Would you like some fries with that Big Mac or would you prefer just to go down the street and get yourself an empanada?

It seems like a very unlikely situation, but McDonald’s can now add the country of Bolivia where it came and attempted to conquer the food market and to its chagrin was tossed out. Hardly the exported American dream story it may have hoped for when it opened its first store 14 years ago.

hispanicallyspeaking: After 14 years in the nation and despite many campaigns and promos McDonald’s was forced to close its 8 Bolivian restaurants in the major cities of La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

McDonald’s served its last hamburgers in Bolivia Saturday at midnight, after announcing a global restructuring plan in which it would close its doors in seven countries with poor profit margins.

With over 33 000 stores (see map below) worldwide one could suppose that 8 less would hardly make a difference to the world’s largest food vendor’s bottom line. Though what may be at stake isn’t so much the immediate bottom line of the behemoth food chain but the fact that Bolivia represents the only Latin American country to exist without a McDonalds (and perhaps going forward not the only one?) which could inspire a revolt amongst other nations who equate the chain as low brow fast food that leads to health problems or worse American imperialism- something that has never gone down too well with the locals in Bolivia if one judges the leftist stance taking by as some would argue the belligerent Evo Morales, the leader of Bolivia who hasn’t hidden his disdain for private American interests and hegemony in the past, especially his outspoken stance on cocoa production and American politics.

McDonald’s served its last hamburgers in Bolivia Saturday at midnight, after announcing a global restructuring plan in which it would close its doors in seven countries with poor profit margins.

The failure of McDonald’s in Bolivia had such a deep impact in the company’s Creative and Marketing staff, that they produced a documentary titled “Why did McDonald’s Bolivia go Bankrupt,” trying to explain why did Bolivians never crossed-over from empanadas to Big Macs.

Within the (Spanish speaking) video, cooks, vendors, sociologists, nutritionists are all asked what brought McDonald’s demise, with one commentator reflecting that the large food vendor didn’t make the type of food that most Bolivians would consider good food. After all he continues, to be a good meal, the food has to be prepared with love, dedication, certain hygiene standards and proper cooking time- hardly the virtues that a fast food vendor with imperialistic aspirations is instilled with, at least in a nation that has by now taken a solid stance against what it perceives to be the meddling and cynical aspirations of American entities.

Going forward it will be interesting to watch how other American fast food vendors like Hungry Jacks fares in Bolivia (opened in 2002) or whether they too will have to close their stores?

McDonald’s worker accused of beating 2 female customers to be set free.

Police seek 13 year old suspect after 5 year old girl is raped at McDonald’s.

Sometimes the best part about McDonalds are the gimmicks….

PASSING POLICE OFFICER HELPS WOMAN GIVE BIRTH IN A MCDONALD’S BATHROOM.

MCDONALD’S MANAGER PUNCHES CUSTOMER IN THE FACE FOR BRINGING SERVICE DOG INSIDE.

McDonalds fires employee who shot video of transgender being beaten into a seizure.

Did you manage to get into a brawl and then run over by a car while you waited to fill out your employment application at McDonald’s today?

Have you tried McDonald’s newest offering?

MCDONALD’S INTIMIDATES ITS EMPLOYEES INTO VOTING FOR REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

ISN’T IT TIME YOU HAD A MCDONALD’S GREEK MAC TOO?

MCDONALD’S TO HOLD FAST FOOD WEDDINGS IN HONG KONG

MCDONALD’S SEX TRADE IS BOOMING.

MCDONALDS WANTS TO KILL US!

MCDONALDS INSISTS ON CONFUSING AMERICA.

COMING, TO FRANCE’S DISMAY- MCDONALDS!