McDonald’s restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area of northern California are testing a new crab sandwich item. The product is now on the menu in four outlets in San Jose.
The sandwich features snow crab meat mixed with diced celery and seasoned mayonnaise dressing, served on a bed of romaine lettuce and tomato slices on a toasted sourdough bun, brushed with herbed butter. Its unveiling is part of a continuing trend to experiment with regional flavors and local tastes. McDonald’s of the Greater Bay Area worked with chef and TV personality Ryan Scott to develop the recipe.
“After the overwhelming success of our local favorite, McDonald’s Gilroy Garlic Fries, we wanted to test our own take on the beloved crab sandwich,” said Nick Vergis, McDonald’s Co-op President, San Francisco Bay Area. “We’re excited for our customers to try it and share their feedback.”
“McDonald’s is committed to creating quality food with quality ingredients,” said Chef Michael Haracz, manager of culinary innovation at McDonald’s USA. “We’re very proud of the work done by local franchisees to innovate and create a new regional menu item that is so iconic in the local area.”
Pending positive customer response, the crab sandwich will be made available at nearly 250 McDonald’s restaurants across the San Francisco market later this year.
Sun Rises Again in Japan
On the other side of the Pacific Ocean, McDonald’s Japan has reported a ¥5.37 billion ($48 million) group net profit for 2016, marking a return to profitability after several years of slumping sales due in part to negative publicity about food quality issues attributed to a chicken meat supplier in China. The positive result is a welcome turnaround from its ¥34.95 billion net loss in 2015.
For 2017, McDonald’s anticipates net profit to rise by 58.4% to ¥8.5 billion in Japan, and operating profit to increase 29.9% to ¥9 billion, on a 4.3% increase in sales to ¥236.5 billion.
Meanwhile, McDonald’s Japan has rolled out daigaku imo french fries for a limited time. The product, which translates to “college potato” due to its popularity among students as a between meal snack, is drizzled with honey sesame seed sauce that makes for a sweet and salty flavored treat. It sells for ¥330 (approximately $2.90).
