Foodie Spotlight | Mushroom Burger Steak

McDonald’s is known for Burgers, Fries, and Chicken, but not with rice in them that has been clearly an Asian concept due to the cultural difference from the American fast food restaurant. For McDonald’s Philippines, it’s all about having rice meals though not as extensive having their take other than having Spaghetti as an exclusive. But having Rice Bowls was originally a Limited Time Only until it became part of their menu. The rice bows used to have a selection until they just focused on having Mushroom Burger Steak with that creamy sauce as the representative of their rice meals aside from the Chicken Fillet and the typical Fried Chicken with rice is their go to meals for the locals that are not into the American-style Burgers & Fries.

Foodie Spotlight | Spicy Chicken McDo

There’s nothing like having fried chicken with rice or even mashed potatoes as an alternative. It is the simplest joys of having lunch just straight up quick meal for an affordable price. Of course, there are A LOT of competition riding on just the simplest meal in the form of a Fried Chicken. There have been so many of them you might get lost in choosing the best one. In the case of McDonald’s there are just cruising along with their usual Chicken McDo meal, which is exclusive to the Philippines that serves with a steamed plain white rice. They’re up there because they have so much to offer and more, and this includes a spiced up version of their tried and tested chicken meal.

Foodie Spotlight | McDonald's Big Mac

When you talk about a fast food brand, the first thing comes to mind is its flagship menu and with that its signature burger or meal. McDonald’s have so many of that, but the first thing on their minds is not the Big Mac. Despite being the original creation that has been around for a long time. The Big Mac is arguably one of the most familiar burgers that’s about as McDonald’s can be, which even for a time had a mascot named Officer Big Mac (1970-2008) as one of the denizens of McDonaldland. The name itself gives you an idea that it is McDonald’s premium burgers that continue being served globally to millions, and yet in some countries it gets that kind of notice.

Foodie Spotlight | Classic Double Cheeseburger

McDonald’s is world renowned for their famous French fries and Hamburgers. Over the years they expanded globally and that means some of those that made them famous need to be tailor made to the culture and country they have expanded. It is unique that with all that changes there still the core menu that stays the same. The Cheeseburger has been synonymous with the brand, and has been remade and evolved. But one thing certain is that they kept the ingredients consistent despite the subtle changes. Recently, in the Philippines they have added “colourful” version of their burgers and that includes the cheeseburger with lettuce and tomatoes as part of the ingredient adding a little ‘health’ conscious to the product.

Foodie Spotlight | Double Cheeseburger

When you talk about Hamburgers you got McDonald’s come to mind since they have served billions around the world for more than six decades, and they’re still every store in the world is re-inventing themselves to suit the taste of their native culture. It also shows here in the Philippines despite the slow progress they made it happen. Recently, not the most major announcement but they have re-introduced some of their famous and locally made burgers to go ‘a little bit of green’ by adding lettuce and tomatoes to the well-established dish. This comes to head how climate change is affecting not only the places, but how food is prepared and McDo just did that.

Foodie Spotlight | McDo Burger Meal

McDonald’s is famous for the Billions of hamburgers served all over the world, since its founding this made the company popular and expand outside the US. But of course, with all the expansion each McDonald’s is taking their identity trying to localize their menu to suit whatever country they have opened their stores. In the Philippines, they could be the most popular fast food restaurant until a bee dressed in a suit and a chef hat stood in front of their domination. This is why McDo has to compete by localizing their menu to suit the Filipino Class A-to-E. They did changed and tried, but sometimes you don’t need to change your hamburger for it.

Foodie Spotlight | McSpaghetti

The McSpaghetti has been re-branded previously, and the last time it was marketed as ‘new and improve’ goes back in 2018. The product was introduced in their menu along with the McChicken in the late 1980s, but the inclusion and rebranding of other products would continue to the early 1990s when the famous burger was changed too. This was of course, embraced by the locals and also trying to match up with a certain fast food giant that they haven’t toppled since their arrival. For those from outside the Philippines, the McSpaghetti is unknown and not considered to become part of McDonald’s menu. Unless you’re discovering it right here that it does exist.

Foodie Spotlight | McDo Chicken Meal

McDonald’s McChicken has been a staple in their menu since the product was introduced in 1987 to suit the Filipino taste and localized their menu. Of course, the McChicken back then was very different from today that competes with the more popular local fast food brand that has perfected its flavour for the locals. Served with steamed rice with gravy on the side, the McChicken Meal it’s a regular meal in the Philippines and it is included also under the McDonald’s Happy Meal, which only offers a one-piece chicken. It’s not exactly a downgrade that it is being offered as a regular meal, but it tailor-made that an adult might order a McChicken as a Happy Meal due to the collectible toy.

Burger Alternative | McFry Burger

McDonald’s in the Philippines has been around since the early 1980s and what made them a local favourite is the signature Burgers and Fries. Today they’ve localized the brand to the point it’s still trying to be Filipino. But the concept has become overrated that they even discontinued one of the signature burgers. Since 1997 they’ve replaced the signature Hamburger that is packaged with brown wrapping replacing it with the localized Burger McDo, which they claim “was a favourite.” But that’s all marketing that they’ve been trying over the years and there’s no option to lobby to bring the OG Hamburger back.

McDo Dian | Extortion for a Large Cup

The day would be just fine dining at McDonald’s Dian with the new Ugly Dolls ‘Art toys’ for the month of May 2019 as their Happy Meal toys. Taking an early lunch to avoid the huge crowd lining up to get the Happy Meals at the same time taking advantage of the use of the self-service machine. It was a convenient way to avoid any more delay time with a staff. There was a new option for the self-service kiosk which was one of the concerns I had when they introduced the service and that is the staff bringing your food to the table instead of waiting for pick-up that is only for take-out orders. I’ve always address this concern whenever taking advantage of the McDoListens.com survey to put this reason why McDo Philippines is using the service wrongly.

McDo Sta. Cruz | Blind Pineapple

There must be a reason somewhere that if your store has so many deficiencies that means there is something with wrong management, and how the staff has been trained to be efficient and show the value of the company that they represent. Unfortunately, in the Philippines that seems to be obviously ignored despite the complaint by the customers that had a terrible experience. With the McDonald’s Sta. Cruz branch there must be an urgent need to find what makes this place such bothersome store. Putting up a survey to ‘help improve’ the company’s images that means they should have taken critical action to help fix those chinks in their armor. This is not the only branch that had so much lack of service it just happens their competitor was closed early for their “company outing.”

McDo Bankmer | Robotic Service

McDonald’s Bankmer is one of the frequent branches that have so many customers due to foot traffic just across the Ayala Triangle Gardens that is also the Makati Stock Exchange. It would consider this branch to be located at the heart of the Central Business District despite smaller than the former store at JAKA 6780 near Valero Street that closed sometime in 2018. With all that this branch should have incorporate the “McDo NXTGEN” store concept, a change on the ordering process of the food and probably added a self-service kiosk. But even though this branch didn’t get any upgrades it gets so many customers that it can compete with the one in Buendia due to the strategic location and with that you’ll notice how things are chippy with this place.

McDo Buendia | Stone Cold Service

11.21.2018 – McDonald’s Buendia in Pasay City near the Gil Puyat LRT Station has a better location to getting customers than the other side with its competitor Jollibee. It’s the busiest branch even in the late mornings as people definitely stand in line event the breakfast to lunch turnover, which is supposed to be slow during these hours. Having the most customers making a stop means this place never runs out of foot traffic since it opened. Usually, this is the first stop for those heading south before making a ride to their respective destination. With all that you should be wondering how the service works out for a branch that doesn’t run out of customers. That’s the experience that should be addressed here…

McDo Sta. Cruz | Illogical Ban of Straws

11.13.2018: If you’re a customer and being served inappropriately would you feel offended? You put up a survey for your company to hear what your customer’s feedback, but don’t to take it to heart what really needs to improve means you’re just not being direct with the people who shared their opinion. I’ve dined in at the McDonald’s Sta. Cruz branch and had answered their McDo Listens several times, which sending them a piece advise to improve this store. For some reasons from all the McDonald’s stores I’ve dined in this has become unbearable to experience to visit. The only reason I go there was have a decent meal during lunch this, but this time I decided to have them Take Away.

McDo Philippines | JAKA 6780

03.18.2017 – There have been ten McDonald’s stores in the Makati area not including the one in Kings Court and in PRC. I’ve dined in to almost all of these branches due to being a collector of their Happy Meal toys it became an essential to know the places where to get the toys that the ones are sold out. But there’s one McDonald’s store I haven’t dined-in even though it’s just across another McDonald’s store that’s beside the PBCOM Tower. Some said it’s a franchise owned and it’s one of the very few branches that is not open for 24 hours. This is the McDo that’s located at the 6780 JAKA building along Ayala Avenue.

Nat'l Brekkie Day: FREE McMuffin!

03.14.2016 – Every year McDonald’s has been promoting their “National Breakfast Day” by giving away FREE McMuffin. For the past three years that experience has become an annual thing for more who look forward to the first meal of the day. This is slowly has become the most familiar day for more who just want to grab free McMuffins similar to what Free Comic Book Day, but some don’t bother the importance about what this day is all about.

Hooray For Today: FREE Egg McMuffin!

03.17.2014 – McDonald’s has been organizing a Free McMuffin Day in promoting their breakfast menu for a while. When you talk about FREE Filipinos are a bit excessive that it’s like a zombie apocalypse is happening. But you know the word “Free” is a VERY strong word and everyone is there immediately. The Hooray for Today campaign has been running for the past years and McDonald’s breakfast is second to none. Well they still compete with the Philippines’ own fast food restaurant on a daily basis. But McDo has found their brand of serving you breakfast like it’s your go to menu in the morning.

Behind The Scenes with McDonald's Burgers!

10.15.2012 – We always eat at these fast food restaurants because how they represent their products. Sometimes what we buy in the menu does not come out the same as the actual product. But one customer sent a message to McDonald’s Canada about that particular inquiry. Hope Bagozzi, Director of McDonald’s Canada answers the question by a customer and she takes us for a tour of a behind-the-scene look how they produce these mouth-watering images that we take for granted whenever we’re at our nearest fast food joint.

McDo PH at 30 Celebrates New Changes!

09.29.2011 - McDonald’s in the Philippines celebrate its milestone 30th Anniversary. For three decades the great-tasting food, excellent service, and now a whole new kind of perspective to experience with simultaneous re-open of its four stores in Metro Manila which includes branches in Greenhills, North Avenue, Quezon Avenue and Makati Cinema Square on September 30, 2011. The unveiling of the stylish and modern stores is a good time for the changing lifestyles of its Filipino customers to see and experience. This month is going to be big for the restaurant that Ray Croc built in North America as four of the mentioned stores in the Philippines get a new look.

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