McDonalds goes Muslim

www.news.com.au...

Muslim Halal meat is now being served at the American fast food chain - McDonalds - in some of their Australian locations. Halal meat is meat that is blessed in accord with Islamic rules.

I have not heard of McDonalds offering any other specially blessed foods or meats - such as Kosher meals - at any time in it's history. It might have. But I have not found information that says it was.

Customers who do not wish to purchase Halal Islamic blessed meat are told by management to go elsewhere for their hamburgers. Most customers are unaware that they are eating the specially blessed meat. There is a small sign inside the building and drive-thru customers are not told at all.

I don't know if this is

1) An independently owned McDonalds that is going Islamic.
2 ) An attempt by the McDonalds corporation to feel out if they have a Halal market.
3 ) An attempt to buy the affections of terrorists by claiming that they are catering to Islamics.
4) A great business move.
5) A poor business move.
6) A conspiracy by those who own the McDonalds to kill off Muslims because they know fast food is REALLY BAD for you.

Seriously - Considering that McDonalds hasn't seen fit to cater to any other religious group I have to ask WHY are they doing this? Is it a test to open markets in strict Islamic countries or is it something else? Aren't all McDonalds independently owned and operated? How much say does the 'mother corporation' have?



[edit on 11/19/2006 by FlyersFan]

No biggie. Does it matter that the slaughter-person says a prayer before they kill the animal?

BTW, I've found that hallal meals to be better than our own, or kosher for that matter.

IMHO that is just going TOO far. I'm so sick of various groups being catered to and pampered. I watch as my 4 caucasion daughters grow up in a world where THEY are the minority, yet the 'minorities' of yesterday still continue to be spoon fed.

Isn't cannibalism in Germany legal? Will the McDonalds over there start serving Big Macks Lower Back?

Jemison

It could be a brilliant business move if they would offer both halal and non-halal meats. Offering only one may make it backfire.

Originally posted by intrepid
BTW, I've found that hallal meals to be better than our own, or kosher for that matter.

How does blessing a meal make it better? Admittedly, I haven't googled it to find out...

Originally posted by jsobecky

It could be a brilliant business move if they would offer both halal and non-halal meats. Offering only one may make it backfire.

Originally posted by intrepid
BTW, I've found that hallal meals to be better than our own, or kosher for that matter.

How does blessing a meal make it better? Admittedly, I haven't googled it to find out...

That's just part of it. The animal is bled differently. Also the prepared meals that I've had were WAY lower in fat but still tasty. Ours were the worst for fat with Kosher coming in a close second.

Halal also has to do with the way that the animal is slaughtered...

According to Islamic tradition, the conventional method used to slaughter the animal involves cutting the large arteries in the neck along with the esophagus and trachea with one swipe of an unserrated blade. This method of slaughter serves a dual function: it provides for, debatably, a relatively painless death and also helps to effectively drain blood from the animal. The latter is important because the consumption of blood itself is forbidden in Islam. Muslims consider this method of killing the animal to be cleaner and more merciful to the animal. During the blood draining process, the animal is not handled until it has died.

en.wikipedia.org...

Serving halal meat in fast food also occurs in the US...

* In Dearborn, Michigan, home to one of the largest Muslim and Arab populations in the United States, a number of fast food chains like McDonald's introduced halal chicken nuggets [17]
* In the Greater Toronto Area a number of Popeye's restaurants use only halal chicken[18]

There are many kosher fast food places around NY/NJ as well.

Why do you guys care if these businesses are catering to their markets. The point of a business is to make money, and if that's what they are doing by serving halal/kosher/specialty meat, what's the problem?

Originally posted by FlyersFan
I have not heard of McDonalds offering any other specially blessed foods or meats - such as Kosher meals - at any time in it's history. It might have. But I have not found information that says it was.

If you dont think McDonalds has offering any incentives to religious groups before, you're not really paying attention. Every Friday during Lent, Fish Sandwiches are only a dollar; and on a couple of different days in Lent, they really go all out and have even better deals.

How is that any different than blessing meat, I just dont get.

Originally posted by Jemison
IMHO that is just going TOO far. I'm so sick of various groups being catered to and pampered. I watch as my 4 caucasion daughters grow up in a world where THEY are the minority, yet the 'minorities' of yesterday still continue to be spoon fed.

I think you're going a little too far here. Nevermind the good... ohhh 500 years when we caucasians didn't pamper anyone, because they would just as soon enslave them as look at them. So the status Quo is changing, and now everything isnt going to be as homogenized as it has been, why are you afraid of that? Whats the big deal? How are what a few McDonalds in Australia affecting your life? If this comes to America, and you dont like it, stop going to McDonalds. It's as simple as that.

The Muslim population is growing every year people, I think it would be good for us to get used to their culture and get educated about it, because it's not going anywhere.

Just one more reason for me to not eat at McDonalds.

To me, this is just the camel sticking his nose further under the tent in a movement to Islamize the west. I specifically avoid companies who require different rules to conduct their business. Examples include Church's Chicken and Caribou Coffee Co. Church's operate under finance rules that follow Islamic doctrine--and our government caved to their needs in this regard. The same goes for Caribou Coffee; a company you'll find in many American airport terminals.

I guarantee that if non-Muslims stooped patronizing that McDonalds store they would recind their rediculous Halal policy. Why do you think their method of notifying their customers of this policy resulted in so many people not knowing about it? Because managers know that if everyone knew about it their business would tank. Now that it's been made more "public", I give this McDonalds one month before they cancel this Halal program.

Question: There are other religions that require specially prepared foods. Why do you suppose they only offer Islamic Halal prepared foods? Is the Muslim population in Melbourne that widespread over other religions?

[edit on 19-11-2006 by Freedom_for_sum]

Some McDonalds in Hawaii offer poi. This is no different. Tailor local menus to fit local consumer desires. This is basic capitalism.

If you don't believe halal meats or islam, the food is not going hurt you anyway.

I'm not afraid. LOL. Even as a minority, I would NEVER want to be catered to or babied simply because I was in a minority group. I find that insulting. I have a brain and can figure out how and where to get what I want without someone coddling me or making special arrangements for me. I believe in PERSONAL responsibility, not PUBLIC responsibility.


Jemison

i'm more worried about the processing of beef than politics. if you've read or seen "fast food nation", you'll know that a gross amount of fecal matter gets into the meat from inexperienced, low-paid employees that often breach (mis-cut) the intestines and flood the meat with ecoli. (their argument is "it gets cooked")...

blessed or not, mcdonald's most likely doesn't afford themselves anything but farm factory beef.

(recently noticed the mormons are putting a bible chapter under their soda cups...)


[edit on 21/12/2012 by zooplancton]

[edit on 21/12/2012 by zooplancton]

well i guess the phrase "when in Rome do as the Romans do" hasgone out the window nowdays it seems to be this "when in Rome let the non Romans do as they will"

why cater to other religions of non western nations i mean its our country and if they dont like it shove it back to their country of origin tbh am i correct in that??

its amazing me how much we cave in and changea law here or a way of living there just to cater to their beliefs and NOT our beliefs oh freaking no way that eh..........

Originally posted by dave_54
Some McDonalds in Hawaii offer poi. This is no different. Tailor local menus to fit local consumer desires. This is basic capitalism.

First; have you ever had Poi? It's nasty stuff! BTW: I've been to Hawaii several times and have never seen poi on the menu in the McDonalds I've visited.

Second; It's not a religiously based/prepared food. Eating poi doesn't mean you're submitting to Hawaiianism

Third; We are talking about Melbourne Australia; Right? Is Islam a "local consumer desire"?

Eating food that has been prepared by and for Islam means you are submitting to Islam. This is precisely what the tenets of Islam require: that EVERYONE submits to Islam.

[edit on 19-11-2006 by Freedom_for_sum]

I really don't see where the problem is. Opening up to minority markets is not coddling them, it's good business sense, and does'nt detract from the everyday customer.

Eating meat prepared for another religious group is hardly the same as bending over and greasing yourself up, and unless the blessing causes non-Muslims to burst into flame there should not be any cause for concern.

Do these 'halal' McDonald's stores still sell pork in their breakfast sandwiches?

I have a question for our muslim members: Would you eat a meal that was specifically prepared in a kosher manner?

I have no problem with McDonalds preparing halal meals. My problem is that a) they offer no alternative to traditional customers, and b) they did not advertise that their meals were being prepared in this fashion. Why not?

I guess McD's is trying to supplement for the large and ever growing muslim population in Australia. It's simply a business move on their part.
Quite frankly I'd never eat at any of these fast-food places. I can cook just fine.

If I remember correctly, McDonalds in certain Indian cities serve no beef (catering to the Hindu majority). It eventually came out that their french fries contained beef byproducts and there was a pretty big fuss made by people who had inadvertently violated their religious beliefs by eating at the big M.

So, yes, McDonalds has altered their menu to appease religious groups.

Originally posted by blobby
well i guess the phrase "when in Rome do as the Romans do" hasgone out the window nowdays it seems to be this "when in Rome let the non Romans do as they will"

That pretty much sums up what is happening here in Bradford (big muslim population). I need to get out.

I won't buy Halal products because I personally believe it is an overly cruel method of slaughter. The death of the animal should be as quick and painless as possible. Therefore I think this is wrong. However, the debate is rather split: bbc news link

Originally posted by WyrdeOne
If I remember correctly, McDonalds in certain Indian cities serve no beef (catering to the Hindu majority).

Yes, McDonald's serves no beef or pork in India and their stores and staff are separated into vegetarian and non-vegetarian (serving chicken and fish) sections.

But the key word in your quote is majority, in this case it seems they're catering to the minority.