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There is room for variation in consistency. Like McDonald's abroad is not the same in every country. The menu in India is primarily chicken-based. Muslim countr

by yardie 5y ago

There is room for variation in consistency. Like McDonald's abroad is not the same in every country. The menu in India is primarily chicken-based. Muslim countries don't even carry a bacon option. The order of importance also varies by region. McDonald's in France has consistently been the best fast food I've ever had. Me and my 20-something coworkers would regularly go while older, upper-management would make fun of us and head over to pricier brasseries for lunch. The complained about the service while we were in and out in 10mins. Burger King left France as an abject failure 20 years and re-arrived a few years. What changed? Different marketing and leadership. Trying less to be an American company abroad and more of French fast food company that happens to be American.

tristor 5y ago
I wouldn't necessarily call that variation in consistency, but it's interesting you bring up the regional variations at McDonald's (Pizza Hut is one that has some /very/ interesting regional variations as well). This is something that can actually be jarring to Americans when they travel abroad, so much so that it's become something of a meme in travel communities for first-time travelers. I think it's important to understand that it's pretty rare for a business to fail in its home market and succeed elsewhere, so winning in the home market first is important. A&W's home market and McDonald's home market is the US, and in the US McDonald's is /extremely/ consistent nationwide. It's probably the most consistent restaurant in any category.
- yardie 5y ago
  > it's pretty rare for a business to fail in its home market and succeed elsewhere Rare is correct. It does happen. Packard Bell, for example, an American brand that fell apart in the US was doing significantly well.
teakettle42 5y ago
> Muslim countries don't even carry a bacon option. That’s … minor. I ate at a McDonalds in Marrakech (Morocco), and language and minor local menu variations aside, the food and experience was as close to quintessential as any McDonalds I’ve visited in the elsewhere in the world — including, of course, the US.

by yardie 5y ago

tristor 5y ago

I wouldn't necessarily call that variation in consistency, but it's interesting you bring up the regional variations at McDonald's (Pizza Hut is one that has some /very/ interesting regional variations as well). This is something that can actually be jarring to Americans when they travel abroad, so much so that it's become something of a meme in travel communities for first-time travelers. I think it's important to understand that it's pretty rare for a business to fail in its home market and succeed elsewhere, so winning in the home market first is important. A&W's home market and McDonald's home market is the US, and in the US McDonald's is /extremely/ consistent nationwide. It's probably the most consistent restaurant in any category.

yardie 5y ago
> it's pretty rare for a business to fail in its home market and succeed elsewhere Rare is correct. It does happen. Packard Bell, for example, an American brand that fell apart in the US was doing significantly well.

teakettle42 5y ago

> Muslim countries don't even carry a bacon option. That’s … minor. I ate at a McDonalds in Marrakech (Morocco), and language and minor local menu variations aside, the food and experience was as close to quintessential as any McDonalds I’ve visited in the elsewhere in the world — including, of course, the US.