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Showing posts with label McDonalds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label McDonalds. Show all posts
Wednesday, 23 January 2013
McDonald’s pie review – are you taking the Mc?
It’s almost
with a sense of irony that on American Pie Day (or National Pie Day, as they
call it in the States), when the Stars and Stripes come out to celebrate all
things pie, I feel led to vent my frustration once again at one of America’s
most successful global firms. For once again, given the op-pie-tunity to
provide the world with a great, warm, winter-busting fruit pie, McDonald’s have
once again given us... a battered slice. Quite frankly, I feel they’re just
taking the mick.
 |
| McDonald's Sweet Berry Pie... or so they call it! |
For in place of their regular Apple “Pie” and shortly after the release of their festive Christmas Orange Flavour Chocolate “Pie”, McDonald’s have this time come up with a Sweet Berry and Custard “Pie”. Yeah, that’s right. I think the quotation marks tell you everything.
It’s not
pastry, it’s not a pie (with clearly defined base, sides and lid), and quite
frankly, it’s not acceptable! I’m very close to writing an open letter to the
head of McDonald’s UK McPastry department to try and combat this blatant false
advertising under the “pie” banner, which has the potential to con avid pie
eaters into purchasing and consuming a counterfeit good. Sure, the pastry
product tastes nice, sure it’s a novel flavour, but for the last time... IT’S NOT A PIE!!!
Rant over.
Happy National Pie Day to all our American
readers and bring on British Pie WEEK from 4th-10th
March 2013 (that’s right, we Brits need a whole week to celebrate our pies!)
RAS
Sunday, 23 December 2012
Is it a McPie? - The McDonald’s Festive Chocolate Pie
I’m sure most
of our avid readers have read our critique of the McDonald’s Apple Pie (UKedition). In fact, at 863 page views and counting, it’s our most popular
article. But here at pierate we can’t hold a grudge – and more importantly,
daren’t miss out on a potentially good pie. Which is why, in this festive
period, with goodwill to all pie manufacturers, I couldn’t resist the chance
for a new potential pie flavour. Could the McPastry department have realised
the error of their ways? Had they taken on a new Head of McPastry and gone for
an actual pie this time? The golden arches beckoned me in for a festive McDonald’s Orange Flavour Chocolate Pie...
 |
| McDonald's Festive Pie |
 |
| Orange flavoured chocolate filling pastry (it's not a pie!) |
From
everyone aboard the Pierate ship - Merry Christmas everyone!
RAS
Sunday, 8 January 2012
McDeutsch Pies?!!
Ist das ein
Pie?
Nein.
Sadly, the
McDonald’s apple pie sold in the German city of Cologne (or Kรถln)
follows its British counterpart. Despite the label and high promise, it is not
in fact a pie, but simply masquerading as a pie. I certainly won’t be making
that mistake again! But the good news is that there are proper pies available
in Germany, if you look in the right bakeries.
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
McPie shocker! Lovin the Dutch “glocalisation”
Ok, so not everyone’s got a degree in Geography, but I’m sure you’ve heard of this kind of scenario before:
McDonalds become a global brand, bringing the BigMac and fries to various countries worldwide... but they also target the local consumer in each specific country with food that suits local tastes. Take the Chicken Maharaja-Mac, available to suit the taste buds of their Indian consumers. That’s called “glocalisation” – the global combines with the local.
Ok, lecture over!
Well imagine my surprise when, hitting the McDonalds Liedsestraat, Amsterdam, those clever people in Holland had decided to reach out to the pie loving community by selling a proper Apple Pie in McDonalds! Not one of those Apple slices that they fob off to unaware British consumers! For the Dutch McDonalds Apple Pie is indeed an Apple Pie! Not an Apple Slice, but an Apple Pie!
So after the shock of seeing a real apple pie being sold in McDonalds...what’s it like?!
Well, firstly, you’ve gotta love the plastic casing you get your pie in. Sure, it’s only a piece of pie, but presentation is key. Secondly, while the pastry is quite soft and crumbly, it really does fill the hole. It’s full of flavour and you know you’re getting real fruit inside you. While it would be well complemented with some sort of custard or milk/cream/ice cream, the pie did taste good. You just have to eat it quick, before it crumbles completely! And at just 2 Euros when bought in combo with hot chocolate, it’s reasonably priced too. While it may not be the best pie in the world, it certainly is worth buying – especially when you’re out and about in Holland. You just have to wonder why they don’t sell proper pies in McDonalds UK (the pie capital of the world!)
So maybe at pierate.co.uk we were a little hasty in our review of McDonalds pies... for what McDonalds UK lacks, the Dutch certainly make up for in Apple Pies. In fact, I’d say “Ik ben lovin het!” (...or something like that!)
Score: 4/7
Follow @pierateers
continue reading "McPie shocker! Lovin the Dutch “glocalisation”"
McDonalds become a global brand, bringing the BigMac and fries to various countries worldwide... but they also target the local consumer in each specific country with food that suits local tastes. Take the Chicken Maharaja-Mac, available to suit the taste buds of their Indian consumers. That’s called “glocalisation” – the global combines with the local.
Ok, lecture over!
Well imagine my surprise when, hitting the McDonalds Liedsestraat, Amsterdam, those clever people in Holland had decided to reach out to the pie loving community by selling a proper Apple Pie in McDonalds! Not one of those Apple slices that they fob off to unaware British consumers! For the Dutch McDonalds Apple Pie is indeed an Apple Pie! Not an Apple Slice, but an Apple Pie!
So after the shock of seeing a real apple pie being sold in McDonalds...what’s it like?!Well, firstly, you’ve gotta love the plastic casing you get your pie in. Sure, it’s only a piece of pie, but presentation is key. Secondly, while the pastry is quite soft and crumbly, it really does fill the hole. It’s full of flavour and you know you’re getting real fruit inside you. While it would be well complemented with some sort of custard or milk/cream/ice cream, the pie did taste good. You just have to eat it quick, before it crumbles completely! And at just 2 Euros when bought in combo with hot chocolate, it’s reasonably priced too. While it may not be the best pie in the world, it certainly is worth buying – especially when you’re out and about in Holland. You just have to wonder why they don’t sell proper pies in McDonalds UK (the pie capital of the world!)
So maybe at pierate.co.uk we were a little hasty in our review of McDonalds pies... for what McDonalds UK lacks, the Dutch certainly make up for in Apple Pies. In fact, I’d say “Ik ben lovin het!” (...or something like that!)
Score: 4/7
Follow @pierateers
Friday, 30 April 2010
Is it a pie? McDonalds under the knife
It’s the age old question – is it or isn’t it? Well guys, I have to admit that when it comes to McDonalds Apple Pie, I’m certainly hesitant in my viewpoint. While the packaging clearly gives the indication that you are entering pie heaven, with “hot, crispy and delicious Apple Pie” plastered over the label, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
And yet is that famous saying true?!! After all, the eating experience itself was quite delightful, it has to be said. It certainly was hot, crispy and delicious – ticking all the McBoxes. The filling was piping hot and complemented the pastry. But what really caused confusion was whether it was a pie in the first place! After all, when it comes out of the packaging and is laid bare on a McNapkin, would anyone really go “wow, what a great looking pie!”
Now we here at Pierate want to stick close to our pie loving base and not be distracted by any kind of slice invasion. And when you look at McDonald’s pastry offer, you certainly couldn’t be accused of such a grave error known simply as the “Splaffy” (to those who are new to this term, this highlights an occurrence where an experienced member of our pie eating team accidentally bought a slice, not a pie, at the Soul Survivor pie stand one year! Definitely something to banter about for years to come!)
The lack of foil tray, the fact that there is no clear “base” and “lid” parts – but simply an even amalgamation of the two – and the lack of spherical shape (which is common to most pies, even the slightly more rectangular looking versions) clearly indicate that the McDonalds offering is sadly not actually a pie! So be warned – even mega chains like McDonalds can lull innocent customers into a grave error, using the pie brand to sell what are in fact slices. I can safely say that pierate.co.uk are not “lovin it”.
Follow @pierateers
continue reading "Is it a pie? McDonalds under the knife"
And yet is that famous saying true?!! After all, the eating experience itself was quite delightful, it has to be said. It certainly was hot, crispy and delicious – ticking all the McBoxes. The filling was piping hot and complemented the pastry. But what really caused confusion was whether it was a pie in the first place! After all, when it comes out of the packaging and is laid bare on a McNapkin, would anyone really go “wow, what a great looking pie!”
Now we here at Pierate want to stick close to our pie loving base and not be distracted by any kind of slice invasion. And when you look at McDonald’s pastry offer, you certainly couldn’t be accused of such a grave error known simply as the “Splaffy” (to those who are new to this term, this highlights an occurrence where an experienced member of our pie eating team accidentally bought a slice, not a pie, at the Soul Survivor pie stand one year! Definitely something to banter about for years to come!)
The lack of foil tray, the fact that there is no clear “base” and “lid” parts – but simply an even amalgamation of the two – and the lack of spherical shape (which is common to most pies, even the slightly more rectangular looking versions) clearly indicate that the McDonalds offering is sadly not actually a pie! So be warned – even mega chains like McDonalds can lull innocent customers into a grave error, using the pie brand to sell what are in fact slices. I can safely say that pierate.co.uk are not “lovin it”.
Follow @pierateers
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