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Food and travel cannot exist without each another. As a frequent traveler, one of my guilty pleasures is experiencing the localized menu at McDonald’s around the globe. Be it ‘McFalafel’ in Egypt, or ‘Shaka Chicken’ in Singapore, or Babur Ayam McD in Malaysia, I have tried several bastardized versions of local cuisines at McDonald’s. It took me a while to appreciate that the local population does not mind these versions of their food because it is different from ‘their regular’. Credit where its due, McDonald’s has excelled in the art of monetizing this cultural misappropriation (if you will) of local cuisines. So, as someone that does not shy away from eating a McPaneer Royale on every trip to India, let me address the elephant in the room, Masala Dosa Burger!!
Masala Dosa Burger
McDonald’s has just announced a ‘Masala Dosa Burger’ on their breakfast menu in India. And to say that social media is blowing up with dosa reactions, is an understatement. If McDonald’s was looking for publicity, boy they have struck gold! #masaladosaburger was trending in India (Jan 11). Dosa (thin pancake made with fermented rice and lentils) is to Indian breakfast what Tacos are to Mexico or Poutine is to Canada (sorry, that’s the extent of my appropriation, haha!). There are some food items in every culture that are sacrosanct and any deviation from tradition is sacrilegious. ‘Masala Dosa Burger’ may have just touched that nerve in India. Now that I have dramatized it enough, let me clarify – I will definitely tuck in a couple of dosa burgers on my next visit to India.
Unfortunately, there are no pictures or explanation to suggest what the concoction would look like. I stumbled upon an Indian news channel’s take on the creative thinking behind the new burger, they nailed it 🙂
Photo Credit: NDTV India
As a teenager in India, I remember waiting in line for 2 hours to get into the first McDonald’s in Mumbai. McDonald’s is an upscale fast food establishment in many countries and does not carry the same food chain stigma as in North America. To say that I am a McDonald’s fan would be gross overstatement, but I do love their enterprising take on local cuisines and try ’em out when traveling. The absurdity of this new burger is what caught my attention, followed by the hilarious reactions on twitter. Make sure to look up #masaladosaburger for a tickle.
Whats your take on this new burger? Do you have any favorites from McDonald’s localized international menu? Share with a comment below.
