MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) –  The towering McDonald’s marquee (see photo)  says it all: it is the world’s No. 1 fast food chain except in the Philippines where it can’t beat the “fat, stupid happy bee.”

That stupid bee, of course, is Jollibee, a Filipino-owned fast food chain that has tremendously cut into McDonald’s customer base in the Philippines.

Apparently, Filipinos prefer hamburger steak with rice over the quarter pounder, and chicken joy over chicken McNuggets. Not to mention the sweet spaghetti and Jollibee’s breakfast platters of garlic fried rice with cured pork, sweet sausage or milkfish belly.

Desperate about the stiff competition, McDonald’s has leased several expressway tollbooths north and south of the capital not only to pay for drivers’ toll fees, but also hand them free McMuffins.

Upon learning of the new McDonald’s marketing strategy, many Filipinos who usually take public transportation to and from work or school, are now opting to drive their own cars, or borrow their cousin’s or neighbor’s cars, just to get in on the free McDonald’s breakfast.

The only downside to  the McDonald’s promo: you have to bring your own coffee.