Malaysia’s very first McDonald’s Branch is going to use its infamous nickname “Mekdi” to celebrate the 62nd Hari Merdeka & Malaysia Day, and the branch’s 37th anniversary!
This Mekdi branch was the very first to have opened in Malaysia way back in 1982.
And that’s not all. To celebrate Merdeka Month, the Bukit Bintang McDonald’s Branch in Kuala Lumpur has also included the country’s favorite dish of all time, Nasi Lemak, to its menu! What more can you ask for?
McDonald’s chose the Bukit Bintang branch for its legacy as the first-ever McDonald’s Branch to open in Malaysia. The term “Mekdi” is a localized version of ‘McD’–short for McDonald’s.
Mekdi’s Nasi Lemak for Hari Merdeka
To commemorate their ‘Malaysian-ness’, McDonald’s displayed its huge Malaysian nickname “Mekdi” as a sign in front of the store. Mekdi has also included the country’s favorite dish in its breakfast menu.
Their version of Nasi Lemak has delectable rice cooked with coconut milk, anchovies, cucumber, fried egg, spicy sambal, and a deep-fried McChicken! Needless to say, this Mekdi version of Nasi Lemak is one every Malaysian should try! Pretty fitting for Hari Merdeka.
To solidify McDonald’s commitment to showing its Malaysian-ness in light of Hari Merdeka, they also started a petition via Change.org.
What’s it for, you may ask? McDonald’s, or should we say, Mekdi, is petitioning for the Malaysian government to officially recognize Nasi Lemak as the National Dish of the country.
They’re targeting to get 1 million signatures by Malaysia Day, which is on September 16.
Right now, around 31,500 have signed the petition: http://chng.it/LDfjGDJsQs
“For the past 37 years, Malaysians have helped develop McDonald’s brand to what it is today. As an appreciation for their continuous support, we’ve decided to use the friendly nickname ‘Mekdi’, which is now synonymous with our brand.”
– McDonald’s Malaysia Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer Melati Abdul Hai
