An Atlas like No Other: McAtlas
A visual journey of McDonald’s like you've never seen before.
Hi friends! This story was originally published in our former Broken Palate universe. All our newest stories — with a refreshed look/team/point of view — are published here On the House.
For years, every time I would run into Gary He at a restaurant, one thing was clear: he was always a man on the run. “Tomorrow I am off to X City to shoot a McDonald’s,” he would say. Six continents and 50-plus countries later, the result is one of the most interesting books I have seen.
McAtlas is the kind of coffee-table book that people will truly pick up.
JM: Why the book? What prompted wanting such a deep dive?
Gary: McDonald's is the largest restaurant chain in the world, with the most stores and the highest revenue; there is no other restaurant where more people are eating. Because of this, the brand is a sort of barometer for how and what people are eating, especially when you dive into the localizations. After a run-in with a Ramadan fast-breaking meal at a Moroccan McDonald's for which I could find no online documentation, I took it upon myself to begin cataloging and researching the menus and locations. As a food journalist, it was incredible to me that no one had done such a deep dive into what is arguably the most important restaurant in the world.
JM: Was there a particular McDonald’s that was better than others? If so, what was it?
Gary: The Chinese and Japanese McDonald's restaurants are outstanding in that they have the chain's DNA but have such different menu items that are delicious, like shrimp filet burgers (Japan) and taro pies (China), that if there weren't golden arches printed on the packaging, you could be convinced that it was an entirely different brand. But if we're talking about one item in particular, it has to be the McSpaghetti in the Philippines. This dish exists because sweet marinara pasta is a staple at children's birthday parties, thanks mostly to the popularity of local chain Jollibee, to the point that pretty much every American chain that enters the market has some version of the dish on the menu. The McSpaghetti is the best, topping even the homegrown chain's version, in my opinion.
JM: What was the strangest thing you ate at one?
Gary: Oh man, the Asian markets are chock full of local dishes that have been translated into McDonald's menu items, which some people would consider strange and others would think are completely normal. Check 'em out in the book! But outside of that region, the standout bizarre dish, originating in Brazil, has now spread to other Latin American countries: a bowl of melted cheddar cheese that you're supposed to dip fries, McNuggets, and even entire burgers into. I know that the staple food item in this country is the pão de queijo cheese ball, but an entire bowl of cheddar seems a bit unhinged.