Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Jeonmunka]

When you hear of pay parity and economic equivalences there is the Big Mac test whereby the price of a Big Mac of one country is compared to the price of a Big Mac of another country. Because the burgers are considered to be the same quality, no matter where in the World you buy them, you can check for equivalences between economies.
What I would like to know, from multi-country experienced people, is whether the Big Macs you ate were the same quality one country to another.

I'm serious, because this test is still used and with even more frequency nowadays, yet I have personal experience to think that Big Macs are not the same at all.
I want to research that part.

Also, do you think the Big Mac test is reasonable?

Thx.

[andrewchon]

Aside from obvious like Indian BigMacs that that don't have beef patty,
I find BigMacs taste the same everywhere else.

[Jeonmunka]

Thank you.
Are the burgers the same size here compared the States or Canada?

[Dev]

Actually, I don't understand the Big Mac test anyway. By comparing prices of Big Macs country to country, it just tells the western tourist how expensive that country is for the tourist in the local currency.

But for me, I am more intersted in the affordability of a Big Mac for the local people (compared with us). In poorer countries like China, Russia, and India (no Big Mac, but other sandwiches), I think Mc Donalds food is a real luxury.

The flip side of this test highlights a sad fact. The fact that Mc D's is the ultimate symbol of globalization and having Mc D's in every country you go to just makes the world feel bland.

Instead, I wish Mc Donalds corporation invested its money and business knowhow in developing chains of restaurants designed by locals serving local cuisine - like a fast food Indian food chain in India. Then, McD's would make money without spoiling the cultural environment of other countries.

Another point worth considering is boycotting Mc D's, Burger King and any other well-known fast food restaurant. The movie Food Inc. blames the birth of cruel factory farming methods on the fast food industry. Unscrupolous meat producing plants expanded their operations with the goal of producing enormous quantities of meat with little regard for the animals or the end product just to get contracts with McD's.

If you want to know the details, watch the movie. I've personally stopped eating at these restaurants because I think they serve up unhealthy products for our health, for the environment and for the animals.

[young_clinton]

They are not the same. In Thailand Big Macs are not very good. The cheese is crappier, if you can believe it could be crappier. The sauce is really bad too. Also Mcdonald's Ketchup in Thailand is the poorest quality stuff I have ever seen, really bad. The same is true in Indonesia. If you go to Mcdonald's in those countries order the chicken, its pretty good.

Oh another thing the Coke's are just plain rotten. Not enough carbonation, the syrup tastes like glucose with a little bit of flavoring.

Unlike here in Korea where they are exactly the same, everything.

And on top of that they are expensive compared to the really tasty food you can buy at inexpensive restuarants, especially garage restaurants.

If you want to eat american chain food in Thailand eat at Starbuck's which is also quite tasty.

[shifter2009]

[VanIslander]

they are all bland

[oskinny1]

Japanese BigMacs are awesome. Much better than in the US.

[UknowsI]

I think the McDonald's hamburgers taste slightly different in some countries than in others. They have very strict rules of how their food is produced, but when they use local wares I guess you can't get it identical. The weirdest thing is that I really didn't like McDonald's burgers the last time I visited the US, while I like it quite a lot in Korea... might just be because I'm eating so much Korean food there though.

[DorkothyParker]

I don't have much point of comparison, but I think the quality of the McDonald's food in Korea beats back home. I think they're made more neatly, sit out for less time, and the ingredients are distributed more evenly. I think the ingredients are roughly the same (local ingredients?), the people are just better workers.

The sausage in the breakfast sandwiches seems less greasy. I can't account for that. Maybe the grease is distributed throughout the meat rather than sitting on the outside of the dried up meat from being under the heatlamps?

[pkang0202]

The Big Mac is supposed to taste the same everywhere you go. That is supposed to be one of the qualities that make McDonald's "McDonald's" internationally.

they may "taste" different because each individual franchiser doesn't have to stick to the McDonald's standards. Some countries may load up on the big Mac sauce, other may just like a small bit.

Also, there are other factors. Does that franchise refrigerate their ingredients? Do they jsut leave it sitting out? Do they wash the bins that hold the lettuce/onions regularly? Do they clean the grills daily?

All of those thigns can affect the taste of the Big Mac. Theoretically, all big macs should taste the same. Personally, I haven't noticed any difference in taste from Korean Big Macs to American ones. I have noticed a difference in the appearance. Korean Big Macs look like the picture. American Big Macs look like someone with no thumbs put it together.

[Pink Freud]

Local variations, but essentially all the same sh*t.

[David Lee Roth]

The theory is crap! The first time I was in Hong Kong in 1999 the Big Mac sold for about USD 1.50. That's pretty cheap and HK is a very expensive town!

[young_clinton]

[Jeonmunka]

Thank you, you have all been very helpful.

But are the Big Macs in the US bigger than here?