{"id":3748,"date":"2020-08-20T18:25:54","date_gmt":"2020-08-20T10:25:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/?p=3748"},"modified":"2020-10-19T11:26:07","modified_gmt":"2020-10-19T03:26:07","slug":"mcdonalds-pho-burger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/mcdonalds-pho-burger\/","title":{"rendered":"McDonald\u2019s Releases Pho Burger, Cheekily Responding To Cynics & Making Them Want To Try It Out"},"content":{"rendered":"

McDonald\u2019s Vietnam launches pho <\/em>burger (Burger v\u1ecb Ph\u1edf)<\/h2>\n
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On 18th August, McDonald\u2019s Vietnam<\/strong> announced the launch of its locally-inspired pho<\/em> burger<\/strong> (Burger v\u1ecb Ph\u1edf)<\/strong> on a Facebook post and caused a sensation among the Vietnamese Facebook community.<\/p>\n

The idea of fusing pho<\/em><\/strong>, a meticulously cooked noodle soup, into burgers, a Western fast food classic, has caused many netizens to express their skepticism <\/strong>in the post\u2019s comments section.<\/p>\n

Instead of ignoring the comments or putting out explanatory statements as most brands would do, McDonald\u2019s responses<\/strong> to the situation couldn\u2019t have been more unexpected<\/strong>. By patiently replying with sad-faced emojis <\/strong>and cute replies <\/strong>to nearly all comments, McDonald\u2019s quickly turned the situation around and made many want to try their pho <\/em>burgers.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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McDonald\u2019s offers pho <\/em>burgers<\/h3>\n
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Over the years, McDonald\u2019s<\/a> has branched out into many countries, followed by a variety of locally inspired dishes <\/strong>to appeal to local customers. From Singapore\u2019s Nasi Lemak burgers<\/a> to India\u2019s Dosa Masala burgers, McDonald\u2019s always tries to offer hungry fans food inspired by local cuisine<\/strong>, and McDonald\u2019s Vietnam is no exception.<\/p>\n

\"McDonald's_pho
\nThe pho burger, now available at McDonald’s Vietnam<\/em>
\nImage adapted from: <\/em>Duy Truong<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Priced at VND69,000 (~USD2.95)<\/strong>, the Pho Burger <\/strong>boasts an Australian beef patty <\/strong>with one fried egg<\/strong> in the middle, and is drizzled with pho <\/em>broth-flavored<\/strong> sauce<\/strong> and herbs and veggies commonly used in pho<\/em> such as basil, coriander, and onions.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Quickly after the new burger announcement, Vietnamese netizens flooded McDonald\u2019s Facebook <\/strong>page with comments about this new East-West fusion menu item. While many had rushed to McDonald\u2019s outlets to try this dish and posted their reviews about it, many also gave McDonald\u2019s a piece of their minds even before trying the burger.<\/p>\n

Most comments said that a pho <\/em>burger\u2019s price was nearly twice as high than <\/strong>that of a real bowl of pho<\/em>, while the rest simply made fun of the item.<\/p>\n

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McDonald\u2019s creative responses wowed netizens<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Despite facing a plethora of skeptical<\/strong> comments and complaints about the burger\u2019s price, McDonald\u2019s Facebook page administrator handled the situation impressively<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"McDonald's_pho
\nImage credit: <\/em>McDonald\u2019s<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

In the comment section, Facebook user Duy V\u0169<\/a> left a comment, \u201cWhy don\u2019t we just eat pho <\/em>already??<\/strong>\u201d, which gained 1,000 likes from other netizens.<\/p>\n

Normally, a Facebook page administrator would simply let a comment like this slide, but McDonald\u2019s surprisingly replied to it with a Pikachu picture with a sad expression<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This cute reply<\/strong> from McDonald\u2019s itself came as a big surprise to many and gained 1,900 likes<\/strong> from netizens. It was so cute that it might have softened Duy V\u0169<\/a>\u2019s heart that the critical netizen replied apologetically, \u201cOkay, I\u2019m sorry<\/strong>. When the COVID-19 pandemic is over, I\u2019ll go over there to support you. I love you<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not satisfied with this apology, McDonald\u2019s pressed on, \u201cOkay! You promised. Fingercrossies!<\/strong>\u201d referring to the hand gesture commonly used to enforce a promise.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"McDonald's_pho
\nImage credit: <\/em>McDonald\u2019s<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cMcDonald\u2019s replies are extremely lovely<\/strong>, but I\u2019ll choose to eat pho <\/em>instead,<\/strong>\u201d Facebook user Th\u1ea3o Nhi<\/a> jokingly declined to try a pho <\/em>burger despite McDonald\u2019s efforts to act cute.<\/p>\n

Unfaltered by the netizen\u2019s open rejection, McDonald\u2019s replied with a sad panda picture<\/strong>, \u201cAt least you complimented me and that\u2019s enough to make me happy<\/strong>.\u201d This heart-melting <\/strong>reply won McDonald\u2019s 847 likes from netizens.<\/p>\n

McDonald\u2019s creative responses quickly gained positive attention <\/strong>and spurred many netizens to try the burger and troll the brand in its comment section even further.<\/p>\n

\"McDonald's_pho
\nImage credit: <\/em>McDonald\u2019s<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cStop crying, Pikachu<\/strong>,\u201d Facebook user Ph\u01b0\u01a1ng Oanh<\/a> posted a photo of her half-eaten pho <\/em>burger in the comment section as a sign of her support for McDonald\u2019s.<\/strong><\/p>\n

All\u2019s well that ended well. McDonald\u2019s replied, \u201cMy heart is finally full of happiness<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Vietnamese foodies\u2019 reviews of the Pho Burger<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Apart from trolling comments, Vietnamese foodies left their feedback<\/strong> on the burger in the comment section to give other netizens a better idea about what to expect.<\/p>\n

\"McDonald's_pho
\nImage credit: <\/em>McDonald\u2019s<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Facebook user L\u00ea C\u00f4ng Tho\u1ea1i<\/a> shared his pho <\/em>burger and noted, \u201cIt\u2019s really worth a try<\/strong>. The pho <\/em>sauce matches perfectly with the basil and coriander.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Facebook user Jason Tran<\/a> had a different opinion, \u201cThe beef patties were a bit dry. There was a distinct flavor of pho<\/em><\/strong>, though with a lack of finely ground chili and black sauce. Better add lime to it for an authentic pho <\/em>flavor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"McDonald's_pho
\nImage credit: <\/em>McDonald\u2019s<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

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McDonald\u2019s adds a Pho Burger to its menu <\/span><\/h3>\n
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In recent years, Vietnamese cuisine has been all the rage with global diners, especially pho<\/em><\/strong>, a noodle soup filled with delicious broth and nutritious ingredients. However, its launch of a brand new burger with a pho-<\/em>flavored twist has drawn mixed reactions.<\/p>\n

Even though people are inevitably skeptical about any East-meets-West culinary fusion item, McDonald\u2019s has been handling the situation with patience and creativity<\/strong>, which has left a positive impression with potential customers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

McDonald\u2019s pho <\/em>burger story is a great example of how a restaurant\u2019s interactions<\/strong> with customers can greatly improve their experience and change their minds.<\/p>\n

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