McDonald's Thailand

[randomness]

I have a rule, perhaps a guideline, that it's a waste of calories to eat at places I could eat at back home. This doesn't mean necessarily "no fast food" as there are a lot of interesting fast food places I can't eat at back home, like In-N-Out Burger in California, Bob's in Brazil, and Nando's in South Africa. In fact, if I'm in the mood I seek out new fast food experiences because it can be fun to see what other countries have done with the "quick-service" food industry.

However, it does usually mean no McDonald's.

On the other hand, McDonald's Thailand http://www.mcthai.co.th/ serves some
things McDonald's USA doesn't. For example the menu lists three different flavors of pies, but only in Thai. (From the photo you can figure out that the flavors are corn, pineapple, and taro.) For B.22 (56 cents), I thought I'd give the taro pie a try.

It's the old-style deep-fried pie that has been discontinued in the States but is still quite popular elsewhere, but filled with taro chunks and paste instead of apple chunks and sauce. It was okay, pretty much what you'd expect if you know what taro tastes like. I don't need to eat another one.

I'm still intrigued by the corn pie, however, but I think I'm done with McDonald's for now.

Comments

[antoniusrex.livejournal.com]

Interesting that you just posted that. Grandma and I were watching this Nature special on PBS about Urban Elephants. Apparently in Bangkok there are lots of poor folks who own elephants and use them to help their income. They gather bananas, and ride the elephants to where westerners and other tourists are. In this case, it was McDonalds. While out front they get tourists to pay them to feed the elephants bananas. That way they get the animals fed, and get income for themselves. And apparently it's very illegal, but not so much inforced.

Sorry, but just got the image of eating a deep fried (the baked ones ain't so good :-P) corn pie and feeding an elephant bananas.

Dude, really, you need to take me travelling with you.

Re:

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

>Apparently in Bangkok there are lots of poor folks who own >elephants and use them to help their income.

So, I saw one of those elephants down on Sukhumvit Road, near Nana Skytrain station. Its owners were leading it around and charging tourists if they wanted to take pictures of it.

This was one sad elephant. It made me sad just to look at the poor guy. It was a juvenile, and it had obviously been separated from its family. And there it was, being led down the broken sidewalk, at night, with thundering traffic going by and crowds of people walking past.

The owners didn't seem to care, and the tourists were mostly clueless.

Re:

[antoniusrex.livejournal.com]

From what the special was showing, most of the Elephants are throw aways from the logging industry; they are either too sick, or too old to continue on. So they are bought by families who live just outside the city. I guess the population has gotten so large and so problematic, that the vets from the local zoos are going out and doing free work. Go fig.

[irielle.livejournal.com]

Have you been to a Jollibee yet? Anton and I read about it on the web, and when he went to Manilla last year he stopped by one just for fun. I grew up with a grandmother who makes lumpia for every family gathering, but I'd never thought of a dessert lumpia until we were looking at some of the Jollibee's info.

Hope all is well! (Sending hugs from the frozen north!)

Re:

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Have you been to a Jollibee yet?

I can't remember whether I've been in a Jollibee yet. I think I've seen one but I can't remember where. They're all over the Philippines, though, and I'm sure if I get there I'll go to one.

Hope all is well! (Sending hugs from the frozen north!)

*hugs* Things are good, thanks! It was actually reasonably cool here last night (70F), because it had rained the last couple of days. Getting hot again today, though. I'd love to send you some of our extra heat. :)

[agrimony.livejournal.com]

You can get the deep fried apple pie type dealies at KFC! :)

Re:

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Really? Cool!

I guess if what you're selling is fried chicken your customers don't actually care that much if the pies are deep fried, too. :)

[pmat.livejournal.com]

I get a big kick out of checking out McDonalds in different places. Acapulco has cheese pies. Also "con queso" (with cheese), which turns out to be a packet like ketchup but bigger containing some kind of melted cheese food.

Tokyo has teriyaki burgers and green tea shakes. Egypt has McFalafels. India has the Maharaja Mac: "two all lamb patties", etc. Germany has beer. Somehow, things actually seem more foreign when they're almost like things at home. :-).

Re:

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

I get a big kick out of checking out McDonalds in different places.

I agree. It's fun!

Germany has beer.

And in France they have red wine!