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Byline: The Goan Network
Pic Credit: Narayan Pissurlenkar
Goa gets its first McDonald’s
McDonald’s to open its doors
at Mall De Goa today
PANAJI
Finally, McDonald’s has arrived in Goa. Westlife Development, through its subsidiary Hardcastle Restaurants, has announced that it is opening Goa’s first McDonald’s at Mall De Goa in Porvorim on June 28 at 12 noon. Westlife Development is the owner of the master franchisee of McDonald’s restaurants in West and South India.
Aditya Kharwa, director, business operations, Hardcastle Restaurants, said, “Goa marks entry of McDonald’s in tenth state in west and south India. This is 240th McDonald’s restaurant across western and southern regions of the country.”
When asked if menu would be the same compared to other McDonald’s in India, Ranjit Paliath, vice president, business operations, Hardcastle Restaurants, said: “Yes, menu would be the same. Whatever you get in McDonald’s in places like Mumbai, from McAloo Tikki to Filet-o-Fish to McChicken Burger, will be available at our restaurant in Goa as well.”
McDonald’s foray in Goa is a part of larger strategy wherein the company is trying to expand in smaller towns of India. Paliath also informed that McDonald’s has recently opened in places like Trissur, Bharuch, Raipur, Calicut and Mangalore.
Paliath further said, “We are planning to start 175-200 new restaurants over next five years across west and south India. 60-70% of these new restaurants will be in cities where we are already present, but 30-40% will open in new markets”
When asked to comment on whether McDonald’s food is healthy to consume, Paliath said, “We’ve been able to reduce the fat content in our sauces.”
Kharwa even informed that McDonald’s has got 25 staff members to work at its Goa restaurant. One of the reasons McDonald’s decided to open a restaurant in Goa is because the management felt that there is a culture of eating out here; besides a number of tourists, Indians and foreigners, also eat at restaurants.
