Category Archives: Food

Business, Food, The Media

For McDonald’s And Jollibee, The Fierce Competition Continues

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imageBAGUIO CITY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – U.S. fast-food giant McDonald’s claims to be number one in the world, except  in the Philippines where the clown can’t seem to beat the ‘fat, stupid, happy bee,’ Jollibee.

The fierce competition between the two restaurant chains continues as the fast-food industry tries to reinvent itself in order to keep up with the changing health concerns of consumers.

McDonald’s recently opened its very first “Next” restaurant featuring a full salad bar in Hong Kong. The menu also offers options for patrons to customize and decide what goes into their burgers and fries.

Not to be outdone, Jollibee opened its very first ‘fresh vegies-to-go’ station in Baguio City, the summer capital and ‘salad bowl’ of the Philippines. Only fresh produce are sold at this new location, and there is no dine-in option. Customers pick their favorite fresh vegetables to take home and cook for themselves.

“It’s Jollibee’s way of contributing to a more healthy Philippine citizenry,” a company spokesperson told The Adobo Chronicles.

Business, Food, Government, Law Enforcement, Tourism

PHILIPPINES: STREET VENDORS BANNED FROM SELLING BALUT AND CHICKEN FEET

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imageMANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Vendors seem to be under attack in some countries in Asia.

The government of Singapore recently announced that beginning in 2017, vendors will no longer to able to display cigarettes in their stalls. The new law is aimed at preventing young kids from taking up smoking. All too often, young people are exposed to this unhealthy addiction through point-of-sale displays of cigarettes.

Following Singapore’s lead, Philippine President NoyNoy Aquino, upon the joint recommendation of the Health and Tourism Departments, issued an executive order banning the display and sale of chicken feet by sidewalk vendors.  Fried chicken feet, similar to those served in Chinese dim sum, is a popular and inexpensive street food in the country.

The same executive order prohibits eating balut (boiled duck embryo) in public. It may still be sold by street vendors but can only be consumed in the privacy of people’s homes.

In issuing the order, Aquino said he hopes that the ban will not only improve the health of Filipinos but also boost tourism by creating a better Philippine image in the eyes of foreign visitors who can not stand the sight of chicken feet and balut.

The order is in keeping with the administration’s mantra of daang matuwid (street, uhm, straight path).

Business, Food, Human Interest

KFC TO START A NEW CHRISTMAS TRADITION: CHICKEN PARDON

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imageBAGUIO CITY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – It all started with a photograph: a lone chicken crossing a pathway in front of a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurant in Baguio City, Philippines.  The chicken seemed oblivious to the fact that the building behind her slaughters hundreds of its kind every single day as part of its finger-licking menu item.

The photo went viral and reached the desk of KFC’s CEO Muktesh Pant in Louiseville, Kentucky. He was so moved by the chicken, and this prompted him to issue an international directive to all KFC restaurants and franchise stores all over the world.

The directive mandates that each year, on Christmas eve, all KFC restaurant and franchise owners are to pardon a chicken and let it go free to live out the rest of its life.

This move is patterned after the annual Turkey Pardon which happens at The White House during Thanksgiving week.  The Turkey Pardon gives the president of the United States the power and responsibility to pardon one turkey (sometimes two) and grant it reprieve from being slaughtered and served at the Thanksgiving dinner table.

The chicken pardon tradition starts this year, on Christmas eve.

Another testimony to the fact that humans not only have a stomach.  They also have a heart.