We all have a special relationship with McDonald’s. Prior to its Kuwait opening in 1994, family and friends of generations past who have frequented their signature burgers and fries during their travels have sung songs of high praise about the food. And considering that the concept itself is over 60-years-old today, there’s something to be said about how widely popular it remains to this day, and it all comes down to McDonald’s passion for quality in every aspect of its operations.

It seems that you can’t drive around a local neighborhood without finding a McDonald’s within minutes! The chain is arguably the most popular franchise in not only the world, but in the country, and of all concepts, McDonald’s reigns supreme when it comes to even the healthiest of all eaters’ regular cheat day desires. When it comes to food in Kuwait, locals have a high standard of quality. This means that McDonald’s is doing something right, by maintaining and even exceeding that standard, which is expected by diners.

It’s obvious that McDonald’s is very strict about their quality control. There’s a reason why that, no matter where in the world, when you order a signature Big Mac, or a container of their famous, crispy fries, their food will always taste like home – even if you’re miles away.

Their 100% Halal-grade meat comes from the best sources. Juicy beef patties originate in Australia, where some of the world’s best cattle are raised, which explains why their burgers always taste so good! And those chicken McNuggets everyone can’t seem to get enough of? Only the finest quality, tender cuts of breast and thigh are used to make them into bite sized, crunchy and addictive nuggets that we’ve all loved since childhood. Got sauce?

Farm to Counter is also an ethos that McDonald’s practices with gusto. To make its signature salads and delicious garnishes adorning its sandwiches, McDonald’s uses the finest quality fresh vegetables sourced from some of the best farms from around the world. Crisp iceberg lettuce, succulent tomatoes and delectable cucumbers are all freshly harvested, sealed and delivered to restaurants straight from the farm.

2015 January Lovin’ It (Beef) Hero image: Beef patties, on flat grill

We can’t forget about McDonald’s’ famous breakfast! Their breakfast meals are enough to make you alter your entire day just to get an Egg McMuffin. Wondering where those eggs come from? McDonald’s sources farm-fresh, premium quality eggs from certified local partners.

And what about those iconic fries? These fries are loved by many internationally, and are irresistible, making the perfect meal or snack for any time of the day. Their origins are also guilt-free, coming from 100% natural potatoes harvested from approved farms, and fried in non-hydrogenated vegetable blended canola and sunflower oil. No wonder they taste so good!

But we could rave all day about how McDonald’s supplies great food made from great quality despite the expansion of its product. What is possibly the best thing about McDonald’s is how the brand puts in so much effort into ensuring utter transparency with its customers, especially when it comes to matters of quality. One of the company’s key priorities has always been upholding the highest international standards of quality, food safety and cleanliness, and this is something that continues to be an integral part of the McDonald’s ethos.

McDonald’s has a knack for continuously and actively seeking to develop new innovative initiatives and platforms to engage with its customers and provide them with all the information they need about their brand. For example, in 2013, McDonald’s became the first and only quick service restaurant brand in the region to communicate nutritional information in its restaurants: on its packaging, and on its website – including a breakdown of the calories, fat, sodium, protein and carbohydrates found in each product.

In an effort to help its customers make better food choices, and in light of changing customer preferences, McDonald’s recently implemented a number of significant enhancements to its menu across the GCC. Introduced as part of its ‘Every Day. A Better Day’ campaign, these changes allow customers to enjoy their favorite McDonald’s foods at an even better nutritional value. Long gone are those guilt-trips, as McDonald’s has truly adopted a health-conscious approach to its quality offerings that never compromises on flavor.

Following the earlier milestone of reducing trans fats in McDonald’s fried food to 0.01%, the brand has now successfully completed the transition of its cooking oil to a sunflower and canola oil blend at all of its 500+ restaurants across the GCC, as well as across the entire supply chain. In fact, McDonald’s goers in Kuwait can take pride in the fact that brand here is a pioneer within the global chain, as it has been exclusively using a high quality 100% vegetable oil blend since 1994. This lighter oil blend offers an 80% reduction in saturated fat content.

McDonald’s has also successfully reduced the fat content in its Classic Mayonnaise, with a new recipe that now contains 50% fewer calories. Developed after extensive research and product testing, the new mayonnaise cuts back on the calories without compromising on the delicious taste that customers love.

Making sustainable sourcing the new normal is one of the top priorities at McDonald’s – both globally and in the region. As part of its sustainable fish policy, they also announced that, in the GCC, all the fish it sources comes from well-managed fisheries that only use sustainable fishing practices.

The McDonald’s transparency initiatives also include the pioneering Open Door Program, which launched worldwide in 2006. The unique program set a precedent across the quick service food industry, with McDonald’s being the only quick service restaurant in the region to allow customers into its kitchen – for an up-close and unfiltered look at all procedures, processes and quality standards.

Setting yet another precedent for the food and beverage industry, McDonald’s launched its innovative digital platform, “Your Right to Know”, across the region in 2015 with the aim of fostering an open and honest dialogue with the public. Through this interactive digital platform, customers are able to ask any and all questions that they have about the brand and its food – and are guaranteed factual and transparent answers to their every inquiry.

So, next time you find yourself at the Golden Arches, smile with pride that your choice of indulgence is actually a pretty good one. McDonald’s is great – it’s a classic. Just remember that their dedication to quality is not simply a short-term objective; it is an ingrained philosophy and a way of life that permeates into every facet of the McDonald’s experience.

For more information, please visit: www.mcdonalds.com/kw. Follow McDonald’s Kuwait’s latest updates on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @McDonaldskuwait.