While McDonald’s fries have long been a staple food of a certain segment of the teenage population in Japan, this week saw a new rationing policy wherein McDonald’s in Japan is temporarily only offering the small size of fries. These desperate measures are a result of labor disputes at ports along the US West Coast, which have blocked access to McDonald’s usual supply of imported potatoes.
Although some are bemoaning the loss of their favorite fast food item, many 2ch users are pointing to this mishap as yet another sign of the declining quality of McDonald’s in Japan.
From Livedoor News:
McDonald’s Only Offers Small Fries Due to Lengthening Labor Disputes at US West Coast Ports
McDonald’s has announced that starting at 10:30 A.M. on December 17, the sale of French fries from their sides menu will be temporarily limited to the small size. The period of this rationing has yet to be determined.
It seems that these measures are a result of the lengthening of labor disputes among port workers on the West Coast of the United States, which began at the end of October. Right now, consistent procurement of the potatoes used to make the fries is difficult, and as an urgent measure they have begun to import over 1,000 tons of potato by air and an additional 1,600 tons by sea via the West Coast. However, they have not yet obtained a sufficient amount to guarantee the steady offer of McDonald’s fries.
Starting December 17 at 10:30 A.M., along with only selling the small size of McDonald’s fries from the sides menu, they will also substitute the small size of fries for the medium size that ordinarily comes with value meals, with a 50 yen reduction in price (and additional price reductions in certain cases). Lunch menu items that include fries will be subject to the same changes.
The company is implementing further measures to ensure the continued steady procurement of potatoes. They say that if the prolonged labor disputes at the ports appear to be improving, and they are able to return to the normal sale of McDonald’s fries, they will issue an additional announcement.
Additionally, McDonald’s hash browns and the value meals and happy meals offered on the morning menu will be sold as usual. Starting on December 17, you can also add chicken nuggets to value meals from the regular menu and lunch menu for an additional 100 yen.
Comments from 2ch.net:
ドラゴンスリーパー(SB-iPhone)＠＼(^o^)／:
Now there’s even less reason to go there.
フライングニールキック(dion軍)＠＼(^o^)／:
Why don’t they just buy their supply from a supermarket service?
ローリングソバット(チベット自治区)＠＼(^o^)／:
Well, their sales will fall and their customers will decrease even more. I guess they won’t be having a happy new year.
名無しさんがお送りします:
They should stop with the potatoes and just switch to pie.
ジャンピングDDT(やわらか銀行)＠＼(^o^)／:
The small size is just right anyways.
不知火(dion軍)＠＼(^o^)／:
Whatever, let’s just scrap McDonald’s entirely already.
チェーン攻撃(やわらか銀行)＠＼(^o^)／:
They should say that this isn’t limited to just McDonald’s.
ビッグブーツ(長屋)＠＼(^o^)／:
This story just means that you shouldn’t go to McDonald’s. Go eat your fill of potatoes at a different fast food restaurant.
膝十字固め(山梨県)＠＼(^o^)／:
Ahhhhhh, for some reason I’ve suddenly started wanting to eat potatoes!
ニールキック(兵庫県)＠＼(^o^)／:
Does this mean that they’ll be using even worse ingredients now? Ever since Sarah Casanova took over as CEO their luck has been going downhill fast. This situation is so bad I don’t think it can just be blamed on Harada.
キン肉バスター(東京都)＠＼(^o^)／:
I don’t know much about this, but won’t the fatties just switch to ordering two of the small size?
ラダームーンサルト(福井県)＠＼(^o^)／:
”consistent procurement of the potatoes is difficult.” Wow, those foreigners sure must eat a lot!
マシンガンチョップ(茨城県)＠＼(^o^)／:
But McDonald’s has the best fries…
ストレッチプラム(チベット自治区)＠＼(^o^)／:
The small size is just a bunch of really small fries in basically a little paper bag. I always liked buying two of the large size and getting them all crispy in the toaster…
腕ひしぎ十字固め(空)＠＼(^o^)／:
I only ever wanted to get chicken and fries there so now I have no reason to go anymore.
中年’sリフト(東京都)＠＼(^o^)／:
I got McDonald’s for lunch today but the quality is really sliding.
ダブルニードロップ(鹿児島県)＠＼(^o^)／:
The rip-offs are building up speed
メンマ(愛媛県)＠＼(^o^)／:
There’s nowhere to turn now but convenience store potatoes.
垂直落下式DDT(やわらか銀行)＠＼(^o^)／:
This must be pretty painful for McDonald’s. Even though the actual cost of potatoes is virtually nothing, they’ll be forced to lower their prices by 50 yen or so, right? w
ダブルニードロップ(鹿児島県)＠＼(^o^)／ [in response to above]:
The cost of potatoes is surprisingly expensive
