Finding our inner Katniss at Arrowland

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be Robin Hood, Merida, or Katniss?  Archery isn't the kind of sport that you can just do in your back yard or street corner (unless you live on acres of land). I've always wanted to try it, but never really got the chance until our recent trip to Manila. Archery and the Philippines aren't really two words that I associate with each other, but since discovering Arrowland, we've decided that every trip to Manila is going to include a visit to Arrowland for the chance to live out our Hunger Games dreams (just the archery part, not the killing tribunes part)!

McDonald's in Bangkok

McDonald's Thailand has its share of unique menu items, such as the Samurai Pork Burger and McFish Dippers; unfortunately, we never got to try any of them. We were in Bangkok for such a short time (3 days) that I decided to prioritize the wonderful native Thai cuisine. However, we did drop by a McDonald's for a late night snack (a soft serve ice cream cone dipped in a hard mango-flavored candy shell).

McDo Manila 2017

I've been eating at McDonald's Philippines since I was 12 (when they opened their first restaurant there), so this is not the first time I've blogged about McDo in the Philippines. Yup, we even have our own local nickname for it. Please note, it's not pronounced Mc-Doo or Mc-Doe or McDoh. The best I can come up with is Mc-Daw (rhymes with saw), except the vowel sound in "Daw" is extremely short (glottal stop), not drawn out the way it usually is in English. 

A few observations I've made over decades of eating and enjoying McDo:

1) Over the years, the menu has evolved from purely American burgers/fries/soda/milkshakes to more local menu items. My theory: in the beginning, McDonald's American-ness is what attracted customers, but over time, McDonald's had to keep up with local competitors.

2) Serving sizes are much smaller. A small size soda in the US would be a large size soda in the Philippines. A small size fries in the US would be a kiddie size fries in the Philippines.

3) Prices are much cheaper than in the US. A lot of that is due to the exchange rate, but I think McDonald's Philippines has to keep their prices lower in order to remain affordable for the masses. Most of their menu items are about 50 pesos or 1 US dollar, and I don't think there are any single items above PHP100 ($2), or any combo meals above PHP200 ($4). A plain soft serve ice cream cone is PHP10, or 20 cents!

Green Tea Ice Cream: all you need to know about McDonald's Hong Kong

McDonald's Hong Kong had quite a few additions to the menu beyond the usual burgers, fries, and nuggets, like chicken wings, chili chicken burgers, and side dishes like sweet corn.  Even if you don't eat a full meal there, it's worth seeking out a McDonald's in Hong Kong just for one item: GREEN TEA SOFT SERVE ICE CREAM. Check out the yummy local menu items below (or just scroll to the end for drool-worthy photos of the ice cream):

McDonald's and learning about local food culture

I've gotten a lot of grief from family, friends, and strangers for my weird desire to check out the local McDonald's restaurants when we travel. Don't feed your kids junk! Eat real food! You can get McDonald's at home! There are so many local foods to try! First of all, don't let your experiences with US McDonald's restaurants shape your perception of McDonald's restaurants abroad -- I've found the ones abroad to have food that is far superior to any of the ones in the US. Second, some of these places serve their burgers with a ton of crisp lettuce and tomatoes, as well as side dishes like corn and tomatoes, so it's real and healthy.

The only one of those arguments that has any merit with me is the last one. I realize that every time I eat at McDonald's, I'm forgoing the opportunity to sample local cuisine. But I would argue that the local McDonald's food is, in a way, local cuisine. For better or worse, Western culture has permeated other cultures; it's not like I had to look very far to find a McDonald's! The local menu adaptations give me a glimpse of what foods the locals love. I, for one, find it fascinating to see how McDonald's has adapted to the local culture!

Here are some unique McDonald's menu items that we saw from our summer 2017 trip to:

Hong Kong

Bangkok

Manila

Enjoy!