Why is there no McDonalds in the Cayman Islands? Quite simply because there is already a restaurant called McDonalds Restaurant Bar on the British colony, and they are not selling up! But much like anything, there is always more to the story.
I was 21 when I moved to the Cayman Islands with the intention of trying to find a job. It took me a month of looking, and well the Cayman Islands is not exactly the cheapest place in the world. This meant me discovering the wonderful Wendy’s and their (at the time) dollar menu. To this day I am grateful to Wendy’s Cayman Islands!
Eventually I was to find a job, which meant more money an indeed broadening my culinary world. I was to discover many fine restaurants, as well the fact that Burger King and Pizza Hut had made three way onto the islands. Yet despite the Caymans feeling a bit more like and American than a British colony there was not a McDonalds Cayman Islands in sight? Not that I was particularly hankering for one, but I was interested in knowing why tis was the case.
McDonalds Restaurant and Bar
McDonalds Restaurant and Bar is a small ramshackle place in the middle of Georgetown that serves traditional Caribbean food, such as Jerk chicken and the like. Apparently the owner had been offered money to sell up, but refused to bow down to the evil empire. A cute story right?
Well the reality is a bit more sinsister. Another factor I had noticed as a bartender and patron was that EVERY bar on Grand Cayman sold Pepsi not coke, this would mean that people would order a vodka pepsi by default, something I found all rather strange.
It turns out that one of the biggest families were in charge of not just the pepsi franchise, but also Burger King, meaning it was not in certain vested interests to let the competition in. A situation that has been replicated in Cambodia.
To read about of McDonalds is coming to Cambodia click here.
And that is why despite being one of the most capitals places on earth, you will not be super sizing anything on Grand Cayman anytime soon…..