World affairs

McDonald's are to break new ground and open their first ever vegetarian restaurant in India next year.

By Declan Whooley

The famous Golden Arch of McDonalds has always had charming effect on us Irish customers, from when we were younger and wanted a toy and those stringy chips, to the allure of a convenient meal at two in the morning after a night out.

Not everyone however is as keen on a Big Mac or a Quarter Pounder as we are.

McDonald's have announced that they are to break new ground and open their first ever vegetarian restaurant in India. The guinea pig restaurant will be located near the Golden Temple in the city of Amritsar in northern India and is due to open in the middle of next year.

But just how appealing would the American institution be in Ireland if it were ‘meat-free’? Not very we imagine, in much the same way that a bar in Ireland would die a quick death if it only sold minerals. However a vegetarian restaurant India it could be just another recipe for success for the global brand.

The BBC reports that McDonald’s is responding to growing local demand to open it’s first ever vegetarian restaurant. With a population of 1.2 billion, second in the world only to China, even Ronald McDonald could see the wisdom in appeasing the masses.

The Hindu majority in India refuse to eat beef as the cow is a sacred animal while Muslims steadfastly avoid the temptation of eating pork as pigs are seen as unclean. With such a religiously observant country, the opportunities are obvious.

Currently the franchise has just 271 outlets in the country despite over 33,000 restaurants worldwide and the menus are typically 50% vegetarian already.

While there is undoubtedly an untapped market in India, we can’t see the meat-loving Irish mentality resorting to ordering vegetarian burger and a side salad to keep the late night/drink fuelled munchies.