Dining out during corona times is such a dilemma.  Yet, we wanted some normalcy, some statement that things would be Ok. Mc Donald’s in Kolkata or Delhi or any other place is our go-to option when we are hungry and confused. We wanted to get a delivery of the new Big Hug Burgers from Mc Donald’s but had never been more confused in our lives. Was Mc Donald’s safe during COVID in India?

This is a first and we had to post about it.

We had been totally avoiding the outside during COVID. We had not stayed indoors but also avoided outside food during corona. This worked well in terms of the pocket, but piled up high on food boredom. We would miss the simple delights at our go-to Mc Donald’s in Delhi, Connaught Place. In this corona social distancing phase, they have come up with Big Hug Burgers with double patty variants in their popular items like McAlooTikki, McVeggie, McChicken, McSpicy Paneer, McSpicy Chicken and Filet-O-Fish, which include two patties hugging each other tightly. But we refrained. Is it safe to eat restaurant food during COVID 19 pandemic? Is Mc Donald’s safe during COVID in India? We were battling these questions when we took a deep breath.

We did some research – does corona spread through food? The answer was a unanimous no.  Corona was a respiratory disease that could spread from face to face contact with people carrying the virus. So food, per se, was incapable of causing a corona infection.

Feeling a little positive, we delved deeper and came across an online copy of a news article on Economic Times. It was about Mc Donald’s contactless delivery procedure that they had developed in India to overcome risks from corona. Apparently, Mc Donald’s food preparation process is not touched by bare hands from their kitchen till delivery. To ensure social distancing and safe delivery, the sealed food packages are kept at a pre-decided spot in front of the recipient’s address and the Mc Donald’s delivery guy watches from a safe distance till the package is duly collected. Reassuring, we thought. And we felt it was time to give the Big Hug Burgers a shot.

Last Friday evening, we decided to do a weekend dinner the way it was meant to be done. A first in last 5 months, we got a delivery of a selection of the Big Hug Burgers from Mc Donald’s. To err on the side of caution, we had given an early 6 pm time. Brownie-points that the delivery package was dropped at the doorstep before that.  The package was collected and as we unwrapped the food bags, our eyes lit up with joy. This was our way of making life come back to normal; for declaring yes we need to be safe, but we did not need to be afraid.

We chose the Big Hug Burgers because these were new. Moreover, there seemed to be a poignant thought behind this item that they had developed in this new world of COVID dos and don’ts.

Everyone has been missing someone out there in these last few months of isolation and quarantine. It could be your parents or children or siblings or close friends or even colleagues, there is someone you would have wanted to visit and hug. But in today’s world, hugs are a BIG NO. In such background, the Big Hug Burgers had been conceived keeping in mind people’s yearning for hugging their loved ones in the new norm of social distancing.

Call it a marketing device or a timely promotional strategy; we respect the sentiment behind it. It is something that touched the softer emotions in our minds.  It reminded us of our dear ones who we had been majorly missing in the last months.

Now, the first impression of the Big Hug Burgers was like our eyes popping out! The burgers were really big and we doubted if the children could finish one whole burger each.  Our apprehension was laid to rest soon. They started their Big Hug Mc Spicy Chicken Burgers with gusto and savoured every bite. It took them some time and effort though. The two patties were squeezed together in a single burger making the item rather heavy. We also tried the Big Hug Mc Veggie and Mc Aloo Tikki Burgers. They were filled with the familiar taste of Mc Donald’s that we were so missing all these months. The unique experience of the melt in the mouth mayonnaise that they add helped the patties and bread combination slide down the throat while leaving a lingering taste in the mouth. The veggies inside helped to supply the necessary crunch. A word of caution though, the double patty burgers are really filling so you might want to think twice before you order generously.

While we had got our Mc Donald’s burgers delivered, we saw Mc Donald’s in Kolkata and Delhi and many other places were operating their restaurants. Apparently, they have introduced the Global ‘Safety+’ program that includes nearly 50-plus process changes in the restaurant operations. We are told Safety+ is a Global system of enhanced hygiene and safety practices that help ensure that the McDonald’s experience is safe for its customers and employees.

Which augurs very well for us for the following reason. Whenever we travel to a new place, in India or overseas, we love to try the local cuisine. But till we can familiarize ourselves with the new city and do our recce about what food would we want to try, a known zone like Mc Donald’s keeps us well fed in terms of the tummy and the soul. This is one brand that has stood the test of time and we are happy that they are standing the present testing times with sensitivity and preparedness.

A Big Hug Burger to all our dear friends and followers 🙂  Wish you a safe and sane run this season.