Booming Mickey D's Plans European Surge

McDonald's French operation is company's 2nd most profitable

(NEWSER) - After the US, what country has the most profitable McDonald's franchises in the world? The surprising answer: it's France, home of the Michelin Guide and the three-hour lunch. The London Times travels to Paris to discover how the French have begun to adopt Anglo-American eating practices, abandoning the leisurely midday meal for a burger or sandwich to go. More»

Who doesn't associate world-class athletes with the McDonald's lifestyle?

(NEWSER) - Nothing symbolizes physical fitness better than ... McDonald's, right? The fast-food chain is a major London Olympics sponsor, and it has some pretty big plans—literally. The world's largest McDonald's will open this summer in Olympic Park. The AP describes it as a "cathedral-like restaurant" whose two stories house room for 1,500 diners. If spectators can't find a seat there, they'll have three other locations from which to choose in Olympic Park, and a fifth location will be set up in the athletes' village. More»

Picture that the next time you're chowing down ... complete with snow

(NEWSER) - The next time you find yourself shoveling McDonald's fries into your mouth, slow down: You're likely failing to recognize what a precious experience you are engaged in. Bloomberg tucks a fun tidbit into a piece on McDonald's suppliers—apparently, sinking your teeth into a fry should be like "walking on freshly fallen snow." Seriously. That's from the company's director of sensory science, who was leading a contest in which its suppliers were supposed to cook the ideal fry. For the record, a sample from Lamb Weston's American Falls, Idaho, plant won for the second year in a row. More»

But those salads still aren't good for you, says blogger

(NEWSER) - Burger King overhauled its menu this week and is selling smoothies, wraps, and new salads as part of a push to woo women and families. The makeover comes after Burger King dropped to third place in the fast-food rivalry last year, trailing McDonald's and—for the first time ever—Wendy's, reports the Wall Street Journal . "I think all of the players are looking at ways they can compete more effectively with McDonald's," says an analyst. More»

Care for some fertilizer with your burger?

(NEWSER) - Duck feathers, human hair, fertilizer: These are among the ingredients you may be ingesting every time you chow down on fast food. That's because the FDA has deemed certain additives to be "generally recognized as safe," even though it may creep you out to learn of them. On Mother Nature Network , Melissa Breyer runs down eight of the most disturbing:

• Duck feathers and human hair: These two unappealing things are the most common sources for an amino acid, l-cysteine, used to make dough easier to process. McDonald's uses l-cysteine, the duck feather kind, in its apple pie.
• Fertilizer: Ammonium sulfate is also commonly used, as "yeast food for bread," in fast food bakery products. But it can also act as a fertilizer for alkaline soils.