Posted on 11/01/2009 12:53:40 PM PST by UAConservative
REYKJAVIK (Reuters) - Thousands of Icelanders lined up at McDonald's restaurants to order their last Big Macs before the U.S. fast-food chain abandons the crisis-hit island at midnight Saturday due to soaring costs.
The world's largest fast-food company said earlier this week that all three of its restaurants in Iceland, operated by franchisee Jon Ogmundsson, would shut down October 31.
The outlets have been packed since the announcement, with lines at one restaurant on the east side of the city backing up out the door and onto the street.
At lunchtime Friday the outlet's parking lot was full and staff inside were working furiously to keep up with the soaring demand.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Wow! McD’s is just about everywhere. I never thought I’d see the day when they pulled out of a country.
Surely there was a Mc Dodos at the US Naval base already.
...entirely unfamiliar; maybe somebody pur 'Roo in the stew.
McDonalds will be replaced by Lars’ Lutefisk Sandwich Shops.
Whoops.
Read article and headline before responding. L0L
McDonald’s Closes Shop in Iceland
Lyst, the operator of US fast food chain McDonald’s in Iceland, announced yesterday that the restaurant’s doors will close at the end of this month. The reason is the rising cost of imported supplies following the collapse of the Icelandic króna.
The low exchange rate in addition to high tariffs have doubled the company’s expenses for meat, cheese, vegetables and other products and challenged its profitability. The ingredients for hamburgers must be imported according to McDonald’s’ regulations, visir.is reports.
Lyst has therefore decided to open a new fast food chain, Metro, in the three locations in Reykjavík where McDonald’s currently operate.
Metro will have Icelandic hamburgers with Icelandic ingredients on the menu, which will create up to 15 new jobs among Icelandic producers.
These changes are undertaken in agreement with McDonald’s, a statement from Lyst reads.
According to visir.is, news of McDonald’s being shut down immediately raised attention in the world press.
AFP discussed the move with owner of Lyst Jón Gardar Ögmundsson and concluded its report by saying that former Prime Minister Davíd Oddsson was the first to eat a hamburger at McDonald’s when the fast food chain first opened in Iceland in 1993.
Ögmundsson told AFP it is unlikely that his company will reopen McDonald’s restaurants in Iceland even after the economy recovers.
I am not sure what else Icelanders will eat since imported food must be very expensive.
I'm surprised. I would have thought that McDonald's strived to taste the same everywhere. However, I well remember getting a hamburger in Sydney (not at a McDonald's). For one thing, they asked if I wanted "salad" on it. I figured that was a quaint Aussie expression for lettuce, onion and tomato. Nope. I ended up with beets and carrots on my burger. And there was definitely something up with the beef. I couldn't figure it out, but it tasted like no beef I have ever had anywhere else. Not good.
I need a Big Mac.
"Good riddance," she said.
For better or worse, McDonald's is a powerful symbol of the USA, so I have to ask why Reuters chose to end the article this way. I would ask that, if I didn't already know.
Surely Dede’s and Owen’s positions on the issues are nearly the same. Newt should now endorse Owens .
>>Read article and headline before responding. L0L<<
Why? No one else does ;)
See #7 LOL
I’ve been there years afo. Perth and Freemantle. Lovely places.
As are the women there.
afo = ago
“McDonald’s is a powerful symbol of the USA”
Symbol opf crap as far as i’m concerned!
They were crap when they were 13 cents and are still crap!
LoL! I was preoccupied with something L0L
Odds are they will continue eating locally produced sheep meat.
Home of the Big Kipper
Sounds like there’s quite a market for someone new to start a franchise there.
I went into a McDonald's in Chicago one time and told the clerk, "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse."
He just smiled knowingly.
My statement stands.
The Colonel sells his chicken *sses to McDonald.
So if you bite into a McDonald burger and it goes Brrrffrrt...
You know you got one of the Colonels *sses.
Looks good, actually. Would like to try all of that.
I could live without the blubber.
Sardines for everybody!
Would be something I’d sample maybe once since I’ve never had it.
Controversial Whale Dish - Þrír Frakkar (aka Three Overcoats) Reykjavik
McDonalds never made anything that came close to being food!
That looks good!
Doubt it, they have access to good fish!
LoL! But the headcheese is fine by you eh?
A little off topic, but........oh well.
I wish I remembered the “king” for the phobia thread. I have a phobia of the Burger King. Skeery!
Icelanders only eat this once a year during the Thorrablot festival.
Thorrablot - Iceland’s Midwinter Feast “Thorrablot”
The midwinter feast Thorrablot in Iceland is held at any time during the month of Þorri, which begins on the first Friday after January 19th (the 13th week of winter.) Thorrablot (Icelandic: “Þorrablót”) takes place in the coldest dark days of the year, and many of the foods served are the smoked/pickled produce of the previous year. It is a Scandinavian tradition with lots of viking history.
The Thorrablot celebration starts with dinner. For the midwinter feast, Icelanders serve what was normal day-to-day food for Vikings, and turn back to nature-made food
that was smoked, laid in mysa (a sour milk-product), salted, dried or kaestur (rotting and setting meat).
Sample plate in photo:
1.Hákarl (putrefied shark)
2.Blóðmör (filled sausage/black pudding)
3.Hrútspungur (ram’s scrotum with testicles)
4.Lundabaggi (sheep’s fat)
5.Svinasulta (jellied ham)
6.Svið (jellied sheep’s head)
7.Harðfiskur (bread spread made of fish)
8.Hangikjot (smoked lamb)
After the Thorrablot dinner, don’t be surprised at people’s bad breath (blame the menu)! Get ready for group games and old songs and stories, accompanied by Brennivin (Iceland’s strong schnapps). Later in the evening, dances start and often continue until the early morning when Thorrablot celebrations draw to an end.
He is Kreepy L0L
Oh My!
“(Iceland’s strong schnapps”
I believe I would want that first. :0)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.