McDonald's restaurants to open at the Louvre

[CptSternn]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...he-Louvre.html

Lovers of France's two great symbols of cultural exception – its haute cuisine and fine art – are aghast at plans to open a McDonald's restaurant and McCafé in the Louvre museum next month.

America's fast food temple is celebrating its 30th anniversary in France with a coup -the opening of its 1,142nd Gallic outlet a few yards from the entrance to the country's Mecca of high art and the world's most visited museum.

The chain faces a groundswell of discontent among museum staff, many already unhappy about the Louvre lending its name and works to a multi-million pound museum project in Abu Dhabi.

"This is the last straw," said one art historian working at the Louvre, who declined to be named. "This is the pinnacle of exhausting consumerism, deficient gastronomy and very unpleasant odours in the context of a museum," he told the Daily Telegraph.

Didier Rykner, head of The Art Tribune website found the idea "shocking".

"I'm not against eating in a museum but McDonald's is hardly the height of gastronomy," he said, adding that it was a worrying mixture of art and consumerism. "Today McDonald's, tomorrow low-cost clothes shops," he said.

McDonald's confirmed that a restaurant will open next month. The Louvre confirmed it will be positioned in the underground approach to the Louvre, known as the Carrousel du Louvre.

The stonewalled gallery was opened in 1993, five years after the famous Louvre pyramid. The Carrousel's initial remit stipulated that its "commercial activities will be regulated and restricted to cultural or tourist activities".

The Louvre has the right to protest against boutiques it considers fail to meet such criteria. However, the museum told the Daily Telegraph it had agreed to a "quality" McCafé and a McDonald's in place by the end of the year, which it said was "is in line with the museum's image".

"The Louvre welcomes the fact that the entirety of visitors and customers, French or foreign, can enjoy such a rich and varied restaurant offer, whether in the museum area or gallery," the museum said in a statement.

The McDonald's would represent the "American" segment " of a new "food court", and would be situated "among (other) world cuisines and coffee shops," it wrote.

It added that the franchise owner "has taken the utmost care in ensuring the quality of the project, both in culinary and aesthetic terms".

Louvre Pour Tous, a website whose aim is to "inform and defend" museum visitors, said: "Henri Loyrette, president of the Louvre museum just had to say one word to stop the whiff of French fries from wafting past the Mona Lisa's nose. He chose otherwise."

There was already an outcry last year when Starbucks opened a café perilously close to the Right bank museum's entrance. Employees and art aficionados sent management a petition in protest; the café opened regardless but was asked to provide a cultural corner of brochures and catalogues as a placatory measure.

"Starbucks was bad enough but McDonald's is worse," said the Louvre art historian.

A new ticket hall is due to be built in the next three years by the site of the new McDonald's to cope with the eight million annual visitors.

"Once this happens, the first thing visitors will likely see when they arrive are big golden arches," he said.

Many in France view "McDo" as the Trojan horse of globalisation and the scourge of local produce and long lunches.

José Bové, the mustachioed anti-GM crusader shot to fame after bulldozing a McDonald's in 1999 to protest against malbouffe (junk food).

However, even if there were a last-minute u-turn at the Louvre, statistics suggest the battle of Le Big Macs has already been lost. France has become McDonald's biggest market in the world outside of the US, according to the chain. While business in traditional brasseries and bistros is in freefall, the fast food group opened 30 new outlets last year in France and welcomed 450 million customers – up 11 per cent on the previous year.

[CptSternn]

A sign of the times? It just won't be the same as they pointed out, walking through, looking at the Mona Lisa while the smell of fries and big macs are wafting about.

[Beneath the Shadows]

Why not? There's already a Pizza Hut directly across from the Sphinx.

Though personally, I hate McDonald's. I don't see why anyone would want to eat that crap.

[Renatus]

It's not really very suprising, there is a Mc Donalds in the Pentagon even.

[DRM]

It kinda makes me sad though.
:[

[Saya]

"Today McDonald's, tomorrow low-cost clothes shops", didn't that sound a bit, you know, classist? Like he was probably wearing a monocle and sipping tea and petting the villain cat while saying this?

I get why its disappointing though. HEY AMERICA, they decided to represent your cuisine at a global themed foodcourt with an evil corporation and 48 grams of heart attack, erm, I mean, a Royale with cheeeese. I get that fast food is big in the West and especially in America, but world cuisine, really? Does a prestigious museum, perhaps the most prestigious in the world, want that filth in there?

[creature6]

i think it's a fucking disgrace.i do consume McDonald but if i go to the Louvres i would not like to smell fucking fries and so on.
that's fucking wrong.

[Still Jack]

Meh, I don't care. My sense of smell sucks and I don't eat Mc Donalds anyways...
Although I do find it kind of sad considering that France has so much better food to offer than a Fastfood shop. For instance the best restaurant I've ever eaten in is in Versailles.

[DRM]

Originally Posted by Saya

"Today McDonald's, tomorrow low-cost clothes shops", didn't that sound a bit, you know, classist? Like he was probably wearing a monocle and sipping tea and petting the villain cat while saying this?

I get why its disappointing though. HEY AMERICA, they decided to represent your cuisine at a global themed foodcourt with an evil corporation and 48 grams of heart attack, erm, I mean, a Royale with cheeeese. I get that fast food is big in the West and especially in America, but world cuisine, really? Does a prestigious museum, perhaps the most prestigious in the world, want that filth in there?

Because anything can be bought with enough money.

[CptSternn]

Well thats it isn't it? Sooner or later it appears all businesses will sell out, cultural meccas or otherwise. Another flaw of capitalism.

[Beneath the Shadows]

If you're going to define the Louvre as a cultural mecca, then it's the perfect place for a McDonald's, as McDonald's is one of the most recognized cultural icons of 20th century America.

[alchemie]

Originally Posted by Beneath the Shadows

Why not? There's already a Pizza Hut directly across from the Sphinx.

What? Are you serious? That's kinda cool actually.

[Beneath the Shadows]

Originally Posted by alchemie

What? Are you serious? That's kinda cool actually.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofissTmcsDU

[Joker_in_the_Pack]

Originally Posted by Renatus

It's not really very suprising, there is a Mc Donalds in the Pentagon even.

Yes, but the pentagon is a place filled with monsters and whores.

This is the fucking Louvre

[creature6]

Originally Posted by Beneath the Shadows

If you're going to define the Louvre as a cultural mecca, then it's the perfect place for a McDonald's, as McDonald's is one of the most recognized cultural icons of 20th century America.

Are you out of your mind?
i hope you are not serious when you said that.
if there is a McDonald in the Louvre what is going to be next.
instead of doing that shit ,they should have put an old fashion artist cafe with an alcohol licence that serve descent fucking food at a reasonable price .
It sound better than a fucking McDonald.

[skoteinh]

Originally Posted by Beneath the Shadows

If you're going to define the Louvre as a cultural mecca, then it's the perfect place for a McDonald's, as McDonald's is one of the most recognized cultural icons of 20th century America.

I understand where you're coming from, and sure, one might argue that high art and good quality are subjective values, and culture is culture, either way you see it, BUT.

Mc Donalds and The Louvre just don't go together. It's bad taste.

[MissGracie]

There is already a McDonald's across the street from the Louvre, I have been in it. I didn't eat there though, I don't digest that stuff well =/

[Beneath the Shadows]

Originally Posted by creature6

Are you out of your mind?
i hope you are not serious when you said that.
if there is a McDonald in the Louvre what is going to be next.
instead of doing that shit ,they should have put an old fashion artist cafe with an alcohol licence that serve descent fucking food at a reasonable price .
It sound better than a fucking McDonald.

Originally Posted by skoteinh

I understand where you're coming from, and sure, one might argue that high art and good quality are subjective values, and culture is culture, either way you see it, BUT.

Mc Donalds and The Louvre just don't go together. It's bad taste.

I'm not saying that I support the idea of a McDonald's in the Louvre. As I said above, I hate the place. I was merely pointing out a flaw in Sternn's comment.

[skoteinh]

Originally Posted by Beneath the Shadows

I'm not saying that I support the idea of a McDonald's in the Louvre. As I said above, I hate the place. I was merely pointing out a flaw in Sternn's comment.

Oh... OK. Point taken.

[creature6]

yes i misunderstood what he said.i confess.

[CptSternn]

Originally Posted by Beneath the Shadows

If you're going to define the Louvre as a cultural mecca, then it's the perfect place for a McDonald's, as McDonald's is one of the most recognized cultural icons of 20th century America.

Don't confuse pop culture with actual culture.

Just because you can quote 'The Simpsons' and know what 'truck nuts' are does not mean you know how to enjoy listening to Vivaldi or can appreciate the subtle differences between pointillism and other impressionist works.

Just thinking of this reminds me of the film 'Idiocracy'. Whats next? Women in skimpy bikinis selling sports drink in the lobby?

Brawndo! The thirst mutilator! It's got electrolytes!

[Jaye Jang]

Not to sound classist, but I've been to the Louvre. The idea of juggling a Big Mac while perusing Boticelli's Venus, and ogling the Nike of Samothrace while schlepping down fries -- is just wrong on so many levels. Let's face it, putting a MacDonald's in the Louvre is tantamount to putting a hot dog stand in the Garden of Eden.

[Beneath the Shadows]

Originally Posted by CptSternn

Don't confuse pop culture with actual culture.

You don't think that "actual" culture wasn't at one point pop culture? You think that all the things people consider cultured these days wasn't at one point merely popular? Most people consider Mozart to be part of culture, yet even he wrote a song called "Lick me in the Ass." Yeah. Culture.

[Xombie]

The McDonald's would represent the "American" segment " of a new "food court", and would be situated "among (other) world cuisines and coffee shops," it wrote.

I feel great to be an American.

[KontanKarite]

HAHAA. I think it's necessary. Go for it, McD's!