麥叔叔的苦：我將如何挽留你的胃？

麥叔叔的苦：我將如何挽留你的胃？

不要不相信，當北京第一家麥當勞餐廳于1993年在天安門廣場附近開業(yè)時，約有4萬人排隊等候下訂單。也不要嗤之以鼻，曾幾何時小朋友能在麥當勞過生日，是一件多么驕傲自豪的事情，而如今被加入小朋友的餐單黑名單。

測試中可能遇到的詞匯和知識：

voracious貪婪的；貪吃的；狼吞虎咽的[v?'re???s]

lustre光澤，光彩['l?st?]

royalty特許權；專利；皇室['r???lt?]

nimbly敏捷地；機敏地['nimbli]

mundane世俗的，平凡的；世界的['m?nde?n; m?n'de?n]

like-for-like sales同比銷售額

franchise公民權；經銷權；管轄權['fr?n(t)?a?z]

McDonald’s faces test after ceding control of China restaurants（547 words）

By Tom Hancock in Shanghai

When Beijing’s first McDonald’s outlet opened near Tiananmen Square in 1993,about 40,000 people queued round the block to place an order,a sign of a voracious appetite for fast food that would propel China to become the company’s third-biggest market by outlets,trailing only the US and Japan.

But a quarter of a century later the Golden Arches have lost some of their lustre for Chinese consumers,and amid falling sales McDonald’s on Monday sold control of 2,700 China restaurants to a consortium led by state-run investor Citic. The $2.1bn deal follows KFC-owner Yum Brands’spin-off of its much larger China operations in October.

While both groups will continue to receive royalties from Chinese sales,analysts say ceding control of assets and handing decisions to local management will allow the brands to expand more rapidly and localise more nimbly in a crucial market.

But both new units will struggle to improve the image of US chains. Where once they were perceived as an exotic,upscale choice for dates,business meetings and even weddings they are now increasingly looked upon as mundane. Sales at both groups were also hit after scandals over expired meat in 2014,while ordering apps have spurred increased competition for deliveries.

“China has grown out of the American fast food craze,”says Junheng Li,founder and president of New York-based equity research group JL Warren Capital.

KFC’s market share fell to 3.6 per cent in 2015 from 6.4 per cent in 2012,according to Euromonitor,with same-store sales declining in absolute terms. McDonald’s does not separate out its China revenues but said like-for-like sales in the country had fallen almost 2 per cent in the third quarter.

China became crucial to both brands,especially for Yum,whose 7,200 KFC and Pizza Hut branches there generated $6.9bn in 2015 — the highest of any region. KFC was seen as a model of overseas management,adapting to local tastes by adding porridge and rice to its menu.

McDonald’s China,in which two Citic affiliates will have a 52 per cent stake,with US private equity firm Carlyle Group taking 28 per cent,is expected to back plans to open 1,500 McDonald’s outlets over the next five years,mostly in smaller cities.

In such locations“the market is still expanding at a fast rate and western outlets are still highly regarded”,says Kamel Mellahi of Warwick Business School,adding that“the franchise model will enable McDonald’s to localise its offerings in China”.

But,says Mr Mellahi,“the franchise brings its own challenges,not least . . . lack of talent and managerial skills in third and fourth cities and,most of all,loss of control”.

Founded in 1979 and best known for investments in property and natural resources,Citic has deep pockets and impeccable political connections but no experience of running restaurants. It was attracted to McDonald’s by the opportunity to gain a foothold in one of corporate America’s most iconic brands,according to people close to the deal.

Under the terms of the 20-year McDonald’s franchise agreement,the new owners are barred from altering management or suppliers for two years,or exiting through a public offering. The FT reported last month that potential buyers including Bain Capital and its Chinese partner had dropped out of the auction over the terms.