McDonald's sorry for burger blunder - "McAFRIKA" burger flops in Norway

Aftenposten - English version ^ | 08.22.02 | Nina Berglund/

[prisoner6]

McDonald's sorry for burger blunder "Tasteless," is how charitable groups have branded a McDonald's burger in Norway that they claim ignores the starvation crisis in Africa. McDonald's is red-faced, and may donate proceeds from its controversial "McAfrika" burger. This is the promotion that's left aid organizations in Norway seeing red... and McDonald's officials red-faced. PHOTO: KNUT FJELDSTAD/SCANPIX RELATED ARTICLES Massive relief effort ready to roll - 26.07.02 "It's inappropriate and distasteful to launch a hamburger called 'McAfrika' when large portions of southern Africa are on the verge of starvation," says Linn Aas-Hansen of Norwegian Church Aid. She stood outside a McDonald's restaurant in downtown Oslo this week, passing out free "catastrophe crackers" to passersby in protest. "This is a special, protein-rich cracker that we hand out to people in the hunger-stricken areas," she said. Among those who got a taste of the crackers was an apologetic spokesperson for McDonald's in Norway, Margaret Brusletto. She said McDonald's was sorry the name of its new burger, meant to reflect an African recipe, has negative connotations. "That wasn't our intention," she said. "At the same time, we acknowledge that we have chosen an unfortunate time to launch this new product." There was no word as to whether McDonald's will pull its "McAfrika" burger off the market despite the protests in Norway, where aid organizations have launched one of the world's largest relief programs ever aimed at getting food to starving millions in southern Africa. McDonald's officials, however, were due to meet representatives of the aid organizations on Thursday. "We expect that McDonald's will contribute to the fight to stem starvation," said Bjorg Mide of Norwegian Church Aid. "The company can, for example, share proceeds from the sale of this hamburger with the aid organizations." Brusletto said that's "a possibility we will consider."

[prisoner6]

Yummmmm...Mc-AF-rika...(drool)

Want some fried grubs with that sir?

prisoner6

[freebilly]

Let them eat McCake....

[Arkinsaw]

This is so funny.....they tried to come up with a politically correct burger and got the knives turned on them. McDonalds should realize that the only appeasement that will be successful is to go out of business and turn over their funds to the UN anti-Meat Office.

[Paleo Conservative]

"Tasteless," is how charitable groups have branded a McDonald's burger in Norway

All their food is tasteless. That's why I rarely eat there.

[Tony in Hawaii]

Hey, cut the guy some slack. If my name was "Ass-Hansen" I'd complain about stuff, too.

[j271]

aimed at getting food to starving millions in southern Africa.

Yes, it's "aimed" at getting food to starving millions. But, like most foreign aid it will probably end up wasted, lost or resold for weapons.

[WSGilcrest]

Le prêcher bruyant, bruddah! Le prêcher bruyant, bruddah! Le prêcher bruyant, bruddah! Le prêcher bruyant, bruddah! Le prêcher bruyant, bruddah! Le prêcher bruyant, bruddah! Le prêcher bruyant, bruddah! Le prêcher bruyant, bruddah! Le prêcher bruyant, bruddah! Le prêcher bruyant, bruddah! ! Le prêcher bruyant, bruddah! Le prêcher bruyant, bruddah! Le prêcher bruyant, bruddah! Le prêcher bruyant, bruddah! Le prêcher bruyant, bruddah! Le prêcher bruyant, bruddah

[tubebender]

" world's largest relief programs ever aimed at getting food to starving millions in southern Africa."

To guarantee delivery they are sending it in care of Somalia.

[Ken H]

The McMugabe burger didn't do well either.

It made you hungrier and took over your stomach.

[SAJ]

NORWAY, is it? This protest emanates from Norway?

Well, without characterising that nation, and having listened very closely to my Norwegian brother-in-law, I'd say that the whole world is bloody lucky that McDonald's didn't happen to think of a ludefisk sandwich, maybe called 'McLude' or something similar.

Give the Africans another X years of their idiotic tyrants, and continued enforced starvation, and I wouldn't wonder but they'd kill even for a noxious McLude (and if you don't know about ludefisk, hold your comments (g!)).

[martin_fierro]

No, no, no -- THIS is tasteless.

[flying Elvis]

Its predecessor was the McIdi Amin burger.

[LouD]

"This is a special, protein-rich cracker that we hand out to people in the hunger-stricken areas," but today we're dissipating our scarce resources in a meaningless PR stunt, designed to reflect our self-righteous indignation over a restaurant chain naming a food item after a continent.

I wonder how she feels about Ethiopian Restaurants?

[altair]

THIS is tasteless.

Yup. I remember that.

[LouD]

special, protein-rich cracker

Actually, McDonalds ought to pick up on this. They could call it the "Caesar McBabar" - guaranteed to make you look like a starving refugee. Perfect for all those lardasses that are suing fast food chains...

[Mark Turbo]

The McMugabe burger didn't do well either.

Exactly, but Norwegian Church Aid would rather pick on Mickey D's than slam that farm-grabbing tyrant.

BTW that looks like pita bread on the burger where the bun should be.

[krb]

These wackos are stupid. What McDonalds was doing was pretty cool.

When I was invited to go to an Ethiopian restaurant a couple of years ago I actually thought my girlfriend was kidding because I had never thought that African countries actually had cullinary history and culture, partially because of the same touchy-feely stupid ideas I used to share with the freaks complaining about this.

[Darheel]

free "catastrophe crackers"

Really, who wants to super-size these?

[Nik Naym]

WARNING possibly offensive joke follows

Q: What does Yoko Ono have in common with Ethiopians?


A: They both live off dead Beetles.

Attn. Moderator: Feel free to pull it if you find this too offensive for FR.

Nik

[HiTech RedNeck]

If they'd just called it an "African style sandwich" I bet it would not have elicited nearly as many Mc-catcalls. Prefixing a Mc on some things is pushing bad Mc-taste too far.