Is that true Philipp?
You don't have a single branch in whole Germany?

(I heard about this story in an article that said there's not even a single branch of McDonald's in Germany, and now they're trying to open one in the country. Though they are having some troubles with it.)

Am i correct?

My German is pretty rusty but it looks like they have 1,264 branches there:
http://www.mcdonalds.de/html.php?&nt=Zahlen%20%26%20Fakten

I believe they do (I think I remember seeing one last time I was in Germany, might be wrong though).

The McDonalds drinks cups in the UK have the European slogans on (I'm lovin' it, Ich liebe es (German), C'est toust ce que jaime (french) (there the only languages I know, can't remember the other slogans)).

Martin

Here's an English article that suggests there are at least 12,000 (as of 2004):
http://www.novell.com/news/leadstories/2004/jun7/

More, from McDonald's website:

"These six countries – Canada, Japan, Germany, Australia, France and England – are known as McDonald’s “Big Six” because combined, they provide about 80 percent ofinternational operating income."
- http://www.mcdonalds.ca/pdfs/history_final.pdf

It states that the first German franchises opened in the early 1970's.

McDonald's is everywhere. I can see one through the window now ^^

There was recently an article (can't find it now, of course) about franchise differences in different countries (a'la Pulp Fiction's MacRoyale) and it said something about the biggest meat patty in the burger is in Israel, because people here don't like getting ripped off. Made an interesting read.

Eytan: Not only is it bigger, it's also charcoal grilled. Apparently Israel is the only place McDonald's does that. Not so sure it's because people there don't like getting ripped of more than anywhere else though – I mean it's not like the burger prices are fixed globally. If people wanted better value it would be far easier just to make the burgers cheaper! IMO it's more likely that there was / is a local competitor who offered larger, grilled burgers that were far more popular, so McD changed theirs to compete.

There's McDonald's on every other street corner here in Germany... along with Starbucks, KFC, Burger King, Subway and a couple of other US chains. I've never seen a Taco Bell here though (nor did I see one anywhere else for that matter)!

What article was that David, which newspaper/ mag/ blog/ ...?

I miss American food chains. :-((not so much McDonalds though)

I remember calling up Pizza Hut or Dominos, getting together a nice size order, taking the time to make sure they get all the toppings right and then asking them to deliver to Switzerland. In the meantime you can even order pizza here, we're moving up (and the waistline is moving out).

McD in austria (2005):
162 restaurants
64 franchiser
>100 Mio. Guests

http://www.mcdonalds.at/html.php?&nt=Zahlen%20%26%20Fakten

;)

There used to be two McDonald's in my town (one of them closed down as it was in a "slow" part of town). My town is very, very small. (About 3mi x 2 mi in size)

<< What article was that David, which newspaper/ mag/ blog/ ...? >>

An Israeli newspaper called – Yediot Aharonot.
I'll look it up when i get home.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/17/19784481_1dc035eb9a.jpg
This explains a lot...
http://flickr.com/photos/grenade/19784481/ by kenji ross, CC-license

Flickr: McDonald's Germany
http://flickr.com/search/?q=mcdonalds+germany

David
where did you read that?

As every other comment says, there are McDonald's outlet there in Germany.
Even I have tasted the burger there ;)

Can you read? He says it 2 posts up.

Haochi: in austria its "i'm loving it" although we also speak german here...