McDonald's Kiwi Burger: With an Egg an a Beet

In the last post I mentioned McDonald's Kiwi Burger as being one of my favorite things I've ever eaten.  Sadly, the only place you can get it is in New Zealand and a bit too far to go for take out.  So, I am hoping that McDonald's has this on their limited-time foreign menu.

As I said, I go into American fast food places in other countries to see if they have stuff we don't have here.  My family was visiting Australia and New Zealand back in the the 2000s and I had one of these great sandwiches.

This was the first time I had ever had a fried egg on a burger (now several places in the U.S. have that including Steak 'N Shake).  Wikipedia describes a Kiwi Burger:  four ounce burger patty, griddle egg, beet, tomato, lettuce, cheese, onions, mustard on a toasted bun.  I kind of think I also might have had several thin slices of kiwifruit on my Kiwi Burger.

It was introduced in 1994 and withdrawn in 2004 and has since returned for limited times several times.

This could be my new McRib.

Well. I'm Sure Hoping They Have It Here Now.  --CootKiwi

McDonald's Bring Overseas Offerings to U.S.

I wrote about 21 items offered at McDonald's in other countries back in December 2013 and they sounded delicious.

Now, I see they are bringing some here to the U.S. for limited times so I will have to get over there and check it out.

Sure hope they have the Kiwi Burger from New Zealand.

When I have been overseas, I never have had a problem going to an American fast food place as they often have different menu offerings.  I'd never, however, order a quarter-pounder or Big Mac.

--CootMac

History Wears a White Suit-- Part 2: Col. Harlan Sanders

Harlan Sanders was born in southern Indiana and moved to Corbin, Kentucky in the early days of the Great depression to work a service station where he sold fried chicken to travelers as a side job.  Word spread of how good his chicken was and business boomed.

He eventually expanded the gas station to include a larger cafe and a motel.  The restaurant has been restored to its 1950s appearance but customers order KFC in a modern addition.  The place also has lots of memorabilia.

Starting in the 1950s, Col. Harlan Sanders began going around to places selling bags of his secret eleven herbs and spices along with customized pressure cookers.  Joe Ledington, a nephew of the Colonel's said: "He'd put four or five in the trunk of his car and head out selling those pressure cookers.  he never had a penny to his name until he was 65 years old."

--CooterColonel

History Wears a White Suit-- Part 1: Col. Sanders and KFC

From the September 11, 2016, Chicago Tribune  by Jay Jones.

"You might not have heard of Harland Sanders Cafe, but   you certainly know the famous fried chicken first served here more than 75 years ago.

"This  unassuming restaurant in a small town in southeast Kentucky is where Col. Harland Sanders perfected his secret blend of 11 herbs and spices and launched what would become Kentucky Fried Chicken, a corporate giant with nearly 20,000 outlets around the globe."

The white frame restaurant was built in 1940 in Corbin, Kentucky, and is on the NRHP.  We were driving on I-75 through the area and saw a sign for the place and just had to pull off the road and visit it.  I'm a fan but I do like Popeye's Chicken and Jewel chicken better.

The restaurant itself has been restored to its 1950s look and you can buy some chicken to eat in an addition to the place, which we had to do.

--ColCooter

Two Famous McDonald's in Chicagoland About to Change

The famed Rock and Roll McDonad's in downtown Chicago, a must-see for visitors for many years is about to be a no more.  It will close December 30 and when it reopens, all that great old Rock and Roll stuff will be gone.  So, it you've always wanted to see it, there aren't many more days.

But, by far, this is the worst of the two we're about to lose.The replica of Ray Kroc's first franchise in Des Planes, Illinois, is under consideration by McDonald's for destruction.

This building opened in 1985 and is on the site of the original.  It was built to look just like it did when it opened.  Even the sigh out front is the same (with a burger costing 15 cents and "We have sold over 1 million")

Over the years, it has been plagued by flooding and the  corporation wants to tear it down and give the land to Des Plaines.

However, Volo Auto Museum may be getting involved and move it to their place.

I think that all big chains should make efforts t keep at least one of their stores looking as they originally did and even turn it into a museum.  The McDonald's Museum in Des Plaines really brought back early memories of mine.

Here's Hoping It Stays Where It Is.  --McCooter

Big Mac Creator Dies-- Part 2: Who Named It?

Mr. Delligatti had a franchise in Uniontown, near Pittsburgh, when he invented the Big Mac in 1967 after deciding his customers wanted a bigger sandwich than a regular hamburger.  Demand for it exploded and soon spread to all of his 47 McDonald's in Pennsylvania.  It was added to the chain's national menu in 1968.

When asked why he named it Big Mac, he would say that the Big Mc sounded too funny.

However, McDonald's awarded the naming honor to Esther Glickstein Rose.  The true origin of the name has often been argued.  Mr. Delligatti never received any payment or royalties for coming up with the Big Mac.

Two All-Beef.  --DaMack

Big Mac Creator Died in December: Michael "Jim" Delligatti-- Part 1

From the December 1, 2016, Northwest Herald (Illinois) "McDonald's Big Mac creator dies" by Joe Mandax, AP.

"You probably don't know his name, but you've almost certainly devoured his creation: two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun.

"Michael James "Jim" Delligatti, the McDonald's franchisee, who created the Big Mac nearly 50 years ago and saw it become perhaps the best-known fast-food sandwich in the world, died Monday (Nov. 28) at his home in Pittsburgh.  Delligatti, who his son said ate at least one 540-calorie Big Mac a week for decades, was 98."

Good Eating.  --CootMac

Founder of Chick-Fil-A S. Truett Cathy, Died in 2014

From the September 8, 2014, Yahoo! News.

Mr. Cathy, 93, was a devout Southern Baptist who founded the company in 1987.  It now has 1,800 locations in 40 U.S. states.  In keeping with his religious beliefs, all are closed on Sundays.

I must admit I love their cow advertising.

17 Fast Food Menu Items That Were Sensational Failures-- Part 2: Remember the McDLT?

8.  McDONALD'S--  Big 'n Tasty.  To combat Burger King's Whopper.  Dropped after the arrival of Angus Burgers.

9.  McDONALD'S--  Arch Deluxe--  1996

10.  McDONALD'S--  McHot Dog  And now, Burger King's trying their hand at the dog.

11.  SONIC--  Pickle Os, 2004.  Fried pickle bites.

12.  McDONALD'S--  McLean deluxe, 1991.  91% fat free.  Tasted horrible as the fat was replaced with seaweed and water.

13.  McDONALD'S--  McDLT--  1980s.  Lettuce and tomato served separately to keep them crisp.

14.  FRIENDLY'S--  Grilled cheeseburger melt in 2010.

15.  BURGER KING--  Burger Buddies--  sliders

16.  TACO BELL--  Bell Beefie.  A sloppy joe with taco meat.

17.  McDONALD'S--  Super-Size.  A big hit for a decade until the 2004 Morgan Spurlock documentary "Super Size Me."

Seems like they're really picking on McDonald's.  I actually liked most of the items I tried.  

Eat Up!  --Cooter

17 Fast Food Menu Items That Were Sensational Failures-- Part 1: Good Old Hula Burgers

From the July 23, 2013, Yahoo! Finance, Business Insider.

1.  BURGER KING--  Enormous Omelet Sandwich

2.  McDONALD'S--  Hula Burger--  grated pineapple inside the meat.

3.  McDONALD'S--  Pizza and McPizza, both in the 1980s.

4.  McDONALD'S--  McSpaghetti

5.  JACK-IN-THE-BOX--  Frings--  combination onion rings and fries, 1970s

6.  McDONALD'S--  McAfrika--  beef, cheese, tomatoes on pita sandwich, 2002, while there was famine in Africa.

7.  PIZZA HUT--  Priazzo--  1980s, similar to a Chicago deep dish pizza but it took too long to prepare.

They may have failed, but a lot of them sure sounded good.

Eating My Way to Failure.  --DaCoot

12 McDonald's Items That Failed Spectacularly-- Part 2 Arch Deluxe

7.  ARCH DELUXE--  1996.  Intended for the adult market.  A quarter-pounder with bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheese, onions, ketchup and secret sauce.  Failed even with a $100 million marketing campaign.

8.  McHOTDOG--  Enough said.  Though at one time McDonald's in our area of northern Illinois had Johnsonville brats which were mighty good, even without sauerkraut.

9.  McDLT--  mid 1980s.  Separated lettuce and tomato from the burger, keeping veggies cool and the meat warm.  But the extra-double container wasn't environmentally-friendly.

10.  McLEAN DELUXE--  For the health conscious from 1991.  91% lean meat used.

11.  BIG 'N TASTY--  Another assault on Burger King's Whopper.  Like the McDLT and Big extra.  The meat was angus burger.

12.  SUPERSIZE--  1993.  the 2007 documentary "Supersize me" pretty well killed it off, but you can still go "Large."

I Liked a Lot of These, Though.  --Cooter

12 McDonald's Menu Items That Failed Spectacularly-- Part 1: McLobster

From  Business Insider, Yahoo! Finance.

1.  McLOBSTER--   Lobster in a hot dog bun for $5.95.  I once saw these offered while on a visit to maine, but didn't try it as I figured they would be offered back in Illinois.  They weren't.

2.  McGRATIN CROQUETTE--  Created for the Japanese market.

3.  HULA BURGER--  Meant for Catholics not eating meat on Fridays.  Chicken patty, pineapple slice topped with cheese.

4.  PIZZA and McPIZZA--  Late 1980s.  Made-to-order pizza, but customers not willing to wait.  The McPizza resembled hot pockets.

5.  McSPAGHETTI--  Still around in some foreign markets and has a bit of a cult following.

6.  McAFRIKA--  Beef, cheese, tomatoes and salad in a pita-like sandwich.

I Sure Would Have Liked to Try a McLobster.  --Cooter

Some More Chicago Innovations-- Part 9: McDonald's

Ray Kroc didn't invent fast food. He didn't even invent the McDonald's hamburger. He was a salesman of milk shake mixers who saw what the McDonald brothers were doing in California and saw the potential to make it work on a broader scale through rigorous consistency, marketing and franchising. The McDonald's story is almost as well known as the global brand. //// And, the first Ray Kroc McDonald's was in Des Plaines, Illinois, and a rebuilt store from that era is still at the site, but you have to buy your McDonald's across the street. //// --DaCoot

21 Great McDonald's Meals You Can't Get in the U.S.-- Part 5

17. McALOO TIKI-- India. Fried potato and pea patty in a bun.

18. SAMURAI BURGER-- Asian markets. Either chicken or beef patty coated in terriyahi sauce with mayonaise and lettuce. Popular sides are Seaweed shaker fries and Jasmine green tea

19. McSPICY PANEER--India. Fried curd cheese patty topped with tandoori sauce, red cabbage and lettuce served on a sesame roll.

20. GAZPACHO SOUP-- Spain. Classic summer soup served chilled with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, celery, lemon juice and hot sauce.

21. POUTINE-- Canada. (OK, I'll stop snickering now.) Drizzled gravy and cheese curds on french fries. Based on a traditional Canadian dish. (Sounds a bit like a Central Illinois Horseshoe sandwich.)

Not Your Same Old, Same Old McDonald's. --RoadDog

21 Great McDonald's Meals You Can't Get in the U.S.-- Oart 4

13. ROSTI BREKKI WRAP-- Australia and New Zealand. Bacon, fried egg, slice of cheese and potato rosti (similar to hash browns). Served on a flour tortilla with bbq sauce.

14. McLOBSTER-- Canada. 100% Atlantic lobster meat, diced celery, lettuce and a light salad dressing, served on a soft roll. (I had seen these in Maine once, but didn't buy one as I figured they muct have them back home in Illinois. Sadly, they didn't.)

15. BACON POTATO PIE-- Japan. Chunks of potato and bacon served in the same deep-fried shell as McDonald's apple pies.

16. KIWI BURGER-- New Zealand (of course). No kiwi fruit or meat, though. (I think the kiwi whatever it is, is protected.) A four ounce beef patty, griddle egg, beetroot, tomato, lettuce cheese, onion, mustard and keychup. (I had one of these in New Zealand and it was one of the best burgers I ever ate.)

I'd Sure Like to Have Me Another One of Those Kiwi Burgers, But Will Settle for a McRib. --Cooter

21 Great McDonald's Meals You Can't Get in the U.S.-- Part 3

Next time you're overseas, don't stay away from McDonald's figuring you can just eat their food at home. Foreign McDonald's feature an array of things you can't get here and a whole lot of the ones I'm writing about are definitely something I would try.

9. MATCHA McFLURRY-- Singapore and Japan. Green tea powder for a green color and topped with heaps of Oreo bits.

10.. SNACK AL PARMIGIANO-- Italy. Instead of a side of fries, it is an individually wrapped bar of Parmesan cheese.

11. CHEESE KATSU BURGER-- Japan. Melted cheese inside of fried pork cutlets with sliced cabbage and sweet and sour sauce served on a sesame seed bun.

12. BABUR AYAM McD-- Malaysia. Breakfast treat porridge, chicken strips, spring onions, sliced ginger, fried shallots and dice cjillies.

Making Me Hungry. --CootHun

21 Great McDonald's Meals You Can't Get in the U.S.-- Part 2

4. BACON ROLLS-- U.K.-- "Breakfast of Choice" for bacon-lovers. From British farms and served on a roll with ketchup or brown sauce.

5.  BLACK AND WHITE HAMBURGER COMBOS-- China. Black Burger roll topped with white sesame seeds with black pepper sauce and chopped onions. The white burger topped with black sesame seeds. Like McRibs, availability comes and goes.

6. TARO PIE-- Japan and Asia. Chunks of taro root covered in sweet purple sauce inside a flaky pie crust. Taro tastes like potatoes, only stronger.

MCARABIA-- In Arab countries and Pakistan. Two grilled chicken patties with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and garlic sauce inside a pita.

I'd Try Any of These. --Cooter

21 Great McDonald's Meals You Can't Get in the U.S.-- Part 1

From the Nov. 18, 2013, Yahoo! Finance "21 Awesome McDonald's Dishes You Can't Get in America" from Business Insider by Hayley Peterson.

When I travel overseas, I do go to McDonald's, but you'd never catch me ordering a Big Mac or Quarterpounder. I'm checking out other items they have. In Hawaii, you can get pineapple and Vegemite. In New Zealand, I had one of the best burgers ever, called a Kiwi Burger.

1. EBI BURGER-- Japan, Singapore and other Asian countries. A whole shrimp embedded in a crispy patty with lettuce and spicy sauce.

2. SHAKA SHAKA CHICKEN-- Singapore. deep-fried chicken patty served in a paper sleeve with packet of spice.

3.  CROCK BRIE-- Italy. Deep-fried triangles of oozing brie cheese.

The article has pictures of all these items.

More Good Stuff to Come. --Cooter

Doubling Down On the Dollar Menu-- Part 3: Breakfast

Then, there is that great Breakfast Dollar Menu.  I'm getting ready to brave the monsoon outside right now, and go over to our new McDonald's here in Spring Grove, Illinois, for some in a few minutes.  I am especially fond of that Sausage McMuffin.

The Breakfast Menu was added in 2010 and I've been eating them ever since.

Sausage Biscuit
Sausage McMuffin
Sausage Burrito
Hash Browns
Coffee (Small)  (Although some places sell all coffee for a buck.)

Maybe I'll get a coffee, but will be very careful not to spill it on my lap.

Make Mine a Large.  --Cooter

Doubling Down On the Dollar Menu-- Part 2

Neil Gordon, chief marketing officer of McDonald's USA says: "We are aware that consumers are a little unsettled right now.  Whether that's higher gas prices or just overall not having as much week to week, we know the consumer is looking for great values in everything they're doing in the food arena.  We want to make sure it's attractive to choose our restaurant."

And, then there are those folk like me who are just plain cheap.  As my buddy says, "More Bang For the Buck!"

Anyway, here's a look at the Dollar Menu Today:

McDouble (My favorite, even without that extra piece of cheese.)
McChicken
Soft serve Cone (now at 49 cents or 99 cents dipped)
Side Salad (I like these, especially with the Newman's dressing and especially the Balsemic)
Parfait
Sweet (and Unsweetened) Tea
Cookies

Temporary Grilled Onion Cheddar (OK, but would be better more like a Slider, perhaps some pickles and more onions)
Hot 'n Spicy McChicken  (I like this one a whole lot.  Hope they keep it around.)

And, I sure love those $1 any-size drinks available at some places.

And, Now There's That Breakfast Dollar Menu.  --DaCoot