McDonald's profit slumps, sales fall worldwide
Thirty percent if I'm remembering this morning's news story correctly. 80% if I'm not. The chicken factory scandal probably hurt McDonald's worst here in Japan. Here, food safety scandals remain in mind for a long time after the last bit of chicken scrap has been scraped off someone's boot and thrown in with the meat going into the McNuggets.
My wife and I eat at Makku maybe once every other month when we're both too run down from work to dress up enough to make an appearance at MosBurger. In the time since the Chinese chicken factory scandal and now, we've eaten Makku three times and not once has she ordered anything with chicken. Of course, in the months before the scandal, not once was she served anything with chicken. At least, not chicken as it's commonly imagined. A bird with feathers and a beak. As opposed to some all-breast, no-beaked, featherless monstrosity quivering with pseudo-life inside a metal box with thousands of others of its genetically-spliced and heavily-hormone ilk.
Living free of McDonald's shame was nice, while it lasted. Back in the US, I often wore a disguise or at least sunglasses and bag over my head to pick up a couple of large orders of fries. For the longest time, here where there's a McDonald's approximately every 30 feet or so, I could freely indulge in my fry addiction along with a few black-suited office workers pecking away on both hamburgers and laptops because work doesn't cease even when you're away from the office on a dinner break, and dozens of high school girls who only dined there so they could spend hours after their meals perfecting their make-up using elaborate tackle-box like kits full of beautification powders, creams and stainless-steel tools. Plus the occasional homeless person, who would sit with me to ply me with some mangled English and touch me up for a few yen.
Now there is nothing McDonald's can do right as far as consumers are concerned. I'm told by my wife McDonald's fries have "seventeen different chemicals" in them. One of those chemicals is no doubt some kind of sodium compound and the rest simulate the taste and texture of something vaguely potato-like. Saturated with the products of advanced food science, my corpse will last uncorrupted for thousands of years, a monument both to my own amazing life and my poor culinary habits.
A saint for the Fast Food Age.
Showing posts with label McDonald's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label McDonald's. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
McDonald's Japan pulls profit forecast after China meat scandal
McDonald's Japan pulls profit forecast after China meat scandal
We watched clips from Ms. Casanova's press conference on the news last night. McDonald's Japan has taken a sucker punch from this chicken scandal, hasn't it? Especially with the news sales are down here. This is my simple way of putting it. In the fast food world there are different kinds of sales, some of which are better than others. My understanding is McDonald's overall isn't very happy with whatever sales they're getting here in Japan.
Which is really hard to imagine because McDonald's is one of those ubiquitous brands here, almost as common as any given convenience store chain. I mean, they're all over. Maybe they've oversaturated the market. Maybe public taste has changed. For whatever reason, McDonald's isn't having an easy time of it in Japan right now and the news some of their chicken is rotten or else came off the factory floor isn't likely to help.
Back in the US, we rarely eat at McDonald's. The store quality varies. Sometimes they're clean and you get excellent service. Other times the location is a shithole and the employees can't hide how angry they are that you came in to buy food from them. And then there's the food itself. Bad for you, not all that tasty, sometimes fresh, sometimes stale and old. I will admit to craving McDonald's French fries from time to time, but I haven't really had the desire to eat a hamburger there since I was approximately 16 years old.
But in Japan, it's a bit different. I got into the McDonald's habit when I taught English for the McDonald's of conversation schools and I need a quick lunch or dinner. That's a poor excuse for poor eating, but there you have it. The eikawa teaching cliché. It turned out I have a weakness for burgers with fried eggs on them. The wife has none of my snobbery and appreciation for the fast food burger hierarchy we adhered to back home, so to her, McDonald's is just another place to eat without stigma or shame. So we go there when we're feeling lazy or we've been working too hard to contemplate cooking or even going someplace fancier.
Like MosBurger.
Japanese McDonald's tend to be clean and efficient. You're not likely to get the same level of service you would at the better US locations, where employees might chat with you a little and make you feel like a valued person. Japanese fast food managers would scold the hell out of an employee taking such liberties here. Although back in my single days, one employee and I carried on a covert flirtation in my bad Japanese and her scattering of English. Little bon mots passed sotto voce and the like, little eye contact here and there, extra smiles and sympathetic facial expressions passed before I approached the register. I mean by Japanese McDonald's standards, she really took liberties. She even told me her name. But while you can't always expect that kind of personalized cash register experience, your dealings with McDonald's employees are many times more likely to be pleasant and positive than in the US. Also, you get a lot of specialty sandwiches that aren't available back home and many of them are surprisingly delicious. Spicy chicken whatevers and crazy beef this-n-that's.
The last time we went to McDonald's was just a few days before this scandal hit. And I had a McChicken sandwich, or whatever the hell it's called. Probably had a chicken patty right off the factory floor, probably walked on, too. Beats spit on, I suppose. And at least it was cooked thoroughly. While I probably guaranteed myself an extra heart attack within the next five years by eating it, I didn't notice any immediate after effects beyond no longer feeling hungry. Still, it looks as if we'll be eating at MosBurger and Freshness Burger for the foreseeable future. Sorry, Ronald.
We watched clips from Ms. Casanova's press conference on the news last night. McDonald's Japan has taken a sucker punch from this chicken scandal, hasn't it? Especially with the news sales are down here. This is my simple way of putting it. In the fast food world there are different kinds of sales, some of which are better than others. My understanding is McDonald's overall isn't very happy with whatever sales they're getting here in Japan.
Which is really hard to imagine because McDonald's is one of those ubiquitous brands here, almost as common as any given convenience store chain. I mean, they're all over. Maybe they've oversaturated the market. Maybe public taste has changed. For whatever reason, McDonald's isn't having an easy time of it in Japan right now and the news some of their chicken is rotten or else came off the factory floor isn't likely to help.
Back in the US, we rarely eat at McDonald's. The store quality varies. Sometimes they're clean and you get excellent service. Other times the location is a shithole and the employees can't hide how angry they are that you came in to buy food from them. And then there's the food itself. Bad for you, not all that tasty, sometimes fresh, sometimes stale and old. I will admit to craving McDonald's French fries from time to time, but I haven't really had the desire to eat a hamburger there since I was approximately 16 years old.
But in Japan, it's a bit different. I got into the McDonald's habit when I taught English for the McDonald's of conversation schools and I need a quick lunch or dinner. That's a poor excuse for poor eating, but there you have it. The eikawa teaching cliché. It turned out I have a weakness for burgers with fried eggs on them. The wife has none of my snobbery and appreciation for the fast food burger hierarchy we adhered to back home, so to her, McDonald's is just another place to eat without stigma or shame. So we go there when we're feeling lazy or we've been working too hard to contemplate cooking or even going someplace fancier.
Like MosBurger.
Japanese McDonald's tend to be clean and efficient. You're not likely to get the same level of service you would at the better US locations, where employees might chat with you a little and make you feel like a valued person. Japanese fast food managers would scold the hell out of an employee taking such liberties here. Although back in my single days, one employee and I carried on a covert flirtation in my bad Japanese and her scattering of English. Little bon mots passed sotto voce and the like, little eye contact here and there, extra smiles and sympathetic facial expressions passed before I approached the register. I mean by Japanese McDonald's standards, she really took liberties. She even told me her name. But while you can't always expect that kind of personalized cash register experience, your dealings with McDonald's employees are many times more likely to be pleasant and positive than in the US. Also, you get a lot of specialty sandwiches that aren't available back home and many of them are surprisingly delicious. Spicy chicken whatevers and crazy beef this-n-that's.
The last time we went to McDonald's was just a few days before this scandal hit. And I had a McChicken sandwich, or whatever the hell it's called. Probably had a chicken patty right off the factory floor, probably walked on, too. Beats spit on, I suppose. And at least it was cooked thoroughly. While I probably guaranteed myself an extra heart attack within the next five years by eating it, I didn't notice any immediate after effects beyond no longer feeling hungry. Still, it looks as if we'll be eating at MosBurger and Freshness Burger for the foreseeable future. Sorry, Ronald.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Protest reaches Japan: Fair pay sought for fast food workers
Fair pay sought for fast food workers
What constitutes a fair wage? According to these protesters, it's 1500 yen. I'm going to defer to their opinion. Someone has to do these jobs. It's easy enough to say, "Get a higher paying job," but corn knows people are going to eat at McDonald's, especially here in Japan where there's a Makku every twenty meters or so (just kidding-- it's more like 80 meters). And if getting a higher paying job were as easy as some think it is, then we'd all be CEOs getting multi-million dollar bonuses. To me, it seems quite reasonable that the folk who provide the service in fast food restaurants where a mob of people dine almost all day and all night should be paid enough to eat the food they dish, at the very least. I know fast food wages and the minimum wage in general have been hot topics in the US, and now it looks as though at least one of those may be here in Japan. Of course, I don't know yet how widespread this is, so I'm hedging with weasel words here.
People tend to see Japan as a homogenous whole, including quite a few Japanese people I've talked to during my time here. But people do get pissed about a lot of the same things that piss off citizens of my home country, and when pissed, they get out and make some noise and disturb the group harmony. Shake up the general complacency that comes so easily here. War, nuclear weapons, fair wages, taxes. Once, I was in Shibuya when a parade against war came by. They sized me up as the American I so obviously am, but did they give me the stink eye? No, I got a lot of smiles, greetings and peace signs. I flashed the peace sign back, too. My country may bomb the shit out of the world on the slightest provocation, but I'm for peace. There are also protests against US military bases on occasion. Japan has its right wingers, too, who protest their pet causes, none of which I'll dignify by even mentioning.
All that aside, I'm pretty sure I've eaten at this specific McDonald's. If it's the one located where I'm thinking of. Man, there are so many McDonald's in Tokyo it's hard to tell!
What constitutes a fair wage? According to these protesters, it's 1500 yen. I'm going to defer to their opinion. Someone has to do these jobs. It's easy enough to say, "Get a higher paying job," but corn knows people are going to eat at McDonald's, especially here in Japan where there's a Makku every twenty meters or so (just kidding-- it's more like 80 meters). And if getting a higher paying job were as easy as some think it is, then we'd all be CEOs getting multi-million dollar bonuses. To me, it seems quite reasonable that the folk who provide the service in fast food restaurants where a mob of people dine almost all day and all night should be paid enough to eat the food they dish, at the very least. I know fast food wages and the minimum wage in general have been hot topics in the US, and now it looks as though at least one of those may be here in Japan. Of course, I don't know yet how widespread this is, so I'm hedging with weasel words here.
People tend to see Japan as a homogenous whole, including quite a few Japanese people I've talked to during my time here. But people do get pissed about a lot of the same things that piss off citizens of my home country, and when pissed, they get out and make some noise and disturb the group harmony. Shake up the general complacency that comes so easily here. War, nuclear weapons, fair wages, taxes. Once, I was in Shibuya when a parade against war came by. They sized me up as the American I so obviously am, but did they give me the stink eye? No, I got a lot of smiles, greetings and peace signs. I flashed the peace sign back, too. My country may bomb the shit out of the world on the slightest provocation, but I'm for peace. There are also protests against US military bases on occasion. Japan has its right wingers, too, who protest their pet causes, none of which I'll dignify by even mentioning.
All that aside, I'm pretty sure I've eaten at this specific McDonald's. If it's the one located where I'm thinking of. Man, there are so many McDonald's in Tokyo it's hard to tell!
Monday, November 18, 2013
Freshness Burger's burger sleeve mask
This is the second time in the last two weeks I've read stories about the burger sleeve mask at Freshness Burger. While we go to Freshness Burger fairly often, we haven't seen anyone using the burger mask yet. The Freshness Burger at Hamamatsu Station didn't have them the last time I was there, but that was over a month ago. There's a chance they had them but no one was using one because no customers had bought any of the Classic Burgers.
Except I always order a Classic Cheeseburger and I didn't receive a sleeve mask. Maybe because I'm a dude.
I think the main reason the Classic Burger sales were flat (if they truly were) isn't that women are embarrassed to be seen eating them, it's because compared to your basic McDonald's or Mos Burger burger, a Classic Burger from Freshness is huge. As much as I love them-- they're the best chain burger you can get here in Hamamatsu-- I have to admit they're a bit awkward to eat. I have a pretty big mouth, too. I can easily imagine your average Japanese consumer not being able to come to grips, as it were, with a Classic Burger.
Also, in general, restaurant portion sizes tend to be smaller in Japan and a Classic Burger just might be a few grams or calories over what both women and men want here in Japan. If you talk to someone who's lived abroad there's a good chance you'll hear some variation on, "The difference between McDonald's in Japan and in America is our meals are smaller. Americans have bigger sodas." Is it true? I don't really think so, but I haven't gone around weighing burgers and checking soda volume at home and in Japan. It sounds good, so let's go with it. If you order a hamburger set at a Japanese McDonald's, you're getting a lightweight burger and a decent amount of French fries, but if you order a Classic Cheeseburger set at Freshness, you get a burger that's heavier than a Quarter Pounder and an order of thick wedge-cut fries with the skins still on them. It even fills me up, and I'm a decadent pig.
Freshness is a bit pricey, too. I've read business reports about McDonald's same store sales being down in Japan as well, but the McDonald's here still remain packed with customers during peak hours. Sometimes Freshness Burger is as well, but the prime location at the station is a pretty small restaurant so it may be a matter of perception. But if you want a cheap burger meal, McDonald's is the place to go. The point is, I'm pretty sure McDonald's has Freshness Burger beat as far as prices go, but there's no way they can compete in taste. That suggests people prefer paying less for things even if said things aren't quite as good as slightly more expensive things.
And finally, there's convenience. I can't imagine a more convenient location for a burger joint than right at the station, but there's also a McDonald's there, too. If you order at Freshness Burger, you have to take your drink and tray and a little plastic number and go sit down for a while before they come out with your basket of food. At McDonald's, you're halfway finished eating by that point. Unless you find yourself caught up in a crush of high schoolers, McDonald's is going to be your faster option. That means more time to catch the train, more time to shop at May One, more time to fiddle around with your cellphone. Okay, you can to the last at Freshness Burger while you wait, but you're still going to be in the restaurant for a while longer than you would be at the McDonald's.
Anyway, that's all anecdotal stuff. According to the report, Classic Burger sales are up 213% and Freshness Burger corporate seems to think the new burger sleeves get the credit.
Here's how I rank the burger chains--
1) Freshness Burger. Expensive, but the tastiest. They do seem to use fresher ingredients. The only drawback to the Classic Cheeseburger is they cook the onions and I prefer cold, crisp, raw onions on top of my hot beef burger patty. Freshness offers a delicious mushroom burger seasonally, too. It's a large mushroom cap turned upside down and filled with some kind of teriyaki sauce (I think) on a bun with veggies. Mmm! My wife favors Freshness' fat wedge fries above all others, too. Yes, they're good.
2) Mos Burger. They also bring your food to you in a basket, but they're a little cheaper than Freshness Burger. The Mos Burger teriyaki chicken sandwich isn't quite as good as the one at Freshness, but it's still a step up from the chicken filet sandwiches at McDonald's. I like Mos Fries, too, and you usually get them hot from the fryer. My favorite Mos Burger comes with a fat slice of tomato and some kind of chili topping, which is interesting from a taste-and-texture standpoint.
3) Burger King. There aren't any in Hamamatsu, so I go to one in Shibuya, Tokyo. It's pretty much what you get back home. There may be a lot of Big Mac fans here and back home, but I find the Whopper the superior taste experience.
4) McDonald's. To me, there's really not much difference between Japanese McDonald's and U.S. McDonald's. Sure, Japan's features the teriyaki burger, which is pretty good if a little heavy on mayo (they somewhat make up for that with fresh lettuce) and the seasonal Tsukimi Burger (which is absolutely nuts), but the taste is the same for the standard menu. I think the sizes are comparable, too, but I'd need to do the research and honestly, I don't care to. Feel free to clue me in, if you like.
5) Lotteria. I have yet to meet a person here who prefers Lotteria to any of the others. The one time I ate at a Lotteria, it was kind of like eating reheated Mos Burger. Sad and limp burger. Poor Lotteria. My heart goes out to you!
I would have included Wendy's in second place, but they're gone and I'm not sure if they're ever coming back. And I'm not ranking any specialty burger restaurants where people craft their sandwiches with love. Or any of those pop-up burger stands that sometimes appear during festivals and offer huge "American Burgers." I haven't tried any of those, but I have a feeling they would totally blow my list sky-high.
Except I always order a Classic Cheeseburger and I didn't receive a sleeve mask. Maybe because I'm a dude.
I think the main reason the Classic Burger sales were flat (if they truly were) isn't that women are embarrassed to be seen eating them, it's because compared to your basic McDonald's or Mos Burger burger, a Classic Burger from Freshness is huge. As much as I love them-- they're the best chain burger you can get here in Hamamatsu-- I have to admit they're a bit awkward to eat. I have a pretty big mouth, too. I can easily imagine your average Japanese consumer not being able to come to grips, as it were, with a Classic Burger.
Also, in general, restaurant portion sizes tend to be smaller in Japan and a Classic Burger just might be a few grams or calories over what both women and men want here in Japan. If you talk to someone who's lived abroad there's a good chance you'll hear some variation on, "The difference between McDonald's in Japan and in America is our meals are smaller. Americans have bigger sodas." Is it true? I don't really think so, but I haven't gone around weighing burgers and checking soda volume at home and in Japan. It sounds good, so let's go with it. If you order a hamburger set at a Japanese McDonald's, you're getting a lightweight burger and a decent amount of French fries, but if you order a Classic Cheeseburger set at Freshness, you get a burger that's heavier than a Quarter Pounder and an order of thick wedge-cut fries with the skins still on them. It even fills me up, and I'm a decadent pig.
Freshness is a bit pricey, too. I've read business reports about McDonald's same store sales being down in Japan as well, but the McDonald's here still remain packed with customers during peak hours. Sometimes Freshness Burger is as well, but the prime location at the station is a pretty small restaurant so it may be a matter of perception. But if you want a cheap burger meal, McDonald's is the place to go. The point is, I'm pretty sure McDonald's has Freshness Burger beat as far as prices go, but there's no way they can compete in taste. That suggests people prefer paying less for things even if said things aren't quite as good as slightly more expensive things.
And finally, there's convenience. I can't imagine a more convenient location for a burger joint than right at the station, but there's also a McDonald's there, too. If you order at Freshness Burger, you have to take your drink and tray and a little plastic number and go sit down for a while before they come out with your basket of food. At McDonald's, you're halfway finished eating by that point. Unless you find yourself caught up in a crush of high schoolers, McDonald's is going to be your faster option. That means more time to catch the train, more time to shop at May One, more time to fiddle around with your cellphone. Okay, you can to the last at Freshness Burger while you wait, but you're still going to be in the restaurant for a while longer than you would be at the McDonald's.
Anyway, that's all anecdotal stuff. According to the report, Classic Burger sales are up 213% and Freshness Burger corporate seems to think the new burger sleeves get the credit.
Here's how I rank the burger chains--
1) Freshness Burger. Expensive, but the tastiest. They do seem to use fresher ingredients. The only drawback to the Classic Cheeseburger is they cook the onions and I prefer cold, crisp, raw onions on top of my hot beef burger patty. Freshness offers a delicious mushroom burger seasonally, too. It's a large mushroom cap turned upside down and filled with some kind of teriyaki sauce (I think) on a bun with veggies. Mmm! My wife favors Freshness' fat wedge fries above all others, too. Yes, they're good.
2) Mos Burger. They also bring your food to you in a basket, but they're a little cheaper than Freshness Burger. The Mos Burger teriyaki chicken sandwich isn't quite as good as the one at Freshness, but it's still a step up from the chicken filet sandwiches at McDonald's. I like Mos Fries, too, and you usually get them hot from the fryer. My favorite Mos Burger comes with a fat slice of tomato and some kind of chili topping, which is interesting from a taste-and-texture standpoint.
3) Burger King. There aren't any in Hamamatsu, so I go to one in Shibuya, Tokyo. It's pretty much what you get back home. There may be a lot of Big Mac fans here and back home, but I find the Whopper the superior taste experience.
4) McDonald's. To me, there's really not much difference between Japanese McDonald's and U.S. McDonald's. Sure, Japan's features the teriyaki burger, which is pretty good if a little heavy on mayo (they somewhat make up for that with fresh lettuce) and the seasonal Tsukimi Burger (which is absolutely nuts), but the taste is the same for the standard menu. I think the sizes are comparable, too, but I'd need to do the research and honestly, I don't care to. Feel free to clue me in, if you like.
5) Lotteria. I have yet to meet a person here who prefers Lotteria to any of the others. The one time I ate at a Lotteria, it was kind of like eating reheated Mos Burger. Sad and limp burger. Poor Lotteria. My heart goes out to you!
I would have included Wendy's in second place, but they're gone and I'm not sure if they're ever coming back. And I'm not ranking any specialty burger restaurants where people craft their sandwiches with love. Or any of those pop-up burger stands that sometimes appear during festivals and offer huge "American Burgers." I haven't tried any of those, but I have a feeling they would totally blow my list sky-high.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
It's a pretty big burger... I guess...
O.M.G. Burgers (a hamburger restaurant in Kanagawa) touts a monster sandwich they call the Akebono Sumo Burger on their webpage. It weighs approximately 6 pounds and comes with about 2 and a half pounds of fries. If you manage to finish it, you win the equivalent of 300 USD and a t-shirt that proclaims to the world you ate half a cow.
Oh, and the burger is on the house.
For the ex-pat-- and the native-born as well-- Japan offers a wide variety of hamburger dining experiences. You can try the classic taste of McDonald's (yes, yes I did), Burger King and Wendy's (they exited the Japanese market in 2009, but this December they're jumping back into the food fight with renewed vigor), plus the home-grown delights of Freshness Burger and Mos Burger. If you're a fan of the manga Nana (and why aren't you?), you can try a Jackson Burger at Hachi's favorite place, Jackson Hole. Which is a bar.
But not the original bar as seen in the comic book and movie. In 2008, Jackson Hole moved from near the southern entrance of Chofu Station to new digs on the northern side, as some intrepid explorers in real-world manga locations have discovered. Philosophers and those versed in mereological essentialism will have to debate whether or not a Jackson Burger in the new location is the same as a Jackson Burger at the old and if it presents a Ship of Theseus paradox. I just know Hachi loves a Jackson Burger no matter where she sits to eat it.
As for me, a trip to O.M.G. Burgers is on my itinerary for the coming year. After all, who wouldn't want to challenge the sumo burger, especially if there's a chance some bikers will be there to cheer you on?
Oh, and the burger is on the house.
For the ex-pat-- and the native-born as well-- Japan offers a wide variety of hamburger dining experiences. You can try the classic taste of McDonald's (yes, yes I did), Burger King and Wendy's (they exited the Japanese market in 2009, but this December they're jumping back into the food fight with renewed vigor), plus the home-grown delights of Freshness Burger and Mos Burger. If you're a fan of the manga Nana (and why aren't you?), you can try a Jackson Burger at Hachi's favorite place, Jackson Hole. Which is a bar.
But not the original bar as seen in the comic book and movie. In 2008, Jackson Hole moved from near the southern entrance of Chofu Station to new digs on the northern side, as some intrepid explorers in real-world manga locations have discovered. Philosophers and those versed in mereological essentialism will have to debate whether or not a Jackson Burger in the new location is the same as a Jackson Burger at the old and if it presents a Ship of Theseus paradox. I just know Hachi loves a Jackson Burger no matter where she sits to eat it.
As for me, a trip to O.M.G. Burgers is on my itinerary for the coming year. After all, who wouldn't want to challenge the sumo burger, especially if there's a chance some bikers will be there to cheer you on?
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