The Project
It started with a Ramadan meal in Marrakesh
Like many people, I often visited McDonald's while overseas because it was reliable and comfortable. But it was an iftar meal during Ramadan in 2018 that made me consider that perhaps the more interesting thing was not the consistency of the fries from country to country, but what the multinational had to add to the local menus to survive and thrive.
An independent endeavor
The project was completed without the input or support from McDonald's corporate. This required years of travel to over 50 countries across six continents to tell the story with photos and field work, in lieu of PR-managed interviews and handouts. The result is a refreshingly real take on one of the most recognizable brands in history, with visuals that showcase the wildly successful independent spirit of local entrepreneurship that powers the global icon.
Food (McDonald's Version)
McDonald's localized menu items are the project's raison d'être—and why the chain has dominated around the world.
Each item that I photographed was purchased from a McDonald's restaurant and presented as it would appear to a customer: no photo studio food styling tricks like using fake ingredients, and no avocados or cutting boards on the side to give the scene extra vibes. Just the items on a clean background.
The end result? A collection of hundreds of photographs from over fifty countries documenting McDonald's localizations that allowed it to rise to the top of the global food chain.