coming soon to a mall near you…
In the NYT article, A Half-Century Old, the Whopper to Get a Younger Image, michael m. Grynbaum describes a new look for B.K. in the near future:
By the end of the year, Burger King will introduce a more playful variation on its ubiquitous chain of fast-food franchises. The restaurants feature Starbucks-style open kitchens, circular chrome countertops and plasma televisions that play looped videos of open flames.
They will be smaller than standard Burger King outlets, sized to squeeze into strip malls, food courts and casinos.
I wonder if BK got inspiration from the mcdonald’s chain in lisbon. They are the swankiest mcdonald’s i’ve ever seen. Even in my working-class neighborhood, the mickey D’s was sleek and modern, outfitted in tan and chocolate brown leather banquettes and brushed aluminum finishes. It looked more like the latest keith mcnally restaurant than a place to take kids for happy meals. I walked in there–yes, i really do eat there occasionally, especially in europe where most restaurants are closed on sundays–and felt the gaze of teens and chic young twenty-somethings giving me the stink eye in my sloppy jeans and sneakers. (it was sunday, after all.) There was a regular counter for ordering meals and separate “mccafe” cappuccino bar for beverages. Of course, leave it to the europeans to euro-fy mcdonald’s and make it a hip hangout.
Check out pictures of various mcdonald’s in lisbon by mckroes on flickr.
18 responses so far ↓
Anonymous // April 1, 2008 at 8:52 am |
I just came back from my first trip to Rome. Too much beauty and awesomeness to describe, but as I stood there taking in all the greatness, a small piece of my soul died. Staring across from me in the Piazza Navona was the sleekest, hottest McDonald’s that I have ever seen. Straight up outfitted in steel and fashionistas. I shook my fist at it and walked off only to find another one around the corner. Why?!
suddenly susan // April 1, 2008 at 12:14 pm |
i remember seeing a mcdonald’s near the trevi fountain in rome and it was packed to the gills. i thought to myself, mickey D’s has come a long way since carlo petrini and his supporters protested the first one in 1986 holding bowls of penne.
i noticed that mcdonald’s was extremely popular in paris, as well. i tried to convince myself only tourists eat there but was disheartened to see that most of the clientele were french. i wondered if the french go to mcdonald’s because it’s so much cheaper or because they actually like the taste.
Anonymous // April 1, 2008 at 4:12 pm |
I jumped from Rome to Geneva and there are several Mc. D’s to choose from. The ones here are full of young teens who come to the fast food joint because its a young, cool place to be. I suspect its popularity can largely be attributed to how cheap the food is compared to other places. I saw the one near the trevi fountain, too, and it was completely packed. Yay for globalization.
mckroes // April 2, 2008 at 10:16 am |
Hi,
thnx for mentioning me. If you would like to use one of the Lisbon pictures please let me know.
Greetz mckroes
suddenly susan // April 2, 2008 at 1:22 pm |
cool. thanks!
luv your mccollection. it’s very mcclever.
Anonymous // April 5, 2008 at 9:35 am |
carlo petrini ?! up till now i didn’t even know about this guy ha!
Anonymous // April 5, 2008 at 9:36 am |
can you describe keith mcnally’s restuarants? what are they like?
suddenly susan // April 5, 2008 at 11:17 am |
i think balthazar in new york´s soho is the ultimate keith mcnally restaurant. it´s glitzy, glamorous and full of good-looking people. the interiors of his restaurants are always stunning. balthazar looks like a brasserie shipped over piece by piece direct from paris. lots of expensive leather banquettes, ambient lighting and authentic-looking fixtures. his other restaurants like pastis and lucky strike are pretty designed in the same vein; cool but never stuffy.
Anonymous // April 5, 2008 at 9:31 pm |
susan,
I know that you read alot and enjoy reading. on the otherhand, i’ve never enjoyed reading and the thought of sitting down to read anything for an extended period …well let’s just say i’d rather cover myself with crack and let loose some crack whores. everytime i think about reading anything i connote it sitting in an uncomfortable chair in a library with stagnant hot air. what advice would you give to someone who’s trying to read quicker and more? i’m rather becoming disinthralled with watching videos to get all my information and entertainment. how does one get into a great school like you? last book i read was about 3 months ago.
Anonymous // April 5, 2008 at 9:34 pm |
any suggestions for verbal sections on standardized tests?
anon // April 8, 2008 at 10:32 pm |
i liked your blog better when it was about east asia. you know, europe has 500 times more blogs about it and frankly i miss your musings about korea. i’m sorry but all the countries are scrambling to be part of the EU and well, it’s DULL.
Anonymous // April 9, 2008 at 6:54 am |
i don’t know anything about EU, all i know is that looking at the utube vid’s susan’s freaking sexy
suddenly susan // April 9, 2008 at 9:50 am |
anon,
i find europe to be an infinitely cooler place to live and travel to, even though you’re right; it doesn’t make for very good snarky blog fodder. i tend not to have many things to gripe about because guess what? i’m actually HAPPY here.
and then there are some people you can please no matter what you write…
anon // April 9, 2008 at 12:52 pm |
since you are happy as the saying goes, the writing is not as interesting… may be unhappiness makes for good writing. that’s what i miss in your original voice. but hey, i’m glad you are happy. but not being one of your blind followers, reading about burger king (via NYT) falls short of your previous standards.
suddenly susan // April 9, 2008 at 2:37 pm |
as tim gunn says, “chacun à son goût.”
i have noticed that when i write something negative, chock full of complaints, i get a flood of comments. and when i write some about a positive experience, no comments. i guess this is why newspapers only report on death and despair.
Jae Young // April 9, 2008 at 4:34 pm |
I like reading about traveling period, tho I suspect that your readership just finds Asia more hmm exotic? I just think it’s different, Asia. Different in the sense that it’s not EXACTLY the way my parents are, mostly because Koreans nowadays can use computers and cellphones without these harried stressed out demands for help Jae Young WHAT IS THAT FUNNY ICON ON MY SCREEN OMG, but XD
Tho dare I chime in and say you should go to South America? I think you would love it there. Granted, I’ve only been to Buenos Aires, but so fun. I’m also dying to go to Mexico now, especially Baja, cos omg the FOOD looks amaaaazing.
I suppose also because a lot of your readership are English speaking/reading, skews a little more Western, so there is something probably “overdone” about Europe to them.
Whatever, if they want shiz about Asia, they should just read another blog. Or perhaps consider going to Asia themselves. Is that not supposedly the beauty of our globalized, free world?
Trip to Korea was fine. I did not eat jokbal, alas. I am v. sad about that. Perhaps some day…..
suddenly susan // April 9, 2008 at 6:20 pm |
thanks, JY. i agree that blogs about korea are probably more entertaining. i don’t have any blogs about europe bookmarked, yet i still read other korea blogs out there. they’re ripe with wtf scenarios and experiences that boggle the western mind. not to mention, i like to give myself the “thank god i got the hell out of dodge” satisfaction when i read those blogs and accompanying comments.
at the end of the day, would i rather live in korea and have a more interesting blog OR live in europe and have a less interesting blog? it’s a no-brainer for me.
did you go to the tranny bars in itaewon? any memorable culinary experiences? don’t worry about the jokbal. you can get it in nyc and LA.
Jae Young // April 9, 2008 at 9:48 pm |
I did not go to the tranny bars in Itaewon, tho I did go to a lot of gay bars in Itaewon. Actually, I was told that I puked spectacularly in one of the gay bars, but I was so drunk, I didn’t remember that part of the evening, though there was plenty of vomiting after that first gush~ Cos really, can you be Korean or in Korea without experiencing drunken vomiting? I could have done without the spectacular vomiting, realism aside.
I’ve never HAD jokbal, despite having lived in NYC all my life, oddly enough. I had some nummy 고추장삼겹살, 오리구이, hmm, trying to think of what else. I like Korean food in Korea, I will give them that. I’m not used to going to a restaurant that basically only serves one or two things, but it was nice to finally be able to go out and eat food that was spiced and seasoned to my palate versus the imagined (or likely realstic but who gives a shit about that?) palates of Americans. I’d consider living in Korea for a year or two really only to brush up my Korean so it was at least as good as my Spanish and then I’d prolly want to shoot myself and have to leave.
Actually, the funny thing about going with my friend, who is an older, gay white man, was explaining things about Korean culture that he didn’t understand or had never experienced while he’s traveled in Korea alone.