McDonald’s restaurants in North and East India have recently made a significant change to their menu. They have decided to stop serving tomatoes in their burgers and wraps due to quality and supply issues. The company, Connaught Plaza Restaurants Ltd, which is responsible for the McDonald’s franchise in India, posted notices in their stores explaining that they have been facing challenges in obtaining an adequate supply of tomatoes that meet their strict quality standards. Despite their best efforts, they have been forced to temporarily remove tomatoes from their products.
This change affects several items on McDonald’s India menu, including their popular Maharaja Mac Chicken burger, which traditionally includes sliced tomatoes. While the company did not specify how long this change will be in effect, it seems to be limited to McDonald’s outlets in North and East India. Franchisees in the western and southern regions of the country have not been impacted by the tomato shortage.
The price of tomatoes in certain parts of India has experienced a significant surge, reaching over $2 (approximately Rs 165) per kilogram. This is five times higher than the price at the beginning of the year. The cost of tomatoes, along with onions, often becomes a sensitive political issue in India and is viewed by voters as an indicator of inflation. The recent price rise has sparked a wave of internet jokes, music videos, protests, and even incidents of tomato theft.
Social media platforms have been flooded with memes and humorous videos highlighting the skyrocketing tomato prices. Some people have made comparisons between the cost of tomatoes and the price of gasoline, leading to amusing anecdotes. In one notable incident, tomatoes worth Rs 150,000 were stolen in the southern state of Karnataka. The opposition Congress party has pointed fingers at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, blaming their economic policies for the price surge. Congress party members have organized street protests, donning tomato necklaces as a symbolic representation of the rising prices and comparing them to expensive jewelry.
However, the government has responded by stating that the price increase is merely a result of seasonal production issues. They have assured the public that tomato prices will normalise shortly. It remains to be seen how long McDonald’s restaurants in North and East India will continue to serve their products without tomatoes. In the meantime, customers will have to adjust to the absence of this key ingredient in their favourite McDonald’s offerings.
