# Country-Specific Sandwiches The McItaly Big Mac Draws the Ire of Italians By Michael Hines | Published 2010-03-07 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-mcitaly References: [guardian](http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/jan/28/mcdonalds-launch-mcitaly-burger) & [news.bbc](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8503430.stm) I don't know what to make of the McItaly. It seems like a tasty treat: a burger made with artichoke spread, Asiago cheese and lettuce, all grown in Italy. But Italians hate it. And if Italians hate it, I am obligated to hate it. My semi-Italian blood is boiling right now. The McItaly is a smart marketing idea, but Italians take their food super seriously. They don't fark around when it comes to eating. Maybe the McItaly will become a shinning symbol of Italy, like ancient Rome. Or it could go down as a big black eye, ala Mussolini. This one will be interesting to follow. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.0/10 - Popularity: 23% | Activity: 28% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Health](https://www.trendhunter.com/health) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Localized Fast Food Menu Items:** Fast food chains are experimenting with localized menu items to cater to specific countries and cultures. - **Cultural Appropriation in Marketing:** As companies try to cater to specific cultures, there is a risk of cultural appropriation and negative backlash. - **Food Culture Identity:** People take food culture seriously and it can be a point of pride or offense when companies try to market to specific cultures. ### Who This Affects Most - **Fast Food:** The fast food industry is constantly evolving their menus to stay relevant and meet the demands of different cultures. - **Marketing and Advertising:** Marketing and advertising plays a critical role in localizing and promoting fast food menu items to specific cultures. - **Food and Beverage:** The food and beverage industry is intertwined with cultural identity and companies need to be careful when marketing to specific cultures. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Curated Global QSR Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/international-heist-menu.md) - [Flavorful European Burger Lineups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/european-burgers.md) - [Spicy Fast-Food Chicken Burgers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/arrabiata-ricotta-chicken.md) - [Tourism-Inspired Burgers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/square-burgers.md) - [Marinara-Topped Chicken Sandwiches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/italian-royal-crispy-chicken-sandwich.md) - [Fast Food-Inspired Beachy Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/leo-burnett-italia.md) - [Fast-Food Croquette Burgers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/croquette-burgers.md) - [Global Flavor Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-world-heist-menu.md) - [Regionally Inspired Burgers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/otona-no-gotouchi-teriyaki-burgers.md)