Food & Drink | DESSERT WATCH May 23, 2020
McDonald’s ramune McShake: Summery, sweet and nostalgic
by Patrick St. Michel
McDonald's Japan’s ramune-flavored McShake is a creamy take on the candy version of the citrusy soda.
Business / Corporate Apr 28, 2020
McDonald's to halt in-store dining in more stores across Japan
The measure will be in effect from Wednesday until at least May 6.
Business / Corporate Apr 20, 2020
McDonald's Co. (Japan) said Sunday it will stop allowing customers to dine at all 1,910 restaurants in 13 prefectures all day from Monday through May 6 to prevent infections of the new coronavirus. The 13 prefectures — which include Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Osaka, Hyogo, ...
Food & Drink | DESSERT WATCH Feb 15, 2020
With the Kit Kat McFlurry, McDonald's continues its winning streak
by Patrick St. Michel
Dessert Watch doesn't play favorites, but recently McDonald's Japan has been on a roll that's hard to ignore. The once besieged fast food chain has been scoring sweet hits (and online buzz) in the past few months, and its latest continues the streak. After the ...
Business Jan 30, 2020
McDonald's closes all branches in China's virus-hit province of Hubei
U.S. fast food giant McDonald's said Wednesday it had closed all of its restaurants in Hubei, the Chinese province at the epicenter of a virus outbreak that has spread beyond the country's borders. The novel coronavirus outbreak, traced to the provincial capital Wuhan in central ...
Business Jan 28, 2020
McDonald's Japan said Tuesday it will start offering its first series of rice burgers next week to cater to people who prefer rice over bread for dinner. The burgers, available from Feb. 5 through the middle of May, will be the latest addition to the ...
World Dec 22, 2019
Two workers at Lima McDonald's killed by defective soda machine
A defective soda vending machine was responsible for the deaths of two McDonald's cleaners in Peru, the general manager for the Lima franchise told a local news station on Saturday night. Carlos Campos, 19, and Alexandra Porrasa, 18, died late Dec. 15 as they cleaned ...
Food & Drink | DESSERT WATCH Dec 7, 2019
The McDonald's strawberry 'chocolate' pie: Confusingly named, but a worth-it guilty pleasure
by Patrick St. Michel
In all honesty, no one needs dessert following a meal at McDonald's. Then again, sometimes you find yourself in a weird state of mind: Your eyes glance up at the sweets menu and you think, "I deserve this!" Curently, the chain has two pie creations on ...
Business Nov 5, 2019
Ousted McDonald's CEO gets to keep $37 million in stock awards
Former McDonald's Corp. Chief Executive Officer Stephen Easterbrook, who was fired for having a relationship with an employee, was allowed to keep stock awards worth more than $37 million as well as $675,000 severance and health insurance benefits. Easterbrook, 52, will get to keep unvested ...
Business Nov 4, 2019
McDonald's CEO out after 'consensual relationship' with employee
McDonald's Corp. dismissed Chief Executive Steve Easterbrook over a recent consensual relationship with an employee, which the board determined violated company policy, the fast-food giant said on Sunday. The board found that Easterbrook, 52, who had led McDonald's since 2015, had "demonstrated poor judgment" involving ...
National / Media | MEDIA MIX Sep 21, 2019
Confusion reigns over scope of the forthcoming tax hike
by Philip Brasor
When the government raised the consumption tax from 5 percent to 8 percent in April 2014, Japan suffered a recession. One possible indicator if such a downturn will happen prior to next month's long-delayed hike to 10 percent is how much people are spending ...
Business / Corporate Sep 10, 2019
McDonald's Japan to keep prices the same for eat-in and takeout even after consumption tax hike
McDonald's Co. (Japan) said Tuesday that it will unify tax-included prices for eat-in and takeout when the country's consumption tax is raised from 8 percent to 10 percent on Oct. 1. The decision was aimed at keeping things simple for customers, the hamburger chain said. Beginning ...