The whole idea of putting a McDonald’s in the cradle of European high culture would seem to some almost like blasphemy – a staining of all that’s sacred in the world.
But to celebrate its 30th anniversary in France, the fast food chain is opening a new restaurant and McCafe location in the Carrousel du Louvre – the underground mall adjoining the famed museum – in December.
Not surprisingly the critics are furious with illustrations aplenty showing Mona Lisa grasping an order of French fries in her sinuous fingers.
The Louvre is host to eight million visitors annually and the addition of McDonald’s to the museum follows last year’s opening of Starbucks at the museum entrance, which met with equal resistance — both are symbols of Europe’s continuing Americanization.
But oddly enough, the French love McDonald’s. With over 1,000 locations in the country, France is McDonald’s number one market outside the U.S., and the Champs-Elysees location is the most profitable in the world.
Of couse, none of this should come as a surprise. Napoleon, after all, would have Super-Sized it.
Photo courtesy Orfgen via Flickr.