McDonald’s Brings Pasta To Italy Locations

Dubbed “McPasta” by Grubstreet, Italian McDonald’s will get a new dish on their menus. The American food chain will join forces with Italian pasta company Barilla to provide a new take on the Mediterranean diet that continues to grow in popularity. The dish, made with “tuna, tomatoes, peppers, capers and olives, seasoned with a pinch of oregano and salt,” according to McDonald’s, will be on the menu starting May 24.

Roberto Masi of McDonald’s Italia told The Guardian that this new feature on the menu will be “a key step in the process of embracing the tastes, flavors and habits of the Italians.”

According to The Raw Story, McDonald’s parternship with Barilla is aimed at “Italianising” the brand and veering away from a standardized menu. However, locals say that the partnership is just for commercial purposes, and strays away from the culture and food in the country.

With the idea of expanding its market and catering to different people, Barilla is hopeful that the partnership with McDonald’s will help the company gain recognition in the industry. After mastering the baking & pastry arts, founder Pietro Barilla opened his original pasta and bread shop in Parma, Italy, in 1877. The company is now managed and owned by his grandsons.