The McDonald's fast-food chain is defending itself from increasing resentment among French chefs, food writers and politicians furious at its status as the World Cup's “official restaurant.”
McDonald's is one of 12 sponsors of the international soccer tournament. Others include Coca-Cola, Adidas and General Motors. French chefs, proud of their nation's culinary heritage, are furious that McDonald's has been allowed to sponsor the World Cup.
In France's latest battle against Americanization, restaurateurs charge they lack the money to compete with the marketing budgets of big corporations like McDonald's, based in Oak Brook, Ill.
On Monday Denis Hennequin, President of McDonald's France, answered back. He told French radio, “Nobody can say that McDonald's is typically French food and I don't have the intention of replacing the French cuisine.”
He said, “I think there will always be room for fast service restaurants as well as the old cafes, wine bars and good French cuisine. “ brought speedy identification of the source of the bacteria.
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