Would you like some fries with that Big Mac or would you prefer just to go down the street and get yourself an empanada?
It seems like a very unlikely situation, but McDonald’s can now add the country of Bolivia where it came and attempted to conquer the food market and to its chagrin was tossed out. Hardly the exported American dream story it may have hoped for when it opened its first store 14 years ago.
hispanicallyspeaking: After 14 years in the nation and despite many campaigns and promos McDonald’s was forced to close its 8 Bolivian restaurants in the major cities of La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
McDonald’s served its last hamburgers in Bolivia Saturday at midnight, after announcing a global restructuring plan in which it would close its doors in seven countries with poor profit margins.
With over 33 000 stores (see map below) worldwide one could suppose that 8 less would hardly make a difference to the world’s largest food vendor’s bottom line. Though what may be at stake isn’t so much the immediate bottom line of the behemoth food chain but the fact that Bolivia represents the only Latin American country to exist without a McDonalds (and perhaps going forward not the only one?) which could inspire a revolt amongst other nations who equate the chain as low brow fast food that leads to health problems or worse American imperialism- something that has never gone down too well with the locals in Bolivia if one judges the leftist stance taking by as some would argue the belligerent Evo Morales, the leader of Bolivia who hasn’t hidden his disdain for private American interests and hegemony in the past, especially his outspoken stance on cocoa production and American politics.
McDonald’s served its last hamburgers in Bolivia Saturday at midnight, after announcing a global restructuring plan in which it would close its doors in seven countries with poor profit margins.
The failure of McDonald’s in Bolivia had such a deep impact in the company’s Creative and Marketing staff, that they produced a documentary titled “Why did McDonald’s Bolivia go Bankrupt,” trying to explain why did Bolivians never crossed-over from empanadas to Big Macs.
Within the (Spanish speaking) video, cooks, vendors, sociologists, nutritionists are all asked what brought McDonald’s demise, with one commentator reflecting that the large food vendor didn’t make the type of food that most Bolivians would consider good food. After all he continues, to be a good meal, the food has to be prepared with love, dedication, certain hygiene standards and proper cooking time- hardly the virtues that a fast food vendor with imperialistic aspirations is instilled with, at least in a nation that has by now taken a solid stance against what it perceives to be the meddling and cynical aspirations of American entities.
Going forward it will be interesting to watch how other American fast food vendors like Hungry Jacks fares in Bolivia (opened in 2002) or whether they too will have to close their stores?
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That’s actually it’s Bolivia, I lived there for a couple of years..
who said Bolivia’s obesity rate is non existent? have you been there? Mainly people in the cities eat white rice, potatoes, fried chicken and sometimes corn. Its mostly Highly processed carbs. Almost everyone is overweight over 40. Its not just Maccas. Its the whole industrialisation of food that is a problem. Still, a blow to Maccas – which is ace.
Hey, that pic is no McDonald’s in Bolivia, it’s the one located in Av. Diagonal (Miraflores, Perú)
that picture is of a mcdonald’s in Lima, Peru. do your research!!!!
I was about to say something about this post but you guys beat me to it! Yep, im Bolivian and McDonalds left us a loooooooooong time ago, like after 4 or 5 years since its opening in the 3 mayor cities here. The reason? Well, come over to Bolivia and see what a real hamburger tastes like! People here like proper food, not some puny overpriced burger…plus McD was wayyy too expensive compared to other food options, like what “ural bas” said, here you can have a salteña or any other burger for that matter for less than a dollar when a simple cheeseburger at McDonalds here was like 5 dollars, ridiculous…And yeah, that pic is not of Bolivia. Saludos!
Hi. Interesting post. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that that photo is not from Bolivia’s Macdonalds. It’s actually from Peru’s: it’s the Macdonalds in Parque Keneddy (Lima, Perú).
Most stock images have A DESCRIPTION in the file tag, genius.
Ok- as the author of the piece I got the image of google where it was captioned ‘Bolivia.’ So seeing as I have never been to both Peru or Bolivia, I might get a pass on that. With respect to the headline, geesh, I really botched that up didn’t I….lol
Typical illiterate “journalist” who smoked way too much weed in college. Your headline MAKES NO SENSE! It sounds like MCDONALD’S is free of Latin America! Do I need to help you out? How about this: McDonald’s closes all stores in Bolivia, making Bolivia the only Latin American country free of McDonald’s. JESUS CHRIST! Idiocracy isn’t a movie, it’s a PROPHECY!!!!!
Just to let the writer know.. THAT PICTURE is from MC DONALDS IN PERU-LIMA not in BOLIVIA…omg. Find out good resources, before post it … please!!!!
Latin-American free McDonald’s? Don’t you mean McDonald’s-free Latin American country?
Amm that pic is a peruvian Mcdonald no a bolivian ammm also this a old old note
That is a PERUVIAN McDonalds. Not a Bolivian one. Give me a break.
The author of this article has done a poor job.
McDonalds went belly up in 2002in Bolivia. Why?
Why? Simple, taste and economics.
Who wants an expensive bland brger (7 USD) when you can have two tasty salteñas for 0.50 USD. That’s s no brainner when your monthly income is 200 USD.
Whomever wrote the follow up lessons learned document clearly had no idea of why they failed. Which goes to question their competence.
What is the obesity rate like in Bolivia? Non-existent? It’s great they reject junk food.. (to the others’ posts about inaccuracies etc.. I didn’t hear about this in 2002!!)
The Picture is from McDonalds in Miraflores (Lima, Peru), not Bolivia
This has to be the most ignorant posting that I’ve ever read on the internet. Absolutely devoid of any truth or facts.
McD’s food, yet another violation of our rights. The gov’t constantly violates our rights. They violate the 1st Amendment by caging protesters and banning books like “America Deceived II”.
They violate the 4th and 5th Amendment by allowing TSA to grope you.
They violate the entire Constitution by starting undeclared wars.
Impeach Obama, support Ron Paul.
Last link of “America Deceived II” before it is completely banned:
http://www.amazon.com/America-Deceived-II-Possession-interrogation/dp/1450257437
Also doesn’t make distinction between %ARCO and %MCD …arco is arocos dorados or latin american Mickey D’s. Their numbers have been excellent albeit offset more recently due to strengthening dollar (USD) and or separate from MCD and the rest of world of the franchise.
good job , Einstein
This picture is in Miraflores in Lima, Peru — NOT Bolivia.
You’ve obviously never been to South America.
McDonals left Bolivia almost ten years ago not past Saturday. And when you talk about cocoa production I guess you mean coca… what kind of journalist wrote this note?
What’s up with the grammar in your title. Makes it seem like they have mcdonald’s without latin americans.
This actually happened in 2002.