McDonald's Begins Serving Beer

The Golden Arches is getting on the beer and burger bandwagon, announcing it will begin selling alcohol. The catch? You'll have to get to Korea to try it.

A McDonald's outlet just outside of Seoul will be the first in Asia to start selling a tipple with their Big Macs, an attempt to boost sales and draw a younger clientele.

Setting up shop in the Pangyo Techno Valley, an area that reportedly draws "young, hip, well-paid and tech-driven" types, the 90-seat restaurant will serve brews alongside its gourmet build-your-own burger stations.

If the booze and burgers prove a success, more offerings will be set up in hip areas such as Gangnam and Sinchon.

The news comes following a recent report that reveals South Korea is home to the biggest drinkers in the world, consuming an average of 14 shots of hard liquor a week.

Beer is cheap in the Asian country, selling for around $1 a bottle, while Soju, Korea's national drink, goes for around $2 a bottle.


Selling alcohol is not a new venture for McDonald's. The international chain began serving beer in Germany in 1971, while French Macca's also sell beer and wine, which is also available at the Drive Thru. And if you happen to visit a McDonald's in the Netherlands or Austria, you'll also be given the option to add a beer to your combo.

So is there a chance we could have the same offering in New Zealand? A McDonald's spokesperson has advised the Herald: "There are no plans to follow suit."

NZ Herald