McDonald’s to Open Vegetarian Restaurants in India

Where’s the beef? Well, it’s not at some McDonald’s restaurants in India any more. A story in today’s WSJ described the hamburger giant’s plant to open vegetarian outlets in India next year, the first time they’ve ever done such a thing.

The chain has already dropped beef and pork from menus in India, because of the many Muslim and Hindu customers there. They also separate their kitchens–no meat and meat, not together. They are opening the vegetarian only restaurants in pilgrimage areas, figuring that the local visitors will never ask for a Big Mac anyway. The first will be at the Sikh holy city of Amritsar in northern India.

Mickie Dees has long won plaudits for its smart very local marketing. In the value menu is their best seller, the McAloo Tikki burger, which is a spiced potato-based patty.