recipe. We continue serving innovative dishes in South India, which has been a major market to adopt and cater to the changing consumer trends. We are testing here, and if it gets a good response, we will expand it pan-India.”

The new menu is a blend of the familiar with the new, which makes for an exciting combination. It’s certain that Hyderabad’s locals will welcome the new flavours, as they are a city of food lovers who love new tastes even they appreciate traditional flavours.

This sentiment was echoed by Amit Jatia, Vice Chairman, Westlife Development Limited and owner of the McDonald’s (West and South India), when the franchise reached the 20-year milestone, recently. He said the 20-year journey had been about “thinking global, but being local”, which meant keeping the international chain relevant to a global visitor, yet having a lot of appeal to a local customer.

“Our menu has evolved unbelievably in the last 20 years. We have built a solid foundation with our menu and succeeded in building sub-brands like McSpicy and McAloo Tikki. When other burger companies come in, these brands really help to differentiate our offering,” he said.

Moreover, established brands help in new products succeeding. For instance, McAloo Tikki - which is the biggest brand for McDonald’s India - has aided the success of new flavours like Mexican and Lebanese in the AlooTikki burgers. “The people’s faith in the brand make them try out new menus, which have a positive impact on same-store sales,” adds Jatia.

So, what makes a McDonald’s kebab different? It is a traditionally cooked, spicy, square-shaped patty, made of minced chicken and seasoned with Indian spices, breadcrumbs and chickpeas, and accompanied by sliced red onion. The Chicken Kebab Burger is accompanied by a spicy Hariyali sauce, which has the taste of green chillies, mint and coriander leaves, which lend a typical local flavour to the tasty dish.

Customer Service Is All About Service With A Smile At Mcdonald’s

Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see, wrote Mark Twain. Indeed, whether or not you are aware of a good deed someone has done to you or one that you did to another, you can be sure it left its indelible mark on someone’s heart or mind.

Having experienced a good deed at a McDonald’s restaurant on the Mumbai-Kolhapur highway, when he arrived there for lunch, the customer was quick to express his thanks through a letter.

Soon after his arrival, Vinayak Jadhav dropped his wallet, which contained a little over 2000 INR. However, he realised his mistake only after he had finished his lunch at the restaurant.

Later, observing the customer searching for his wallet, the security guard at McDonald’s assured him not to worry as his wallet had been found and deposited with the restaurant manager.

One can imagine the customer’s relief. Here is the letter he later wrote McDonald’s:

“Sir, today I went to McDonald’s Kolhapur, on the National Highway, for lunch. When I parked my car, something fell down from my pocket. I went out with my friend for about 45 minutes. After coming back, I took a meal at McDonald’s. It was then that I realised that cash of around Rs 2300 was missing. I went near my car and began searching for the cash. Then, the security person of the shift approached me to inform that he found the cash and handed it over to the Shift Manager, Ms Nelson. She had been searching for the owner of the car for quite some time. I wish to appreciate the (value) system developed by your team. The cash was not so big but I liked the loyalty of the security officer and your team. With Best Wishes, Vinayak Jadhav.”

Vinayak Jadhav is not alone in appreciating McDonald’s. Here are more examples of simple courtesies keeping customerscoming back.

“Hello there, I'm Pawan Kr Jha from Frazer Town, Bangalore. I work as Operations Head in a Private Health Care firm in Bangalore. I have a daughter of 11 yrs. Last year, when she was 10, we had to arrange her birthday get-together in hurry. We threw a small party last year in McDonald’s outlet on Mosque Road. The experience was so good, that this year too, on October 22, we decided to have my daughter's birthday party at McDonald’s Mosque Road outlet. This year too, the arrangements were awesome, including the decorations. Everything was taken care of, and all the kids were very happy and satisfied, with no complaints. Thanks to each employee of your Mosque Road outlet. Cheers!! Pawan Kumar Jha.”

Yet another letter comes from Kochi:

 “Hi, I want to share a great experience I had at McDonald’s MG Road while travelling from Thiruvananthapuram to Kochi. It was almost 11:30 at night and we were searching for a restaurant to have dinner as no restaurants were open at the time. We finally stopped at a McDonald’s. Though the crew said the store was closed at the time, yet the manager again fired up the equipment and made sure that our needs were met. Indeed, my family, especially the kids, enjoyed the outstanding hospitality delivered by the managers and staff of McDonald’s at MG Road. Regards, Akshay Panicker”

Here’s a grateful chap from Indore:

“I forgot my mobile at a McDonald’s in Indore, and it was returned to me by the staff. It was an example of the team’s great sense of responsibility. They have truly built a great trust. Thanks and regards, Kishan Kumar Sharma.”

As Bill Vaughan put it, “Our lives are fed by kind words and gracious behaviour”.

Source : 

http://uberant.com/article/214397-mcdonalds-believes-in-keeping-customers-happy-by-doing-a-job-well/

Piri Piri: When French Fries Went On An African Safari

When McDonald’s launched its Piri Piri fries, the restaurant’s loyal clientale immediately took to the new taste of their favourite fries. Although they couldn’t believe that the well-known fries could get any better, they hadf to admit that the Piri Piri spice and the McDonald’s french fries made for an irresistible combination.

One could see people waiting patiently in long queues to get their pack of French fries along with a sachet of Piri Piri spice, which they tore open and poured its contents into the pack. Then, you could see them shaking the packs as they walked back to their seats, in a bid to evenly coat the fries with the special spice.

What makes the spice perfect for the French fries is it being used coarsely grounded, allowing it to coat the fries better than a finely ground spice.

McDonald’s French fries themselves are thankfully always bright golden brown, thin, and crisp, made of wholesome potatoes of a very special variety. Their tender exterior and moist interior make these fries a hit with most people. Once they get coated with the Piri Piri spice, they turn a deep brown colour.

Of course, if you’re not sure of how much of the spice you need to lather your fries with, the very first time round, you might pour the spice slowly, taste the fries, and then add more if you want. This is just so the fries don’t get too pungent or spicy by pouring the entire spice sachet into the fries. Especially as the spice in India has large amounts of garlic. You might wish for a dipping sauce to take away the overwhelming taste of garlic.

McDonald’s Piri Piri is a simple mix of spices, not too elaborate, and all the ingredients are natural. There’s tamarind of course, adding a much needed sour flavour to the seasoning. 

The ad for these fries called them “periperilicous”! Undoubtedly, once you tasted these fries, you knew you had to have more. Seeing the popularity of this dish, McDonald’s changed this temporary promotional offer and made it a permanent one.

Just pay Rs 15 extra on your regular McDonald’s french fries to upgrade to the Piri Piri French fries.

So what exactly is this Piri Piri? Let’s find out!

My heart goes Piri Piri

“Piri piri” is a tweak of the African word peri peri, in Swahili language. It literally means, “pepper, pepper”, as if one was exclaiming after finding it too spicy or else, one was going into raptures at the mere taste of it.

Piri Piri is made using a combination of various spices, much like the garam masala in the Indian spice cabinet. It blends many grounded spices such as salt, chilli powder, black pepper, garlic, tamarind, onion, sugar, citric acid and various herbs.

In Africa, they know the spice as “bird's eye chili”. It belongs to the family of capsicum frutescens, one of the sources of chili pepper. On that continent, the chili grows both in the wild as well as grown at home. A member of the capsicum genus, and a native of Angola, Uganda, Malawi, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Sudan and Ethiopia, it was the Portuguese who brought the special spice to India via Goa.

The Oxford Dictionary itself describes piri piri as "a very hot sauce made with red chilli peppers".

The piri piri grows as a bush, its fruits turning from green to bright red or even purple.

Though Piri Piri is African, Piri Piri sauce is Portuguese in origin, made using crushed chillies, citrus peel, onion, pepper, salt, lemon juice, bay leaves, paprika, pimiento, basil, oregano and tarragon.