Lovin' it? Oh no, McDonald's must be hatin' it. This week has gone from worst to worst for the fast food giant as people are claiming to find all sorts of horrible things in their meals: from bugs to human teeth.
Here's how McDonald's week is shaping up. So far.
Monday
[Photo: Kininaru]
The week started off with a bang when sites like Sankei News revealed that customers in Tokyo and Aomori had found pieces of vinyl in their Chicken McNuggets. While McDonald's thinks the incidents are unrelated (there was blue vinyl in the Aomori nuggets and apparently white vinyl in the Tokyo ones), the McNuggets were made at the same Thailand factory.
Tuesday
[Photo: TBS]
Japan's TBS News reported that a human tooth had been found in an order of french fries sold in Osaka in August 2014. According to CNBC, McDonald's Japan later stated none of its staffers at the restaurant in question had lost a tooth. Ditto for workers at its suppliers. Well, that's good.
Meanwhile, a Japanese daily paper reported that new McDonald's Japan CEO Sarah Casanova is allegedly being called an "angel of death" among employees due to the recent troubles.
Wednesday
[Photo: Nippon TV]
According to a Nippon TV report, another piece of plastic was found in McDonald's soft serve ice cream sundae. Apparently, a piece of plastic fell off the sundae machine into the soft serve, which was then served to a customer and then injured the mouth of a five year old child. While the incident happened last December, Japanese television reported the incident on Wednesday.
[Photo: FNN]
That same day, FNN reported that last fall, a metal clasp was apparently found in hotcakes that were served in a Kyoto branch. Mmmm...metal.
[Photo: hashimo13sagi]
Meanwhile, on Twitter, a photo of a cheeseburger that apparently hadn't been cooked properly racked up over a thousand retweets.
[Photo: Eugene Hoshiko | AP]
McDonald's Japan held a press conference to address the recent food scandals—as well as apologize and bow, both of which are typical when companies in Japan screw up. This is expected of high-ranking execs in Japan.
However, as a thread on 2ch, the country's largest internet forum, pointed out, McDonald's Japan's Canadian-born CEO, Sarah Casanova, was a no show, leaving the apologizing to other top execs. "What's her problem? Is is making fun of Japanese people?" wrote one 2ch user.
Thursday
[Photo: Nippon TV]
While not as bad as Wednesday, today isn't shaping up so great, either.
Nippon TV reported earlier today that three pieces of metal were found in a burger last month in Saitama. Nikkei, one of Japan's most respected papers, reported today that in Kagoshima, that metal used in dentistry fillings was discovered in an order of fries last August. The hell is up with McDonald's food scandals and teeth?
Oh, and Nippon TV also reported today that last fall at a McDonald's in Chiba, there was apparently a burger with a beetle in it. Make that, a cooked beetle. Heh.
[Photo: Nippon TV]
Some of these claims might be dubious. Some of them might be cause for concern. At this point, it's not clear. But this sort of publicity is the last thing any restaurant chain wants. What is clear, however, is that McDonald's Japan must be happy this nightmare week is almost over. Surely, Friday can't get any worse. Right? Right?
Top photo: McDonald's Japan
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