Wednesday, May 11, 2005

McDonald's goes vegetarian

From Friday, for two and a bit days, the McDonald's on a little island in the South China Sea -- yes, there is one -- goes vegetarian. I have no idea what the food technicians serve in place of the usual McFare, but I hear the standard McMenu is off the McMenu.
I rarely step foot in the place. Once in a blue moon for a coffee or hot chocolate. That's it. I used to do a milkshake until I realised they didn't call them that but just "shakes". Why? No milk. Better living through chemistry, and all that. No thanks.
I wish this switch to vegetarian were a harbinger for change worldwide, but it isn't. Just that Ronald McDonald doesn't want to incur the wrath of many locals and some Chinese Gods.
For here it is the custom to go "vegetarian" during the Bun Festival. I put that word in inverted commas, because on a little island in the South China Sea the meaning is extended to include oysters. That's cooked oysters. Slathered in some sauce. Cooked, can you imagine? I skip the oysters. I'll wait for the next hotel buffet when I can down some jet-fresh oysters bathed in a splash of seawater and a soupçon of lemon juice. Oh, yes.
Anyway, for the Bun Festival it'll be eat in or eat out. Whichever and wherever, like many other people on a little island in the South China Sea, I'll eat vegetarian. It's healthier and will avoid purposively incurring any God wrath.