While many International brands are struggling to survive in China, McDonald’s is growing faster than ever. While companies like Starbucks and Nike are seeing very few customers, this famous burger chain is planning to open new stores across many more locations. By 2028, China is expected to have 10,000 stores, making it the largest market outside the US.
The major reason behind this success is nostalgia. For people born in the 1980s and 90s, McDonald’s represents their first taste of Western food and childhood memories. Recently, the company has reintroduced its classic strawberry and vanilla milkshakes at select stores. This move went viral on social media, and people rushed to stores to relive their memories as these shakes got discontinued in China in 2014.
Today, China’s economy is slowing, and people are looking to save money. Local Chinese fast-food brands have become very popular because of their affordable prices. But McDonald’s has still maintained its quality at affordable prices. Customers enjoy it as “the poor man’s meal a one-plus-one combo lets a customer get a burger with a drink or a dessert for just 14 yuan ($2.06).
The menu is a mix of classic standbys like the Big Mac and frequently refreshed local additions like honey barbecue chicken bones or a dragon fruit McFlurry. Those items appeal to Chinese consumers, who are always looking for the new thing, even when it is a traditional McDonald’s milkshake. A lot of Chinese people see McDonald’s as good quality at a budget price, compared to local rivals like Tastien.
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The Chinese consumer’s mindset is not just about pricing, it’s more about value, said Tracy Dai, director of operations at Shanghai-based branding consultancy, China Skinny. McDonald’s is slightly more expensive, but if you think about the experience, the taste and quality you get from it, there’s definitely more value.
