McDonald's Israel


McDonald's Israel is the Israeli master franchise of the fast food restaurant chain McDonald's. Operated and licensed by Alonyal Limited, McDonald's Israel is the largest of Israel's burger chains with a 60% market share. The company sells hamburgers, chicken nuggets, French fries and soft drinks in branches across the country. Since its opening in Israel in 1993, McDonald's Israel has been in competition with Burger Ranch, Israel's second largest burger chain. The world's first kosher McDonald's opened in Mevaseret Zion in October 1995.
McDonald's Israel is owned and run by Israeli businessman Omri Padan. Padan is President of Alonyal Limited which is local licensee for McDonald's.
Currently McDonald's has 180 restaurants in Israel, with 50 of them under Kosher supervision, meaning they are closed on Shabbat and Jewish holidays, have no mixed meat and dairy products, and for Passover serve the meat on Passover buns. In Israel, most branches are non-kosher since they serve cheeseburgers by special request and they serve milk-based desserts. Some of the kosher branches serve milk products in a separate section of the restaurant. McDonald's Israel does not operate restaurants in the West Bank and Golan Heights.
McDonald's Israel sources over 80% of its ingredients locally. This includes kosher beef patties, potatoes, lettuce, buns, and milkshake mix. All McDonald's Israel restaurants are equipped with free wifi Internet access.

History

1990s

Due to the Arab League boycott of Israel, McDonald's did not open in Israel until 1993. The first branch was at the Ayalon Mall in Ramat Gan. In the wake of a controversy over importing French fries to Israel, the American fast food chain built a plant to manufacture frozen French fries in Israel at a cost of $5 million US.
In 1994, the Golani Interchange branch aroused controversy when the restaurant installed a large 'golden arches' sign in front of the Golani Brigade museum and memorial. Bereaved families and other citizens claimed this desecrated the site. The sign was later reduced in size.
In 1997, McDonald's Israel opened its first branch in an Israeli Arab city. The restaurant was in Tamra, northeast of Nazareth, and the menu was bilingual, in Hebrew and Arabic.
In 1998, McDonald's Israel decided to barbecue hamburgers on charcoal instead of frying. This represented a shift in McDonald's policy, which previously required uniformity at all the locations. In the wake of this decision, grilling equipment was installed at the restaurants, and the size of the patty and bun were increased.

2000s

In 2004, the company was criticized for ordering its Arabic and Russian-speaking staff to speak only Hebrew during work hours, to "prevent uncomfortable situations for workers and clients who mostly speak Hebrew," but the order was subsequently withdrawn.
In 2006, the international chain's trademark yellow and red signs were replaced at two branches in Tel Aviv with blue and white signs with the Hebrew word "kosher" in order to avoid confusion over which branches were kosher. This redesign is the most radical departure from McDonald's standard logo although they have made minor changes in places such as the Champs-Elysées and Hampstead to meet local regulations.

2010s

McDonald's Israel, in June 2013, turned down an offer to open a restaurant in Ariel in June 2013, citing its declared policy not to open any branches in West Bank settlements across the Green Line.
In 2015, McDonald's Israel developed the McApp that enables customers to order on line and pick up their order when ready.
In January 2017, McDonald's Israel introduced McTouch stands, which are positioned in certain restaurants giving the customers the ability to order their meals for themselves without having to stand in line to order. The McTouch offers the 'My Mac' option, allowing customers to create their own hamburgers with their preferences and favorites, choosing from various dressings and extra components such as guacamole and fried onion rings.
In 2017, McDonald's Israel's McRoyal hamburger was chosen by Channel 10's "Osot Cheshbon" program as "The Most Outstanding & Healthiest Hamburger in Israel", following laboratory exam.

Kashrut

While McDonald's operates several Kosher and non-Kosher restaurants, all the meat served in the restaurants is kosher beef. The difference is that the non-Kosher branches open on Shabbat and Jewish holidays, in addition to serving dairy products. A kosher McDonald's was also opened in Argentina, at the Abasto de Buenos Aires shopping mall. Argentina and Israel are the only branches in the world that barbecue their burgers on charcoal.

Charities

Similar to McDonald's charitable efforts in the other countries they operate, McDonald's Israel has donated hundreds of thousands of NIS to charities which benefit children such as Schneider Children's Hospital, "Make A Wish Association", and "The Fighting Cancer Association." In 2000, McDonald's Israel participated in the global children's recognition program, McDonald's/Disney Millennium Dreamers, which celebrated 2000 children from around the world for their achievements. Six children represented Israel at a global youth summit in Orlando, Florida, United States.
McDonald's Israel also has its own "McSmile Program," which sponsors trips for children recovering from cancer.

Menu

The regular McDonald's menu has some additions catering to local tastes. McKebab is served in tortilla. Israeli salad was added to the menu in 2007. In January 2011, McDonald's Israel introduced McFalafel in all its restaurants, but has been removed from the menu in July 2011. McDonald's Israel also serves the Big America series, which consists of six burgers- the Big New York, the Big Texas, the Big Chicago, the Big Miami, the Big Las Vegas and the Big Broadway. All of the burgers are served with either a 0.5 pound patty or a 0.275 pound patty and with slight differences in the sauce and the onions.
McDonald's Israel uses 100% lean, unprocessed beef with only 9-11% fat and high quality canola oil, and has reduced sodium and increased the amount of vegetables in the dishes.
As in Arab and Muslim countries, McDonald's restaurants in Israel do not serve pork products. However, they have been criticized by Jewish religious leaders for serving cheeseburgers and employing Jewish workers on Saturdays, the Jewish Sabbath.