McDonald’s is the most overhyped restaurant! And, ofcourse, like most overhyped things, its all just a lot of hooey and phooey created by media and the fast food company to con people out of their money by feeding them their crappy food. Food??? Can that really be called food? NO! No, McDonald’s food is... - I don’t know what it is but it is highly processed, artificial, heartattack between two buns, liver-damaging food-wannabe.
It has been ages since I made a wise decision to stop eating at McDonalds, but the last time I was visiting India (1 year ago), I became curious to see how a McDonalds in India would be like, so I decided to check out McDonalds on Linking Road, Mumbai. When I reached the place, I was shocked to see hordes and hordes of people lined up as if they were waiting to get into a happening night club. You see I have never seen so many people waiting in such long lines in a McDonalds before.
So, I also waited in line to satisfy my curiosity and due to the smell of fries in the air to kill my newly-regained appetite for unhealthy rubbery food. I ordered a fish filet sandwich, fries, and some paneer roll or taco (not sure what it was). There were so many people that I was surprised to find an empty table, so I immediately rushed to occupy it.
Fish sandwich and fries had the exact same look and taste just like back in States. Fish sandwich looked tired and squashed like if someone accidentally sat on it and there was very little fish but a lot of mysterious fried covering. Fries were whatever and the paneer thingy was so boring that I stopped eating after two bites.
Even though food was not good, which was not a surprise (almost expected), the experience I had being in a McDonalds in India was surreal and so very cool. Sitting there in McDonalds on Linking Road and seeing my fellow Hindustanis eating burgers and fries, I realized that our world is not such a bad place after all. As I was relishing my rubbery sandwich and cold fries, It suddenly hit me like a ray of light sent to me by Ray Kroc himself (founder of McDonalds) that humans all around the world are breaking down borders, and bonding with each other by embracing each other’s cultures, ideas, food and evolving into a more broad-minded and a more tolerant race of people. I saw that our world is not so big after all, and HELP!ARRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHH MCDONALDS IS ATTACKING IT FROM ALL DIRECTIONS!!!
Anyway, enough of my ramblings and back to my question. Why is McDonalds sooooooooo popular in Mumbai even when Mumbai is filled with thousands and thousands of restaurants ready and willing to serve the common person and the gourmand. I mean when it comes to food, one can’t help but admit that Mumbai Rules!! One can find all kinds of delicious cuisines from all around the world in this cosmopolitan city that can beat a sorry-looking burger in looks and in taste any day. (My personal favorite food places are Nooranis, Kurry Klub, Mahesh Lunch Home, Patio, and scores of other good places that I have not discovered yet because of my short visit to Mumbai).
Is McDonalds popular because there are not many kid-friendly food joints in Mumbai? Even if that is the case, I still don’t understand why parents would want to feed their children unhealthy artificial food and make them obese and addicted to this kind of junk like a lot of American kids are.
No! I think (MY OPINION) the reason why McDonalds is such a hit today in Mumbai is because some mumbaikars see eating at McDonalds as some kind of a status symbol. Yes that’s right a status symbol! I know it sounds strange, but I have heard people in Mumbai tell each other that they have gone to McDonalds so many times in the month with some kind of pride.
When I was eating my grand gourmet meal at the above-mentioned McDonalds on Linking Rd., I received a call from my friend who is a mumbaikar - let’s call her Lata. Lata asked me after initial phone formalities, where I was at, so I told her I was at McDonalds. Immediately Lata said ’’Oh! so you are showing off huh?’’ I am not sure if she was joking or serious, but it seemed like she was seriously thinking that I was showing off by eating at a McDonalds. WHAT??? I was thrown aback how can one show off by eating at a measly two-bit McDonalds from all the neat places one can show off at. Anyway, I told Lata tata and went back to my feeding frenzy at McDonalds.
From this incident with Lata, and other observations, I think that some young people in Mumbai see McDonalds not just as some status symbol, but also as a cool, trendy place where one hangs out with their cool, trendy friends. Moreover, I think that there is a major western-wannabe attitude sweeping Mumbai like a storm, and Mumbai is losing its ’’Indianess’’. I mean it is fine to learn about different cultures and adopt their food, but it should be done to a certain extent, and not to the point where our culture starts looking uncool to us in front of foreign cultures. And, McDonalds is certainly NOT cool from any angle!
However, I see long lines not just in McDonalds on Linking Rd, but many other McDonalds in Mumbai. I am hoping that these long lines and crowds will soon dwindle when Mumbaikars will realize that McDonalds is nothing but McCONalds, and people around the world will avoid McDonalds like a smart person avoids a con artist.
This review was inspired by the movie/documentary on McDonalds - SUPER SIZE ME directed by Morgan Spurlock. This film is AWESOME! After watching this film, I have decided to avoid not just McDonalds but many other profit-minded, greedy fast food corporations that serve unhealthy food.
A final thought: Home-cooked food (if one has the time) is the coolest food!!!