McDonald's in Paris

The introduction of McDonald's -- a symbol of global capitalism and hang over remedies -- into France was met with Bastille-like resistance. In 1999, José Bové led a farmers' union protest. His demonstrators caused $150,000 damages when a McDo, as the French refer to it, opened in the southern city of Millau, land of Roquefort cheese. At the suggestion that French cheese be used in the Mcburgers, Bove compared it to sex shops selling holy water.

McDonald's took out newspaper ads to convince the French that they would support French farmers by using local ingredients and uphold France's strict employee protection standards -- it has. The chain restaurants also received French makeovers -- Part of the French make-over of McDonald's includes shrinking the famous golden arches to make it fit into the old world charm.

The decor emphasizes the local ingredients/farms McDonald's was forced to use to do business in France. Menus include typical bistro items, like croque-monsieurs, to win over the French.

To combat it's fast food image, McDonald's plays up healthy ingredients, like the calcium in one of France's largest exports and a national symbol: cheese.

Healthy food presented in an artistic way is the decor of a McDonald's gone French.The strategy worked. Today, there are more than 1,000 McDonald's in France.