1. What drives McDonald’s need for creating local products in addition to their traditional menu items? In the fast food industry, standardization has always been a key to success—products that taste and look the same, no matter which location you visit, builds recognition and brand loyalty.

But when a brand decides to go global, standardization is not enough.

McDonald’s is a great example of how customizing products to suit local tastes is a successful strategy. McDonald’s has managed to harmonize its most recognizable and highly standardized menu with local ingredients and flavors in several countries. The most recognizable of its standardized products is the Big Mac, which is so widely popular that the The Economist uses it to compare purchasing power parity among nations.