I just read in the local newspaper that McDonalds will start selling Pizza in Germany. They are planning to open new restaurants branded as “Donatos”. The article stated that Germany is the first country that will have them, outside the US.
Just out of interest, can any of the US Dopers let me know what Donatos is like?
Thanks & greetings from flooded Germany,
Myriam
Well, it tastes like cr@p.
If you’re lucky, they go bankrupt in a year.
Any questions?
Never heard of them, but then again I don’t goto fast food resturants much any more. I do remember when I worked at McD’s that they wanted to bring pizza to the menu. We never had it at our store but they did try it. This was a good 10 years ago though. On a side note they are bringing hotdogs to McD’s I heard on the radio this morning. I guess it’s a good thing I stopped eating there when I did.
Thanks, Bosda - that doesn’t sound too promising. Oh well, at least it will be easy to stay away from. 
Yeah, I’ve never heard of Donatos either - and I’m a college student (fast food is part of the life). I agree with everyone else… I wouldn’t try it!
McDonalds used to have Pizza here (Canada). I actually liked it, but it wreaked havoc in the drivethru as they would take too long to bake if they weren’t ready when you ordered.
The stopped selling them, oh, I’d guess about 8-10 years ago or so.
I’m not sure I have the story right…so Donatos will ONLY sell pizza or are you saying McDonalds will start selling pizza in their regular restaurants?
If it (Donatos) is a separate chain, then it sounds like they are trying to muscle in on Pizza Hut. They might have a good shot at doing that, especially in Germany, as there is not a whole lot of competition in the fast-food pizza market.
However, if they are just selling it at the regular McDonalds, don’t give it too much thought. They try adding new things to the menu here all the time - some are hits and most are misses.
(BTW - I hear Kentucky Fried Chicken at the Europa Center in Berlin is doing amazing business! Long lines, all day and night. Who knows, maybe the time is right for a new Pizza chain store?)
We have Donato’s here in the Midwest. You would never know they are part of McDonald’s unless you follow the business news. They are very much like a Pizza Hut or a Papa John’s. My wife actually prefers Donato’s to the other chain pizza places. I would give them a try if you don’t mind Pizza Hut type of pizza, but I sure wouldn’t get overly excited about some great new sensation comming your way.
They have McPizza around the Pittsburg area. It is really foul.
Just to clarify… Donatos is not the same as the McPizza that they sell at some McDonalds outlets. Donatos started in Colombus, OH and was doing a good job of expanding in that market. They wanted to expand further, and that is where McDonalds came into the picture. So basically it was an independant pizza place first that McDonalds saw as a good opportunity to capatalize on… not something that McDonalds created. You have to dig pretty deep into their website (www.donatos.com) to even find any mention of McD’s.
It’s not any worse than Pizza Hut, at least their new traditional crust stuff. But you can do much better in Germany in most small pizzarias. I don’t understand how either can compete, really. Do bear in mind that this is the American, not Italian, style of pizza that we are talking about.
I’ve had Donato’s a couple times – there’s one just down the street from me. It’s better than the other national chains, albeit somewhat more expensive than Papa John’s (my usual choice) or Domino’s.
Donato’s is unique in one respect – their pies have sauce/toppings all the way to the edge of the crust, unlike most.
Too bad Happy Joe’s isn’t expanding into Germany – their sauerkraut/canadian bacon pizza would probably be a big hit there.
I like Donato’s, I can understand why it isn’t some peoples favorite, their normal pizza crust is a thin and slightly crunchy crust, and they use provolone rather than mozzerella cheese.
I’d rate them about fourth on my favorite pizza list, ahead of Dominos, Pizza Slu—Hut, Papa Johns, Little Ceasars, Round Table, or any of the other super large chains, but behind Cassano’s, Mama D’Salvo’s, Papa Murphys (You bake), and a little place my sister took me to in Columbus who’s name I can’t remember.
I’ve never heard of it either, but my lower intestine senses danger.
That sounds like Imo’s Pizza or as they claim,“St.Louis Style Pizza”. Imo’s is a chain in the St.Louis area. Not bad pizza, but its not much like any of the other big chains. Thin crunchy crust, provolone cheese and they cut it in squares instead of pies.
dead0man
Thanks for all that info. Yes, I am aware that this is American style pizza, not Italian style. Over here these are seen as two different entities.
DMark, it is true that the KFC in Berlin is doing really well, but you have to consider that a) it is one of very few KFCs in Germany and therefore still has a novelty factor and b) it is located in a prime tourist area with the only other fast food places in the immediate vicinity being a smallish McDonald’s and PizzaHut at the train station and a Burger King 5 blocks away.
I never went to KFC when I lived in Berlin. I have only tried it here (Duesseldorf area) since one is conveniently located near the IKEA store.
While we’re on the subject, can anyone tell me if the Dutch pizza franchise chain New York Pizza is an actual spin-off of a NY based chain? Or is it just marketing? Any NYC Dopers that recognise the name?
Great pizzas, oh man.
There is no NY Pizza chain in NYC. Are they even allowed to super-impose that fake sign in Times Square like that?
Why not? Is Times Square a protected historical sight registered with UNESCO? 
Well, no, but it kinda sorta implies that there is an actual chain of that name in NYC - misleading.
shrugs