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How McDonald's Conquered FranceThe fast-food chain's most surprising success.

By Mike SteinbergerPosted Thursday, June 25, 2009, at 1:43 PM ET

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Mike Steinberger is Slate's wine columnist. He can be reached at . His book, Au Revoir to All That, is about the rise, fall, and future of French cuisine.
Photograph of McDonald's in Paris by AFP/Getty Images.
COMMENTS

I have done work in McDo and live in France, and I must say, its managers are savvy and extremely clever. The food is good and inexpensive and they adapt to French tastes. It is successful because it is better. The other hamburger joints (like Whataburger) failed in large part because the quality was lower and the price higher. McDo also opened the kitchens to explain what they do and buy from French groups. While we may lament the decline of the local bistro, it is not McDo's fault, but the methods of industrial food. There are worse companies than McDo.

-- rjcrawford33
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