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This arrived in today's newspaper. Can't wait!





The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Images: The McChronicles.

McDonald's STAR Manager Interview

The McChronicles was fortunate to stumble upon a real STAR recently. We briefly enjoyed the company of Yanna Deng, McDonald's Changan Branch STAR.

We don't know what "STAR" actually stands for, but it HAS to be good. Why? Because Yanna is. The Changan McDonald's (in Shenzhen, China's Futian district) is a true "neighborhood" restaurant. Nestled amongst small shops, and at the foot of housing blocks, the store serves students, families, and the neighborhood locals.

We managed to slow Yanna down for a few seconds to ask her about her job, and her role in this store. Here is what she had to say (the interview was translated between English and Mandarin. Any translational errors are purely the fault of The McChronicles):

The McChronicles: What is the role of a McDonald's STAR?
Ms. Deng: We organize social activities, events held at our restaurants. We especially focus on childrens activities.

The McChronicles: How long have you been here?
Ms. Deng: I have worked at this store for 2 years and have been with McDonald's for over 7 years. Many employees at this store have been with the company for a long time.

The McChronicles: Describe McDonald's MOM'S PROGRAM.
Ms. Deng: We have special "Happy Family Ambassadors" who emphasize a good experience for families while in our restaurant. The specially-selected employees must truly enjoy children and have a great sense of customer service.

The McChronicles: How is McDonald's keeping abreast of the huge changes occurring in China?
Ms. Deng: One big effort, and success, is keeping up with inflation. Even with this pressure, we have managed to keep our prices steady.

The McChronicles: What is exciting at this store?
Ms. Deng: Our new manager really emphasizes QSC (quality, service, cleanliness). Their focus has really improved our store tremendously.

The McChronicles: What is your favorite part of working at McDonald's?
Ms. Deng: I enjoy the collegial atmosphere, the happy environment, and the great team with which I work.

The McChronicles notes that this store was very clean and efficient. It was a pleasure to eat at this McDonald's. Thank you Yanna, and your entire team.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Images: The McChronicles.

Temporary McDonald's

The McChronicles has experienced this before. Still, we marvel at it, and want to report on it again.

What is it? It is a temporary, pop-up McDonald's. A small McDonald's is set up in a special tent, wherever needed.

In this case, the restaurant served thousands of conventioners in Shenzhen, China. When bringing people together from all parts of the world, it is important to satisfy everyone's basic human needs (enjoying a satisfying meal is one of them). This exhibition offered a pop-up Pizza Hut, a pop-up Chinese food choice, and a McDonald's. The McDonald's clearly had the longest lines of all the options.

The menu is very limited (chicken sandwich, sausage sandwich, Big Mac) with canned soda. When faced with the option of these limitations versus NO McDonald's, we'll gladly take this option.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Images: The McChronicles.

McDonald's Pineapple Pie

A cautious McChronicles tentatively bit into the piping hot dessert for a first taste of McDonald's Pineapple Pie.

The verdict? Awesome! Very sweet and flavorful. An excellent comfort food.

This great treat was found in Shenzhen, China.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: The McChronicles (pie is missing - we gobbled it up too soon).

What You See: What You Get

The McChronicles enjoyed the (much) larger than life glowing sidewalk billboard depicting the awesomeness of the McDonald's Big Mac while walking along a Shanghai street last week.

After being duly influenced by the huge advertisement we decided to drop into the closest McDonald's to see if the sandwich could live up to the hype. Depicted here is what we saw, and what we were served.

The sandwich was served up in sloppy fashion, with ingredients hanging out every which way. The pickle was barely along for the ride.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Images: The McChronicles.

China Olympics Countdown in McDonald's

The McChronicles snapped this image a couple of days ago. It depicts a countdown (days to go) to the Summer Olympics in China.

The sign sits right at the entrance to a Shanghai McDonald's.


There is so much fervor building up in China for these games. The McChronicles wonders if the country will sustain the energy or if they will have an emotional melt down. We'll soon see.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: The McChronicles.

Coca-Cola China Olympics Torch Promo: McDonald's Tray Liners

Olympics Fever is really heating up in China. The McChronicles wonders how the country will manage to keep a lid on the excitement for another year.

Coca-Cola is staging a very special event for the upcoming summer games. They are asking customers to vote for one of three favorite Chinese sports stars. The winner will carry the Olympic torch into the stadium and light the main torch.

The choices are:

Yao Ming (basketball) NBA fame


Liu Xiang (hurdles) hot off a big win in Osaka two days ago

Guo JingJing (diving) sexy sports star

You'll find this promotional piece on your tray should you dine at a Chinese McDonald's in the near future.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: The McChronicles.

McDonald's Uniform: Pants

The McChronicles has noted that McDonald's workers seem to be required to wear corporate shirts and hats, along with some non-descript, non-corporate-issue pants.

The McChronicles has noted (reminded on a visit last week) that Chinese McDonald's staff wear corporate McDonald's pants.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: The McChronicles.

Egg McMuffin: China Style

The McChronicles went on a breakfast jag last week and started consuming Egg McMuffins nearly every day.

The cool thing was that all the meals were consumed in China - Shanghai to be exact.

Disregarding the localized wrapping, the food looked and tasted exactly like that in any other McDonald's in which we've eaten.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: The McChronicles.

McDonald's Angus Third Pounder

Well, the name certainly doesn't roll off the tongue, now does it? But the concept is intriguing. The McChronicles just read this on the QSR Magazine website:

"McDonald's customers have shown strong support for the new Angus Third Pounders that debuted in Southern California last March. Positive customer feedback has prompted McDonald's marketing co-ops in New York and Central Ohio to introduce the newest line of hamburgers to its customers. "

"Angus Third Pounders are made with 100-percent USDA-inspected Angus Beef, with red onions, sauteed mushrooms, iceberg lettuce and sliced red tomatoes, served on a bakery-style sesame seed roll. The hamburgers come in three varieties: Angus Deluxe, Angus Mushroom and Swiss, and Angus Bacon and Cheese, for a suggested retail price of $3.99 each."

If you have had any experience with this new product, comment and share your thoughts.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.

Image: svt.967 website

McDonald's Moon Man Rises (again)

McDonald's Moon Man spearheaded the company's "Mac Tonight" promtional campaign years ago in the USA when they were introducing the concept of late- and all-night McDonald's service.


Fast forward to today, and to China, where Moon Man has been called up for more duty.


There are ads on TV, on the video screens in-store, on the doors, and even on flyers. Here's one such flyer that depicts 30 of the many stores here in Shanhgai that offer 24-hour service. This makes tons of sense as this city seems to never sleep.


The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Images: The McChronicles.

McDonald's Personalized Word of Mouth Project

According to information The McChronicles recently received from the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association:

McDonald's is currently working with Oddcast to create an avatar-based viral email campaign. At www.MySnackTime.com, users enter basic information about a friend or co-worker who they want to tell about the Chipotle BBQ snack wrap.

This generates an email, which leads recipients to a personalized,
snack-wrap-evangelizing avatar that knows just a little too much about them.
According to Oddcast, people who receive emails from friends are 60-65% more
likely to open them and are 30-35% more likely to pass the email along to yet
another person, making this effort one that is full of viral potential.Learn
more:http://www.womma.org/womnibus/010133.php

Sounds like fun. The McChronicles just fired off a customized message to a buddy in Singapore. Can't wait for the reaction. We plan to try it out on a few other unsuspecting friends and see what happens. Let us know about your experience with this.



The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: McDonald's Oddcast website.

McDonald's: In-Store Hygiene

Here is an example of a long-outdated practice that is (sadly) still in effect today in some locations.


The McChronicles dropped into a McDonald's in Shanghai, China yesterday and saw something that it has reported on before. We remain dismayed to see unprotected (no paper wrapper) straws being dispensed from a box.

While waiting for our order, The McChronicles observed customers dispensing bare straws, getting too many, rolling them out onto the counter, putting some back, etc. We pity the next customer in line.

The McChronicles hopes that McDonald's can invest in hygiene and institute wrapped straws throughout China.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: The McChronicles.

McDonald's: China Olympics

McDonald's is a proud partner of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China. With a year to go until the big event, McDonald's (in China) is really promoting the event.


The McChronicles reports that the Suzhou, China McDonald's is curently sporting an abundance of Olympic rings throughout their restaurant. They're hanging from the ceiling everywhere.


This is in addition to the flat screen video ads of the Olympics that are playing in the store. Interestingly, the McDonald's Olympics ads often depict winter sports, like Ronald ski jumping, freestyle skiing, skating, etc.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: The McChronicles

More On The Mega Mac

It's true, The McChronicles is a bit dazzled by the McDonald's Mega Mac. So here's a bit more:

• I like this guy's style (succinct):
  

• But this dude takes things too far (Go Matt!):

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Videos: YouTube.com

Mexican Commentary on US McDonald's

Typically it is The McChronicles visiting various locales, commenting on this and that, but today the tables were turned. The McChronicles hosted a lunch in Upstate New York with two visitors from Mexico.

As the food was enjoyed, and as we watched people coming and going, we had time for a quick interview. Interestingly, one visitor frequents McDonald's almost weekly (he has a young son) while the other visits about twice per year (shocking!).

• store #996
• North Utica, New York, USA
• theme: '50s rock 'n roll
• lunch
  

The McChronicles: Have you ever experienced a "theme" McDonald's before?
2/year: No. In Mexico they are all the same.

The McChronicles: Please explain why you visit McDonald's so infrequently.
2/year: I prefer a local fast food restaurant that specializes in chicken sandwiches.

The McChronicles: Do you know that McDonald's offers several chicken sandwiches?
2/year: I do, but the Mexican restaurant serves very fresh chicken. I also think that McDonald's doesn't offer enough (sandwich) choices.

The McChronicles: What is your opinion of this McDonald's experience?
2/year: This store is untidy and needs to be picked up. It is messy. As for the design, I like their use of colors, the decorations. the theme.
1/week: I'd like to see some Mexican McDonald's adopt local themes. Some good ideas would be the ocean, the forest, Mariachi, Parícutin with sandwiches in molcajete packaging. Many people have children's parties in Mexico. These themes would help make the parties more special.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Images: The McChronicles.

Double Filet-O-Fish: Just What Is Up???

As you know, The McChronicles first discovered the double filet-o-fish in Singapore. Then fell in love with it back home. Since then we've been ordering it with abandon.

As reported, the first time we ordered it, the front line person was confused. The manager stepped in, made it look simple, and all was well. After several visits to the same McDonald's, things were going quite smoothly. Until today.

Today The McChronicles ventured crosstown, to store #996 in North Utica New York. This store, as previously reported, is a rockin' old school design. Anyway, the order was placed, the front line person locked up, and a confusing consultation occurred. Ultimately, the word was given to charge for a regular FOF, and add in something else. After the dust settled, The McChronicles was charged for a regular FOF ($2.59) plus a crispy chicken patty ($1.50) for a total of $4.09. This contrasts with the $3.59 we are charged in New Hartford, NY (where they have a cash register button for the sandwich).

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: The McChronicles.

Chinese Toy Recall

One big global story is the massive recall of lead paint-tainted toys from China. According to Ian Williams (on NBC Nightly News, tonight) 80% of the world's toys are made in China. Mattel, alone, is recalling over 10,000,000 toys.

McDonald's sources toys from China. In a recent Wall Street Journal article we heard this about McDonald's:

McDonald's Corp., one of the world's largest toy buyers, says the problem of lead paint is so widespread in China that the company has developed a system to monitor paint all the way through the supply chain back to the paint suppliers. The company requires its Chinese toy makers to agree to use only those suppliers.

"We never go on the open market, so we know exactly who we're dealing with," said Walt Riker, vice president of corporate communications.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: The McChronicles.

The McChronicles: Interviewed By The Orange County Register

As previously posted, the OC Register has an excellent fast food blog. "The Fast Food Maven" is written by Nancy Luna - and it covers all aspects the the industry in Orange County, California.

Nancy interviewed The McChronicles and her report was released today.

Read the OC Register interview with The McChronicles.


The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: Fast Food Maven website.

McDonald's CHAMPION KIDS Program

From PR Newswire:

McDonald's will launch its newest Olympic Games program, McDonald's Champion Kids, on Aug. 9, 2007 in Beijing.

The program will enable up to 300 kids from around the world to travel to the 2008 Olympic Games to share their stories and experiences with their local communities and hometown news outlets. Through this once-in-a-lifetime journey, the children will have the chance to see the Games, meet Olympic athletes, visit cultural sights, and interact with kids from across the globe.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: PR Newswire website (press release).