Biggest Blow to Iceland Yet! McDonalds Pulls out!

[3113]

Yikes! From here. How will they weather this crisis?

It has endured a banking crisis, a collapsing currency and it came close to “national bankruptcy.” Now Iceland is facing another blow – the loss of McDonald's. The country's three McDonald's restaurants are set to close by the end of this month after 16 years of operation. Jon Gardar Ogmundsson, who owns the restaurants, blamed the plummeting Icelandic currency, the krona, saying it has driven up the cost of imports.

“With the collapse of the krona our food costs have doubled,” Mr. Ogmundsson said from Reykjavik. Mr. Ogmundsson said he has to import most of his meat, cheese, bread and sauces for the restaurants. The krona has lost about 80 per cent of its value in the last year, sending the cost of those imports soaring. Mr. Ogmundsson said a Big Mac currently costs 650 krona, or about $5.50 (U.S.). But he would have to hike the price by 30 per cent just to cover the added input costs.

“We have not been able to increase prices as we would need. The customers are not willing to pay more,” he said. Reykjavik has many other fast food chains, including Pizza Hut and KFC, but they rely less on imports, he added. Burger King left the country a year ago. Mr. Ogmundsson said he plans to stay in the fast-food business. He'll be converting the McDonald's restaurants into a new local chain called Metro.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Serving whale burgers? Reindeer burgers? Salmon burgers? What?

 

[jomar]

Ouch. But I did see where McD's is now in the food court in the Lourve.

 

[Huckleman2000]

...and thus does the logic of locally-sourced commodity supply align with economic reality.

 

[3113]

Reindeer burgers?

No! Not the caribou!

http://weblogs.cltv.com/news/local/chicago/reindeer_enjoy_their_work_3.jpg

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Why not? The Saami like them and I think they're great, too. Not as good as muskox, you understand, but right decently toothsome. You can get the sausage on line . . .

 

[3113]

Why not? The Saami like them and I think they're great, too. Not as good as muskox, you understand, but right decently toothsome. You can get the sausage on line . . .

See if Rudolf helps Santa get to your house this year!

They're cute and they pull Santa's sleigh. Save the caribou!

 

[TE999]

See if Rudolf helps Santa get to your house this year!

They're cute and they pull Santa's sleigh. Save the caribou!

Ummm...Santa has reindeer 3, not caribou. They're mighty tasty too as the Lapps can testify, plus they give a rich milk that makes excellent cheese.

Caribou like to snuggle up to oil pipelines for warmth and make little caribou.

 

[Carnevil9]

I thought caribou and reindeer were the same thing?

And besides, if we can have Caribou Coffee, why not Caribou burgers as well?

 

[Liar]

Only thing they have on Iceland is sheep.

I've actually had a lamb burger in Reykjavik. Twas good.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Pulling out won't help. Iceland could still get pregnant.

 

[lance gt]

They could always club baby seals and have McBlubbers. They could have free prizes of sealskin boots, hats and gloves. Collect them all, trade with friends. You deserve a break today, but the fucking seals don't, get em Hamburglar and Grimace!

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Only thing they have on Iceland is sheep.

I've actually had a lamb burger in Reykjavik. Twas good.

Incorrect. Rein were imported to Iceland in the last century and now support a modest hunting season, along with the geese and the ptarmigan.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

Iceland weathered the mini-Ice Age of the last millenium by shifting the economy to fishing...maybe it's time for "Long John Silver" to open a Rekyavik franchise...

 

[R. Richard]

Only thing they have on Iceland is sheep.

I've actually had a lamb burger in Reykjavik. Twas good.

I feel that I must criticize your post for lack of information. Did they remove the wool first? I hate it when they leave the wool, it gets stuck between my teeth.

 

[JamesSD]

I thought caribou and reindeer were the same thing?

And besides, if we can have Caribou Coffee, why not Caribou burgers as well?

Caribou Coffee is brewed by Caribou, it doesn't contain any of their essence.

 

[Liar]

I feel that I must criticize your post for lack of information. Did they remove the wool first? I hate it when they leave the wool, it gets stuck between my teeth.

It was that or volcanic ashes as side order.

 

[SeaCat]

And this is a problem how? I can't remember the last time I ate in McDonalds.

It used to be that McDonalds was known for their great Fries but even they have gone down hill.

Then again I can't remember the last time I ate in any fast food place. I've just looked around and found the little Mom and Pop places and eat there if I don't care to make my own food. The prices are close and the food is much better.

Cat

 

[Lady Reiha]

*is sad*

 

[JackLuis]

Somebody's blowing Iceland!

Where's Jenny?

 

[Le Jacquelope]

...and thus does the logic of locally-sourced commodity supply align with economic reality.

Why that sounds like... protectionism! or xenophobia, nationalism, whatever suits the agenda of the globalists when the locavore revolution is sparked by outrageous imported goods prices (like in this case)...

 

[3113]

The latest from Iceland's McDonald's Crisis (full article here):

REYKJAVIK — Noisy crowds, long queues, and traffic jams plunged McDonald's restaurants in Iceland into a state of siege Saturday, as the chain served its final burgers on the island. Icelanders flooded the three branches of the US fast-food restaurant in Reykjavik several hours before the outlets shut for the last time, forced to close after the island's economic collapse caused running costs to soar. Extra staff were deployed to reinforce the outlets, whose disappearance after 16 years means Iceland will be one of the few Western countries without a presence of the ubiquitous eatery. Customers in one branch faced a 20-minute wait to be served and snaking lines of cars caused traffic jams at the drive-in.

"I have worked here for six years, and I have never worked as hard as in these final days," one staff member told AFP. Jon Gardar Ogmundsson, who heads the firm Lyst which operates the Icelandic branches, said at one point there was even a shortage of the chain's trademark Big Mac burger. "We are here to say goodbye," said Orri Hreinsson, who was sitting with two friends at a table covered with 12 cheeseburgers.

This is too sad! How does one say "Farewell, McDonald's" in Icelandic?

 

[Selena_Kitt]

My ex said he ate fries in Iceland once... they fry them in whale oil, so they actually turn black. And dip them in mayo.

How could McD's compete with that??

 

[JackLuis]

Maybe McD's should have served "Black fries" on the last day?

 

[voluptuary_manque]

The Icelanders have another traditional dish. They bury a basking shark in the sand for six months and then eat it.