YumSugar

1,000 People Hired to Line Up For Quarter Pounders in Japan

YumSugar — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 03:00:00 -0800

Last week, McDonald's made headlines when roughly 15,000 Osaka residents lined up for the opening of the Midosuji Suomachi Quarter Pounder only store in Chuo-ku, Osaka. But now, the number one fast food chain is admitting that around 1,000 people were hired and compensated to line up outside of the store.

"We didn't ask the company to make the people line up," explained a spokesperson for McDonald's Japan. "We didn't intentionally do it."

McDonald's maintains that it hired the marketing company to conduct research on the hamburger, and that the marketing company requested part-time workers from a staffing company, describing the duties as "Easy work, just waiting in line to buy a new product and eating it."

The so-called customers included the first 20 to 30 people in line who waited for the store to open beginning at midnight the night before, and these hires were paid 1,000 yen, or approximately $11 an hour, to wait in line.

All things considered, the Quarter Pounder store did exceedingly well. Excluding those paid to queue for the burger, the shop managed to draw in 14,000 customers on opening day. Does this marketing effort seem outrageous to you?

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McDonald's Franchisees Confirm Plans For New Burger Rollout

YumSugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:00:38 -0700

Burger aficionados: If you couldn't exactly get behind the Mac Snap Wrap, then perhaps you'll be interested in the newest patty being developed for the Golden Arches. According to Crain's Chicago Business, the nation's most popular fast food chain is busy planning the creation of its first new burger in eight years, a one-third-pound beef burger.

The McDonald's Angus Burger, as it's called, will be priced at $3.99, will contain a better grade of beef, and will roll out by August, according to franchisees and internal memos. The oversize burger is the fast food chain's answer to bigger, higher-end burgers like Carl's Jr.'s Six Dollar Burger, which has seen great success since its launch in 2001, and Burger King's XT Burger, released in 2004. McDonald's, which hasn't come out with a hit burger since the success of its Quarter Pounder in 1973, declined to comment.

With its focus on specialty coffee drinks and quality burgers, McDonald's seems to be moving in the direction of premium products. Do you think this is a smart strategy on the company's part, or will the economic recession put a damper on sales? Does the Angus burger appeal to you?

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Want Fries With Your Giant Hamburger?

YumSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 09:15:31 -0800

If you think a quarter-pounder burger is a big meal, wait until you see what Mallie's Sports Grill & Bar in Detroit, MI has come up with. This past Saturday they created a 134 pound burger. It's not the largest burger ever made - there was a 222 pound cheeseburger last month - however it could be the largest burger commercially available. That's right, you can order up one of these 134 pound babies. For $399 and 24 hours notice, you could be chowing down on a giant burger. So what are you waiting for? How hysterical would that look at your next party?

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