McDonald’s Malaysia Plans to Make Nasi Lemak as National Dish
4 min readMcDonald’s Malaysia Plans to Make Nasi Lemak as National Dish
You are reading this right, McDonald’s Malaysia plans to make nasi lemak as our national dish. We all know that hibiscus is our national flower and recently Merbau is officially our national tree. Why not make Nasi Lemak as our national dish (before Singapore claimed it as theirs). This was announced during McDonald’s Malaysia event celebrating Merdeka and Malaysia Day last week.
McDonald’s Malaysia has been around for 37 years and it is embracing its local nickname, Mekdi. The signage for Mekdi – which is the localised nickname for ‘McD’, short for McDonald’s – is now prominently displayed at McDonald’s Bukit Bintang restaurant, the very first McDonald’s to open its doors in Malaysia back in 1982. However, the Mekdi signage is only being displayed temporarily, in conjunction with Merdeka and Malaysia Day. That said, this is also the Mekdi outlet that we used to hang out during our teenager days and we are delighted to see how it has evolved and changed.
In celebration of all things Malaysian this month, McDonald’s Malaysia has also introduced Nasi Lemak McD, its own version of a dish beloved by so many Malaysians. The meal comes complete with fragrant coconut rice, crispy anchovies, fresh cucumber, and fried egg, topped with spicy sambal. Customers can also maximise their meal experience by adding on Ayam Goreng McD and a cup of Iced Lemon Tea.
We have been to many McDonald’s around the world in countries like Argentina, USA, Spain, UK, South Africa, Thailand, Japan and more and we are proud to say we have many localised food in our Mekdi. Do you know that the popular Prosperity burger comes from Mekdi Malaysia, on top of Nasi Lemak McD, Spicy Chicken McDeluxe, Cempedak McFlurry and Durian D24 McFlurry.
How can we forget the Nasi Lemak Burger introduced last year and we did a review of it too!
Recognising the popularity of Nasi Lemak amongst Malaysians, McDonald’s Malaysia has also initiated a nationwide petition on Change.org to rally for Nasi Lemak to be officially recognised as the national dish of Malaysia, with a target of gathering 1 million signatures by Malaysia Day (16 September). To be part of this movement, head over to http://chng.it/LDfjGDJsQs.
The numbers are still low right now so we need everyone to make this happen okay!
Some other things you might not know about Mekdi Malaysia.
McDonald’s Malaysia – Malaysian at Heart
Since opening its first store in Bukit Bintang in 1982, McDonald’s Malaysia has localised almost its entire business – from its menu, suppliers, franchisees, community, and charity initiatives.
- Localised menu offerings: In addition to its core menu items,McDonald’s Malaysia continuosly introduces menu offerings that are distinctly Malaysian and appeals to local tastebuds, such as the latest Nasi Lemak McD and Extra Spicy Ayam Goreng McD. In fact, Malaysia was one of the first markets in the world to include Ayam Goreng in its menu. Local flavours are also infused in the dessert menu, such as the Cempedak McFlurry, Corn Pie, and Cendol Cone, all of which are currently available at McDonald’s restaurants nationwide.
- Locally sourced ingredients: 80 percent of McDonald’s Malaysia’s ingredients are sourced right here in Malaysia. Everything from chicken, to vegetables, and sauces – including Malaysians’ favourite Chilli Sauce – are produced or sourced locally. Only the freshest and highest quality local ingredients are used in all its exciting menu offerings.
- Restaurants are backed by an all-Malaysian workforce*: McDonald’s Malaysia currently employs 14,000 Malaysians, and the company is committed to providing local employees with equal and quality opportunities for development, training, and career advancement at every level.
- Franchisees are 100 percent Malaysian: McDonald’s Malaysia continues to work closely with local Malaysian entrepreneurs to grow the brand in areas such as Sabah and Sarawak. All 21 of our local franchisees are Malaysian, operating over 30 restaurants across Malaysia.
- Local grassroots activities: McDonald’s restaurants nationwide give back to local communities by organising various initiatives such as meal donations to local charities, Teacher’s Day celebrations as well as flood relief efforts. In 2018 alone, McDonald’s Malaysia held more than 10,000 community engagements.
- Charity initiatives for Malaysian children: Through Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), McDonald’s Malaysia continues to support programmes that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families. Another initiative close to McDonald’s heart is the ‘Back-to-School’ programme, which has benefitted 23,000 urban poor primary school children since 2017.
“While McDonald’s is one of the most renowned global brands, McDonald’s Malaysia prides itself in being a Malaysian company at heart. Our business focuses on Malaysians and understanding their needs, whether through our menu items, charity efforts, or nurturing our talent.” said Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of McDonald’s Malaysia, Melati Abdul Hai.
Nasi Lemak McD is now available in all McDonald’s Malaysia restaurants nationwide and will be a permanent item on McDonald’s menu, available 24 hours a day. The Nasi Lemak McD set is only RM5.99 during breakfast hours and is served with an Iced Milo. During regular hours, the set is priced at RM12.99 with 1 piece of Ayam Goreng McD and an Iced Lemon Tea, while it is RM15.99 for 2 pieces of Ayam Goreng McD and an Iced Lemon Tea.
We will be going for our Nasi Lemak McD for lunch at Mekdi Malaysia. Are you craving for Nasi Lemak McD? Remember to sign the petition to make Nasi Lemak as our national dish at http://chng.it/LDfjGDJsQs.
For more information on McDonald’s exciting menu offerings this Merdeka month, visit www.mcdonalds.com.my.
*Note: Only for restaurants that are directly owned by Gerbang Alaf Sdn. Bhd.
