Why is it that McDonald's always seems "homey" when you are traveling? The thin, flavorless patties, finely chopped onions, and special sauce. Oh, McDonald's. You are a worthy opponent. One that I have lost to too often. It was even at McDonald's where my two years as a vegetarian came screeching to a halt. But I digress...
In Hong Kong, I am proud to say that McDonald's has yet to be the object of my homesick desires, like when I was staying in London and had to sneak away and have a Big Mac by myself once a week. I think the menu is just different enough to lose some of its culinary appeal, but McDonald's does still engender in me a real cultural fascination. Here, and I think in most of Asia from my limited travels thus far, McDonald's really stretches the limit of what it is and who it is serving. This is true all the way from its products, iced coffee drinks at the McCafe, to the way it uses cultural icons and messages for capitalistic pursuits. While I realize US companies are well known for their commercialization of different cultures, the creation of a Prosperity Chicken Meal would seem to me like one step too far.
Oh, and I almost forgot the companion pieces to the Prosperity Meal for the kids - Prosperity Pals. Yes, you too can own a mini stuffed version of your Chinese zodiac animal for just HK$8.
I won't be investing in any Prosperity Pals, but if anyone sees one that they'd like, please let me know. They are cute and perhaps a little less of an exploitation than the chicken-headed manikins (see earlier post) at Calvin Clein.
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