Want McDonald's style Coke at home? Billboards that smell like fries!

1. McDonald's entices customers with billboard ads that emit the irresistible aroma of french fries using a clever heat and ventilation system.

2. Aldi's budget-friendly Summit Cola is a dead ringer for McDonald's Coca-Cola, offering the same crisp, spicy flavor at a fraction of the price.

3. Billionaire investor Warren Buffett reveals his preference for simple pleasures like McDonald's hamburgers over expensive meals.

4. Former McDonald's employees from the "Class of 1975" reunite at their old restaurant in Hazelwood, Missouri, nearly 50 years later.

5. Chef Mike Haracz shares international McDonald's menu items like potato wedges, Lotus Biscoff McFlurry, and spicy black pepper garlic McNuggets that US customers are missing out on.

Episode Transcript

(00:03):
Calarogu Shark Media. Welcome back tothe Weekly Mac, your go to podcast
for all things McDonald's and beyond.In today's episode, we've got some international
menu items we wish we had inthe States, a way for you to
bring that McDonald's coke taste home,and some new billboards that smell great.
Let's dig in. McDonald's has comeup with a genius way to lure in

(00:27):
hungry customers using the power of smell. Picture this. You're walking down the
street, minding your own business,when suddenly the tantalizing aroma of crispy golden
French fries hits your nostrils. Youlook around, trying to find the source
of this heavenly scent, and that'swhen you spot it, a big,

(00:47):
beautiful billboard in McDonald's signature red andyellow colors. But here's the kicker.
These aren't just any old billboards.They're actually hiding a secret compartment filled with
piping hot fries. To a cleverheat and ventilation system, the smell of
those delectable fries is wafting through theair, enticing anyone within a five meter

(01:07):
radius. Listen up, all youMcDonald's coca Cola fans out there. If
you've been craving that crisp, spicyflavor of coke straight from the Golden Arches
fountain drink machine, but you're notin the mood to hit the drive through,
have no fear. Aldi, ourfavorite budget friendly grocery store, has
got you covered. According to aloyal Aldi customer on TikTok, Aldi's in

(01:30):
house soft drink brand, Summit Colais a dead ringer for McDonald's Coca Cola.
Kiara aka Duval Barbie spilled the teain her now viral video, saying,
if you like McDonald's coke, likethat real spicy coke where that first
swallow makes you choke a little bit, this is what you need to get
now. I know what you're thinking, why would I want a soda that

(01:53):
makes me choke? But trust me, true Coca Cola officionados know exactly what
Kiara is talking about. It's thatunmistakable carbonation kick that sets McDonald's coc apart
from the rest. But here's thereal kicker. Not only does Summitt Cola
taste just like the real deal,but it also stays fizzy for days.
Kiara claims that a bottle of SummittCola lasted in her fridge for three or

(02:15):
four days after being opened without goingflat. That's some serious staying power.
And the best part, Summit Colawill only set you back about a dollar
forty five for a two liter bottleat Aldi, while a two leader of
Coca Cola usually costs around two sixtyeight. That's a whole lot of savings
without sacrificing any of that delicious spicyflavor. So the next time you're at

(02:37):
Aldy, do yourself a favor andgrab a bottle of Summit Cola. Your
taste buds and your bank account willthank you. Speaking of money, despite
his immense wealth, Warren Buffett isknown for his surprisingly frugal lifestyle and you'll
never guess what his favorite meal is, a good old McDonald's hamburger. At
the twenty seventeen New York City premiereof the documentary Becoming Warren Buffett, the

(03:00):
man himself shared some incredible insights intohis philosophy on life and happiness. I
buy everything I want in life,Buffett said, According to people dot com
dot would ten homes make me morehappy? Possessions possess you at a point.
But here's the real kicker. Buffettdoesn't just settle for a simple life.
He genuinely prefers it. Imagine this, a group of former McDonald's workers,

(03:25):
all grown up and scattered across thecountry, decide to come together for
a Class of nineteen seventy five reunionat their old stomping grounds in Hazelwood,
Missouri. That's right, nearly fiftyyears after they first donned those golden arches,
nineteen former crew members returned to whereit all began. These reunion goers
traveled from far and wide, withsome coming in from Arkansas, Florida,

(03:47):
Ohio, and Tennessee. And letme tell you, they came prepared.
Some brought old photos and even theirMcDonald's softball jerseys, ready to relive the
glory days. Joan Elhoffer, thesome masterminds behind this incredible reunion, shared
some heartwarming details with Business Insider.She and her fellow former crew members eight
together chatted with the current staff andeven signed yearbooks they'd made specially for the

(04:12):
occasion. Talk about commitment. Nowhere's a fun fact for you. McDonald's
is one of the largest employers inthe US, with a staggering one in
eight Americans having worked at the chainat some point in their lives. That's
a whole lot of Big Max andHappy meals served over the years. Back
to our reunion story, though Joanand many of her former colleagues were just
teenagers when they started working at theHazelwood restaurant. Fast forward to today,

(04:36):
and these former crew members have goneon to do some pretty amazing things.
Seven of the nineteen attendees became McDonald'sfranchisees themselves. As for Joan, she
started as a grill manager and workedher way up to second assistant manager,
eventually attending the famous Hamburger University andbecoming a store manager. Now, she

(04:57):
proudly owns seven McDonald's restaurants around SaintLouis. More In a minute, chef
Mike Kharach shared some international menu itemswe haven't gotten here in the States.
First up, let's talk about thosecrispy golden potato wedges. Chef Mike says
they're a hit in places like Lebanon, Russia, Greece, and even the

(05:18):
UK, but don't get your hopesup about seeing them on the menu here
in the US. Apparently, anythingthat might steal the spotlight from our beloved
French fries is a no go.Next, get ready to drool over the
lotus biskov mcflurry with caramel. Thissweet treat is already making waves in Cyprus
and Germany, and Chef Mike thinksit could be a hit here too.

(05:41):
After all, who doesn't love agood cookie crumble in their ice cream.
But the real showstopper, according toour insider, is the spicy black pepper
garlic McNuggets. Found only in Japan, these flavor packed nuggets have Chef Mike's
seal of approval. He's even callingfor them to be available worldwide. Can
you imagine sinking your teeth into thosebad boys? Mike asked, is whopping

(06:01):
three hundred five thousand TikTok followers aburning question, What obscure or international McDonald's
menu items would you love to seeon us menus? Well, let me
tell you. The responses came pouringin faster than you can say. I'm
loving it. One globe trotting foodhe raved about the mcspicy paneer they tried
in India and the macrockett from Amsterdam. Talk about a double whammy of deliciousness.

(06:27):
But Wait, there's more. NewZealand seems to be a hotspot for
mouthwatering burgers. One viewer couldn't stopgushing about the Boss Burger, while another
passionately defended the Kiwi Burger as theultimate Kiwi creation. And let's not forget
about the unexpected gems. A GoldenArchificionado fondly recalled an amazing shrimp spring rap
they encountered in Russia, while anotherpraised India's Chicken Maharaja as a surprise hit

(06:50):
that left them craving more. Last, but not least, a fast food
enthusiast from the Philippines chimed in tocelebrate the recent release of the Chuck Sundays,
giving them a resounding thumbs up.Wow. Who knew there were so
many hidden treasures on McDonald's menus aroundthe world. It's like a global treasure
hunt for your taste buds. Keepan eye out for more exciting updates from

(07:13):
The Weekly Mac, and in themeantime, let's all keep our fingers crossed
for those spicy black pepper garlic McNuggets. The Weekly Mac is a calarougus Shark
Media Production executive producers Mark Francis andJohn McDermott. Portions of this podcast may
have been created with the assistance ofAI