A colleague has just told me that NZ is the only place in the world to have McDonalds that serve salads (I think there are about 3 to choose from) and McCafes that serve panninis and good coffees etc.
Is this true, I find that hard to believe - although I have not stepped foot in a Maccas in US, Canada or Britain for many a year.
Perhaps McCafes that serve panninis and good coffees. But salads are served widespread in the US. Have been for years actually, although within the last couple of years they revamped the salad menu.
I don’t know about the McCafe part, with the panninis and fancy coffees, but McD’s here in the US serve millions of salads. They even redesigned Ronald, making him slimmer and more athletic. The Happy Meal has more sensible options now, and they’re pushing bottled water instead of sody pop. McDonald’s is constantly trying new things to jump on the latest trend, and to keep from being predictable.
I’m pretty sure I have seen McCafe’s in Australia, but it could have been a “we’re about to introduce” ad. McCafe’s don’t exist in Canada or the US.
These McDonald’s, however, have served salads for years, with a much expanded selection over the last two years. Last year McDs in Canada introduced toasted sandwiches, but not on panini or with the tasty flavours offered in Oz (no “tandoori chicken” here).
I’m aware NZ and Australia are different animals.
McD’s serves salads here in the UK too; has done for several years at least.
They are very variable in quality.
Australia has McCafes.
I saw a McCafe in Palo Alto, California, USA.
However, I’m not sure but I think it might’ve turned back into a regular McDonalds
Yup, there are a couple close to where I work. It’s been something like 20 years since I last set foot in a McDonald’s, so I have no idea what they sell, but from the advertising outside it seems to suggest that they make espresso coffee.
Here you go and a media release from McDonald’s Australia. (PDF file)
From the text:
"McDonald’s Australia National McCafe Manager Vicki Fuller said the new menu
items meant customers could choose between panini or focaccia as their base and
then add either ham, cheese and tomato or chicken, cheese and avocado.
“We’re aiming to give customers more variety through McCafe to recognise changing Australian tastes, lifestyles and eating habits.
“McCafe believes this is the perfect snack or light meal to complement one of our
specialty coffees which are made using 100% Arabic beans supplied by Mocopan”
McCafe was introduced to Australia in 1993 and has since experienced enormous
growth. Today there are 96 McCafes with more than 50 expected to open this year."
They apparently have McCafes in [Dublin as well.
In [url=“http://usatoday.jiwire.com/wi-fi-wireless-hotspot-helmstedt-niedersachsen-de-mcdonalds-mccafe-1076307.htm”]Germany](http://www.mcdonalds.ie/mccafe/),
etc…
There may be McCafes in the eastern states but I’ve never seen one in Perth. We also don’t have Wal-Mart or Safeway. But we can buy salads at McDonald’s. And overpriced fruit, for that matter.
I believe the first McCafe was in Raleigh, NC. At least that’s where I first saw it in the late eighties.
Even over East no Wal-Marts or Safeway, I think we used to have Safeway but they were only little grocery stores from memory.
There is one here, in the middle of nowhere, USA. They told us it was one of only seven in the country. I haven’t been there since they first opened two or three years ago, but I remember that the menu had lots of “home cookin” type food on it then. Meatloaf, etc.
There’s a McCafe across the street from my workplace in Cary, NC. It does serve good coffee, not sure whether it has sandwiches.
Our local McDonalds just added overstuffed leatherette club chairs, with side tables. Great for sipping coffee and reading the paper. They don’t have much choice of coffees, but there is a hazlenut.
There are Safeways in Victoria, and they are honking, great supermarkets. I’ve never come across a Walmart though, I didn’t think they were in Australia.