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Even as its U.S. parent bows to consumer demand for healthier products, McDonald’s in Japan is ladling on the calories—an unusual strategy in a country known for its healthy diet and longevity.
Japan’s top restaurant chain by number of stores, McDonald’s Holdings Co. (Japan) Ltd. rolled out its Big America 2 campaign last week, featuring four burgers named after U.S. locales. The Idaho burger, which will make its debut by the end of this month, features a quarter-pound beef patty, melted cheese, a deep-fried hash brown, strips of bacon, onions and pepper-and-mustard sauce. The calorie count: 713.
The Texas 2 Burger—with chili, three buns, cheese and bacon—comes in at 645 calories. The 557-calorie Miami burger has tortilla chips—not as a side dish, but nestled on top of the beef patty. By contrast, McDonald’s Japan’s Quarter Pounder and Big Mac mainstays come in at 556 calories each.