FROM THE WSJ: McDonald's has a McSpicy problem: an Indian partner has gone rogue
After the restaurant giant tried to pull out of about 150 restaurants, a defiant franchisee vows to keep serving
NEW DELHI — McDonald’s Corp has a baffling problem in India. It can’t get restaurants there to stop selling its food. In August, after a lengthy dispute, the fast-food giant ordered its partner of 22 years in northern and eastern India to stop using the McDonald’s brand and system. But Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt Ltd, which operated 40% of McDonald’s Indian outlets, about 150 restaurants, went rogue. It has continued to sell Maharaja Macs, McAloo Tikki and McSpicy Paneer burgers under the golden arches — using the McDonald’s name and recipes. “I cannot allow a large organisation, this [multinational] monster, whatever you want to call it, to truly belittle our contributions,” says Connaught Plaza’s defiant managing director, Vikram Bakshi. Bakshi denies most accusations. He vows to continue to fight the company in court and serve its trademark grub for as long as he can. The standoff has produced a tit-for-tat battle that may be unique in the annals of fast-food wars. McDonald’s...
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