News

Robbert Rodenburg believes that McDonald's deserves a Michelin star and he is right

By Wieke Veenboer | #!30Tue, 12 Sep 2023 12:15:48 +0200+02:004830#30Tue, 12 Sep 2023 12:15:48 +0200+02:00-12Europe/Amsterdam3030Europe/Amsterdam202330 12pm30pm-30Tue, 12 Sep 2023 12:15:48 +0200+02:0012Europe/Amsterdam3030Europe/Amsterdam2023302023Tue, 12 Sep 2023 12:15:48 +02001512159pmTuesday=9#!30Tue, 12 Sep 2023 12:15:48 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam9#09-12-2023#!30Tue, 12 Sep 2023 12:15:48 +0200+02:004830#/30Tue, 12 Sep 2023 12:15:48 +0200+02:00-12Europe/Amsterdam3030Europe/Amsterdam202330#!30Tue, 12 Sep 2023 12:15:48 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam9#

Last night I was once again spending my time very productively by scrolling aimlessly on TikTok for too long, but I seriously believe that I have made several fun discoveries through this app: new makeup brands or beauty hacks, delicious recipes, or tips for vacations or city trips. And sometimes you come across a TikTok that triggers something in you and that you really have an opinion about. Like this clip from the podcast of Robbert Rodenburg and Daan Hoogervorst: Monday Complaint Day.

That Robbert is a fan of the restaurant with the golden arches, in other words, McDonald's, is not something he hides. Rightly so, because why would you? The Maccie is awesome and you should definitely own up to that. Now that I'm writing about it, I suddenly crave a Big Mac again. That's what McDonald's does to you.

But in their podcast, Robbert raises a point that I think is valid: why doesn't McDonald's have a Michelin star?

In the Netherlands, only fine dining restaurants receive a Michelin star and must meet a lot of criteria, but that's no longer the case abroad. In fact, in 2016, two fast food restaurants in Singapore received a Michelin star, so I don't think Robbert's point is strange at all. Those two fast food restaurants were Soya Sauca Chicken Rice and Noodle and Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle. At both spots, you can score a meal for two to four dollars. My personal favorite, Din Tai Fung, has received a Michelin star five times as of 2023; they serve the absolute best Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings) in the world and are very affordable.

So why not the Maccie? Din Tai Fung is now also a chain, so that argument is off the table. And it's quite impressive that they have consistently delivered the same quality for decades, that it tastes almost the same everywhere, and of course, due to inflation, it has become a bit more expensive, but it is still very affordable. And it's no coincidence that that Big Mac sauce is such a huge hit (and McDonald's still doesn't reveal the recipe). That sauce alone deserves an award. Shall we start a petition for this? Thank you, Robbert, for bringing up this very valid point.

@robbertrodenburg❤️ McDonald's ❤️♬ original sound – Robbert Rodenburg