As part of its ongoing quest to spread the epidemic of obesity sweeping America to other, yet untapped markets of healthier folk the world over, fast food behemoth McDonald's is bringing the gastric pain to the nation of Japan today with the release of the McMega Potato - A 1,142 calorie (!) monstrosity double the size of a regular large fry.





Because this was… necessary? Somehow?



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fries

Though marketed as a limited edition item to be shared amongst "friends," the McMega Potato just seems like another opportunity to encourage unhealthy eating and overindulgence (followed by regret, shame, and self-loathing). A single container of McMega Potato equals nearly half the caloric intake recommended for the average adult in one day, and has more than double the calories of one of McDonald's Big Macs. You could eat FOUR McDonald's Hot Apple Pies and still not hit the number of calories this thing contains. It's basically the most ridiculously gluttonous and absurd thing fast food has ever foisted on the public. (Okay, Burger King's Bacon Sundae aside.)

The folks at Japan Today took the McMega Potato for a test drive:







We got the jump on the official May 24 nationwide release by finding one of the limited locations that began selling the new menu item May 17. After approaching the counter and chickening out several times, we eventually built up the courage to ask for the embarrassingly large Mega size, which, after a longer than average wait, the clerk hefted onto our suddenly tiny-looking tray. …we eyeballed the size difference between it and a standard burger and concluded it's about three times the size.

So maybe people will be too ashamed to buy it? Ehh?

Priced at about $5.00 USD, the McMega Potato isn't much of a bargain, either. Whatever happened to gluttony-encouraging quantity-based discounts, huh McDonalds? Good thing this isn't happening in America (YET!), or there'd almost certainly be public outrage over those economics, boy howdy. I mean, we at least know to expect more food for less money. U-S-A! U-S-A!

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For their part, McDonald's hasn't bothered to defended itself, or the product, overmuch - simply pointing out that "people can at any time make sure that they are not overeating by checking the calorie counts listed on menu boards." Translation: We just concoct this indefensibly unhealthy, high-calorie food, then shamelessly market it, and sell it on every corner of every main street in every nation around the entire world, y'all. *You're* the ones opening your mouths and stuffing it in your gullets. Yeesh.

McDonalds: 1. Everyone Else (But Especially Japan): 0.



-By Tracy Gaughran-Perez



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