McDonalds launches their 'McAfrika' burger...Corporate idiots

guess McDonalds missed the memo that says that the majority of southern Africa is starving. Instead of self-education, they decided to capitalise on this opportunity and create a 'Tasty Burger' in their honor.

Well, its a corporation. Mcdonalds isn't responsible for any starvation in africa. So what if they want to market a 'traditional africa sandwich' in norway or where ever. Some people would see this as a move for diversity, effectivly 'enculturating' people in whats a completely different culture. Obviously this isn't a 'good' way to enculturate or anything, but why look at it as a bad thing?

Mcdonald's isn't being insensitive in capitalizing on a market trend. Thats what companies are supposed to do. If more south african farmers capitalized on market trends, perhaps there'd be enough food there, no?

If you look at the statistics, there is a small (or not so small) fraction of the US population, in particular children, that technically go to bed hungry and are malnourished.

While this doesn't compare to the massive starvation in Africa, having these kids right here in the USoA, not eating enough, is equally immoral. It's OK to be sensitive to African issues, but what about closer to home.

I'm just saying the moral standards have a way of failing. Every luxury restaurant or even a pizza parlor fly in the face of those who aren't getting good food right here.

Originally posted by eaglewingz
How about a nice rousing discussion of the War of 1812??

Certainly! I'm miffed that Tchaikovsky wrote an overture about a war where people got killed! I mean, people died and instead of being a relief aide worker helping the recovery of a damaged nation, he goes off to write music! Besides, what kind of musical up-start gets off thinking he can enter the modern music scene with a series of 'songs' where us old-school appreciators of fine classical pieces have reigned for centuries? Certainly you'd not hear Handel handle music in such a loudly rambunctious fashion! And to form a piece so obviously second rate to J.S. Bach's technical mastery is simply a waste of time.

(just kidding, love Tchai's stuff)

Also, I hope this doesn't take away Indian & Chinese restaurants because of all the starving people starving in India and China. With a growing appreciation for the culture, we tend to care more. If that gateway is food, then let it be so. All people are all our responsibility. Do what you can, pray for the rest.

Pray, train, study.
God bless.

Originally posted by saint4God
Also, I hope this doesn't take away Indian & Chinese restaurants because of all the starving people starving in India and China.

But see this is still not the point. Chinese and Indian restaurants are exclusive in the sense that that is ALL they serve. It's their purpose. When it comes to the case of McDonalds, they specfically created a region specific meal to add on to their Westernized menu. Completly different than comparing the McAfrika to an Ethopian cuisine or others in which their countries are wraught with poverty.

I would hate to live in a country that controls what you can name a sandwich. I mean for Gods sake are people really protesting the name of a flippin sandwich...wow....

I'm sure there are at least a few people starving in France despite their socialist welfare programs, should McDonald's stop selling French Fries, or better yet rename them to Freedom Fries?

Originally posted by djohnsto77
I'm sure there are at least a few people starving in France despite their socialist welfare programs, should McDonald's stop selling French Fries, or better yet rename them to Freedom Fries?

Of course not because the majority of France isn't dying of starvation.

Originally posted by Simulacra

Originally posted by saint4God
Also, I hope this doesn't take away Indian & Chinese restaurants because of all the starving people starving in India and China.

But see this is still not the point. Chinese and Indian restaurants are exclusive in the sense that that is ALL they serve. It's their purpose. When it comes to the case of McDonalds, they specfically created a region specific meal to add on to their Westernized menu. Completly different than comparing the McAfrika to an Ethopian cuisine or others in which their countries are wraught with poverty.

Sorry but I wholeheartedly disagree. Your menu-based distinction between McDonalds and an ethnic restaurant is way too artificial.

An Indian restaurant can have a couple of Bengali items on their menu. Does it make them into insensitive bastards who don't care about the Bengali? Who are probably starving in some places?

I really don't like McD, and I think people should eat something completely different for their own benefit, but in this caser the critique is undeserved. I mean what if they took an Ethiopean recipe and made a burger in that style? An Ethiopean resturant next door would be fine but McD guilty as hell? This doesn't make any sense at all.

Originally posted by Aelita
An Ethiopean resturant next door would be fine but McD guilty as hell? This doesn't make any sense at all.

Well two reasons why this is wrong:

1.) If there was an ethopian restaraunt next door to McDonalds, and McDonalds started making 'ethopian' food. The restaraunt next door would be out of business in a matter of weeks. This is the heavy influence that the corproation has on our society.

2.) The ethiopean restaraunt next door is not a corporation. In a business sense, it doesnt hold even the slight bit of influence as something as massive as McDonalds. Therefore, the laws that are prescribed to McDonalds do not apply to the ethopian restaraunt.

It wouldn't actually be a great marketing stategy because they will be losing money and in a buisness sense, it would be morally wrong to the people that owned the corporation.

If they gave 100% of the profit, I'd agree, but having 5 cents from each McAfrika sold go to the effort would hardly make McDonalds bankrupt... Old story though, it seems....

I remember an old McDonald's promotion something like "Chicken Shanghai" where they sold the McNuggets with new special chinese sauces and chopsticks in a specially marked box. Would that be wrong because of China's atrocious human rights record?

Originally posted by Simulacra

Originally posted by Aelita
An Ethiopean resturant next door would be fine but McD guilty as hell? This doesn't make any sense at all.

Well two reasons why this is wrong:

1.) If there was an ethopian restaraunt next door to McDonalds, and McDonalds started making 'ethopian' food. The restaraunt next door would be out of business in a matter of weeks. This is the heavy influence that the corproation has on our society.

2.) The ethiopean restaraunt next door is not a corporation. In a business sense, it doesnt hold even the slight bit of influence as something as massive as McDonalds. Therefore, the laws that are prescribed to McDonalds do not apply to the ethopian restaraunt.

Wait, why would the ethopian restaraunt next door go out of business? If ou were looking for an ethopian meal and you had a choice of an ethiopean resterant or McDonalds 99.9% of people would go the the resterant.

Also, why can't a Ethiopean restaraunt be a corporation???

What are you talking about????

Originally posted by Boatphone

Wait, why would the ethopian restaraunt next door go out of business? If ou were looking for an ethopian meal and you had a choice of an ethiopean resterant or McDonalds 99.9% of people would go the the resterant.

Also, why can't a Ethiopean restaraunt be a corporation???

What are you talking about????

Right on the money. Restaurant may well be a corporation. As to how much influence they weild, what does it have to do with the African burger?

I think the whole thing is prepostorous. Should we avoid using food products that might accidentally remind us of a particular region where people are starving? I like using water chestnuts in my cooking, am I wrong for doing so?

Hell, if I'm in Norway, I'll be looking for the MkAfrika, despite my vegetarian inclinations.

Regardless I do have to agree that this McAfrika burger looks extremly tasty and with each post I make, I become a little more hungry.




[edit on 4/4/2005 by Simulacra]

I think they have the right to call their burgers whatever the hell they want.

If people get so offended they don't want to eat there anymore, that's fine with me.

More than fine, actually. I would see it as a sign of global progress.

Of course, there's lots of good reasons not to eat McDonalds, and I certainly don't frequent their establishment, but for some reason others do. It might be a sign of psychological weakness frankly. Some people just can't seem to stop eating that crap.

Everybody in the equation will get EXACTLY what they deserve. That's all I want to see. People who keep eating there will see their health deteriorate, McDonalds will see their profits shrink because they keep killing off their customers. All is right with the world.

Wow you guys are kind of late complaining about this. About 3-4 years ago when I was in an airport in France I saw the Mcafrica being sold. I dont really see anything wrong with it. Its just a burger with an african style of cooking. Would you rather them call it a black burger? Or dare I say the N word.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

Whoever comes up with these ideas for Mcdonalds is a complete idiot. THE MCAFRICA?!?!?!?!?!! are they serious? whats next the MCARAB or the MCJEW? This is a perfect example of ignorance.

Now i agree that ethopian restraunts shouldnt close down there are people starving all over the place ..some places worse than others but i think that is beside the point with this issue although i do see the irony in it.

Have they no better ideas for coming up with their products? *sighs* what idiots....This should go on the top 10 list of the most MORONIC marketing schemes of all time.

*shivers* woah..anyone else feel that? I think a just felt a rush of lawsuits coming on what about you?

DigitalGrl

Political correctness aside, the McAfrika burger looks more interesting than their standard McAmerica burger fare... fat, slothful, bland, sugary sweet overly processed crud.

Originally posted by MaskedAvatar
Political correctness aside, the McAfrika burger looks more interesting than their standard McAmerica burger fare... fat, slothful, bland, sugary sweet overly processed crud.

I totally agree. And the bun looks like pita bread, which I happen to like. And the hot pepper? Give it to me any time of the day.

Great idea from McD, finally.

This has nothing at all to do with the topic, but isn't Africa a CONTINENT, not a country??