Stealth McDonald's

As a former McDonald's employee I could happily live the rest of my life without ever setting foot in one again. But while they've lost this customer, McDonald's has been trying some interesting techniques to expand the consumer base of one of the most widely-recognized brands in the world. But what if the brand itself is the deterrent? In Tokyo, the company has converted two stores that will serve only single and double Quarter Pounders to promote the sandwiches. The stripped-down menu, redecorated interior, and new packaging is a huge departure from its other stores- it's a lot more dramatic than the McDonald's in New York that every suburban class on a field trip goes nuts over because there's a piano player- but the outside is what's really noteworthy: the McDonald's name and logo don't appear! Stateside, McDonald's is already pushing hard to bring in the yuppies with their plan to offer cappuccino drinks nationwide in 2009; it'll be interesting of they're willing to go this far here.

PSFK: McDonalds goes unbranded in Japan