麥當勞餐廳在中國大陸早期譯名是“麥克唐納快餐”,直到后期才統(tǒng)一采用現今的港式譯名。而在民間,因為麥當勞和“牡丹樓”的音近,牡丹樓也被當作是麥當勞的一個昵稱,但并不普遍。
麥當勞遍布全球六大洲119個國家,擁有約32000間分店,在很多國家代表著一種美式生活方式。由于是首間和最大跨國快餐連鎖企業(yè),麥當勞已是公眾討論關于食物導致肥胖,公司道德和消費責任焦點所代表的快餐文化,被指責影響公眾健康,例如高熱量導致肥胖,以及缺乏足夠均衡營養(yǎng)等。很多人抨擊其為垃圾食品。法國以本國飲食文化為榮,很多人敵視麥當勞,視它為美國生活方式入侵代表。在美國,每個高速公路出口附近就有一家麥當勞分店。此外更提供無線上網服務。麥當勞開心樂園餐免費贈送玩具,如迪士尼電影人物玩偶,對兒童頗具吸引力。
McDonald’s is one of the most famous brands in the world. It is the world’s largest chain of hamburger restaurants with 31,000 eateries. It operates in 119 countries, serving 47 million customers a day. The company employs over 1.5 million people. The business began in 1940 when brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald opened their first restaurant. In 1948, they introduced the "Speedee Service System" which started the modern fast-food phenomenon. The golden arches trademark was introduced in 1962. McDonald’s has rarely been out of the headlines forcontroversies over its unhealthy menus and working conditions. The term "McJob" was added to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary in 2003, meaning "a low-paying job that requires little skill and provides little opportunity for advancement".