I’m Guzzlin’ It: South Korean McDonald’s to Be First in Asia to Sell Beer

Photo: Stocksy

As anyone who has ever made a late-night trip to McDonald’s after an evening of drinking knows: Big Macs and booze go together like fries and ketchup. Now, one South Korean franchise of the mega-chain is seeking to cash in on this perfect pairing by selling beer directly to thirsty customers.

While the location, opening in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province next week, will be the first in Asia to sell beer, the adult beverage has been available at other locations across the globe for years, starting with Germany in 1971. McDonald’s franchises in the Netherlands and Austria also serve brews, and customers in France can purchase beer and wine straight from the drive-thru.

This boozy news comes after other buzzed-about — and somewhat cringeworthy — releases out of Asian branches of the chain, including Japan’s chocolate-covered French fries and the “Modern China Burger” with a distinct ash-colored bun dyed gray with sesame seeds. The South Korean chains are no doubt hoping the introduction of a more conventional commodity — beer — will boost sales and possibly set the stage for further integration of alcoholic beverages into other locations around Asia.

Although there’s been no word that beer will be sold in U.S. locations any time soon, perhaps that sales strategy would help them appeal more to the elusive millennial demographic, or at least to throngs of college kids looking to grab a bite and a brew after a night out.

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