McDonald's grows cold on Iceland costs
McDonald's is closing three restaurants on Iceland because of soaring costs. Stephen Beard reports.
McDonald's fries, coffee and a snack wrap. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
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TEXT OF STORY
The golden arches will soon disappear from Iceland. McDonald's is closing three restaurants on the island because of soaring costs. Here's our Europe correspondent Stephen Beard.
Stephen Beard: The move is a psychological blow to Iceland. Before its banks collapsed a year ago, it was one of the richest countries, per capita, in the world. Now it's poor, and it will soon join the ranks of other impoverished European nations like Albania and Bosnia that don't have a McDonald's.
The sharp fall in the Icelandic currency is to blame. Under the franchise, the restaurant's owner, Jon Gardar Ogmundsson, has to import most of his ingredients. But that's now prohibitively expensive with the fall of the krona.
Jon Gardar Ogmundsson: It has actually toppled our food-costs price. I mean one kilo of onions costs almost the same as a bottle of whiskey.
Some Icelanders expressed shock at the loss of the McDonald's brand, but local farmers are happy. The restaurant's will soon reopen under a different name using only local produce.
In London, this is Stephen Beard for Marketplace.
Comments
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From San Antonio, TX, 10/28/2009
Here's an idea. Call it McDonalds but still make the food local. Are you trying to please American tourists or the Icelandic people? Or maybe invest in diabetes futures first so you'll get something for all your investment?
10/27/2009
Well, in Albania there is no McDonnalds because the hamburgers and sandwiches there are very good and for $1-$2 you can get a pretty tasty hamburger. McDonnald if it were to open a store in albania would have to compete agains't local fastfood owners, price and the local taste as well, which might not be an easy walk in the park anymore..
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