Japanese Food Forum

 Reader MrBoobo turned in this interesting tip: apparently McDonalds in Japan is getting ready to start a new program for training their bright-eyed and bushy-tailed employees-- and that program involves custom-made training software for the Nintendo DS, called "eSmart." How does it work? Beats the hell out of me. I'm kinda vaguely thinking one of those cooking games, but McDonalds specific, and you have to remember how much lard to use when cooking the fries, or something.

Another question that comes to mind-- are new employees given a Nintendo DS to use the program on? Or do you have to provide your own? Man, how cool would it be if you got a free NDS as a sort of "signing bonus"? (Yeah, yeah, they probably would just have a bunch on-hand for employees to use. I wonder how often they'll have to replace them due to them falling into the deep-fat fryer?)' 
 
And you may also wonder why McDonalds would run with the DS and not the PSP...but it should actually be pretty obvious. I mean, the DS itself is cheaper than the PSP, and given the sheer volume of crappy franchise tie-in video games on the DS (and the Wii, ahem, Nintendo), it's clearly pretty easy to make a game for, too. So, we have cheap, and we have easy-- it's the McDonalds way.

Okay, folks, I want your best punchlines for how McDonalds may "Super-Size" the program by making the employees use the Nintendo DSi XL. Go!    

I hear the miso soup there is alright but than again miso soup is pretty hard to screw up really.

@Konanda: Actually, I think McDonalds Japan is better than McDonalds US. I had a cheeseburger there ( the result of a mild craving combined with it being a cheap and convenient option on a trip where I spent a lot of money eating out), and I could actually, like, taste the meat. It was weird, but good.

I've heard that McDonalds actually trains it's employees really well, and thus having McDonalds on your resume actually looks pretty good, if you're just applying for a low end job.
 
It's weird that they'd change from a manual that would be cheap to manufacture and easy to make modifications to to a slightly more restricted program, though.

@gia:
Some of the salads they have at the McDonalds in Canada (that I assume are the same ones or similar as the states) now are actually decent along with the deli sandwiches (there is like 7 of them and a few are decent) and the little chicken fajitas. The fajitas I believe is only in the Praries, B.C. and Ontario, I remember reading that somewhere. The only other McDonalds food I ever found any good is when during the mid 90s they would make family sized pizzas that they would bring to the table. I only remember having it once since I was 6 or 7 so at the time and they discontinued it the year after but they still had individual sized until 2000 I think. They also did individual sized as well but I believe the family sized one was an exclusive to Canadian chains. 
 
Oh and I almost forgot in Quebec if you went there for breakfast you could get an alright breakfast meal called "Breakfast Traditional" I believe. It's two eggs over easy (and not cooked in those dumb trays that turn it into a disc) two strips of bacon and a slice of toast (white or whole wheat)  and given that it's Quebec they give you maple syrup to put over everything if you so please. (real maple syrup none of that fake crap [high fructose corn syrup] I've seen in the U.S. before) Given the popularity of when I had it (pretty much everyone in the restaurant was eating it) I assume it's still around. (was about 8 years ago visiting some extended family near Montreal) They also have poutine but if you are in Quebec than I can guarantee you can find much better poutine in a near by regular sit down resturant instead. I mean it is where the dish originated from and if you are going to eat something that is as fattening as poutine you are going to want to get the good stuff and the fries at McDonalds are not the kind of fries used in a good poutine. 

So, if a McDonalds game can train you to work for the company. Could Cooking Mama train you to become a Four Star Chef, or Phoenix Wright make me an Ace Attorney? lol

I don't care so much about the way they train their employees but.... HOLY CRAP! nobody else noticed that MEGA MAC? I've never heard of one before but I wish they start selling these around where I live.