Mcdonald’s ends myths on what’s in the food
Canadian website invites people to post questions where ‘ the real answers’ are shared
As someone charged with managing public relations for McDonald’s Canada, Jason Patuano often gets the question: “Just what is in your hamburgers?”
The answer, that the burgers are made only of beef, may surprise some, as rumours have persisted for years about the makeup of McDonald’s burgers. One such rumour to make the rounds is that the fast- food chain bought its meat from a company called “100 per cent beef,” which allowed the company to write that on the wrappers of burgers made mostly of fillers and additives.
Despite the company’s efforts to dispel myths around its products, that beef question and many others continue to make the rounds, and several such queries were posted on a new website called simply “Our food. Your questions.”
The site, which is a Canada- only initiative for the corporation, allows anyone to post a question in either French or English, and a team of about a dozen people in an office in Toronto will read, research, and answer that question and post the response on the site.
“Everybody knows our brand and relates to it in different ways,” said Patuano, McDonald’s Canada director of communications for the east region. “We want to make sure the real answers are shared out there.”
Patuano said the company doesn’t filter out the questions that it receives, even if some of them might paint the company in a bad light.
That’s a similar strategy employed on the company’s Facebook fan page. Patuano said criticism of the company is fair game, as long as it respects the McDonald’s social media policy of not posting links to other sites, and not posting vulgarities.
Will Straw, a professor of communications and the director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, said he believes this is a smart strategy for McDonald’s.
“I’m impressed by the frankness of the answers. They don’t try to lie about what’s bad for people,” he said.
He said McDonald’s is in danger of losing its edge, as companies like
I’m impressed by the frankness of the answers. They don’t try to lie about what’s bad for people.
WILL STRAW
PROFESSOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Starbucks offer more food, and customers’ tastes seem to be changing toward healthier food. He said that’s why Mcdonald’s has been pushing the quality of its food, and a more friendly atmosphere.
“Everyone thought Mcdonald’s appeal was the cheapest food possible, so people were willing to believe they cut corners,” Straw said. “The commercials in the past used to be always about sizes and prices, but there was never any serious discussion about the food. I think the consumer thought, ‘ if they’re going to be that cynical, they’re probably lying about the beef.’”
Straw said the company also needs to appear to be more customer centric, and that’s why it’s trying to rebrand itself as more customer oriented. That branding has included free Wi- Fi and a more friendly, café- style feel in its renovated restaurants.
On the Web: http:// yourquestions.mcdonalds.ca