Despite the numerous Jewish contributions to the success of McDonald’s, many Jews, specifically those that follow kosher dietary laws, ironically cannot feast under the Golden Arches — at least in the United States. The mass production of McDonald’s fare in America prevents the company from adhering to the required rabbinic oversight of the food preparation, i.e., the slaughter and cooking of beef. This led to a movement among kosher-keeping Birthright participants to visit Israeli McDonald’s, whose franchises do use kosher beef and are often certified by rabbinic inspectors.
There are a number of McDonald’s menu items only on offer in Israel, including Israeli salad, a vegan burger and kebabs served in a laffa-like wrap. Plus, patrons can indulge in one of six “Big America” burgers, whose varied toppings are meant to reflect their namesake locales: New York, Las Vegas, Miami, Texas, Chicago and Broadway. Not all innovations have been met with equal enthusiasm, for in the case of the recently re-introduced mini pita falafel (falafel first premiered in 2011), one reviewer was quite clear: “I’m Not Lovin’ It.” Despite the occasional snafu, these menu alterations have meant many more Jews can finally enjoy the fast-food fruits of their forebears’ labor and, according to an Israeli representative for McDonald’s, “taste the American dream in Israel” — so long as, of course, they eschew the cheddar on that hamburger.