National Breakfast Day with McDonald's

The things we take for granted: A good breakfast. Wait, make that the folks who sacrifice sleep just so we have food to eat. 

Watch this and weep!

 

Gotta hand it to McDonald's for bringing the sacrifices of our fisherfolk to light.

Speaking of light, in the early morning of March 14, for the fourth year in a row, McDonald's celebrated National Breakfast Day by delighting Filipinos across the country with free McMuffin sandwiches. 

With over 400 stores nationwide who took part in the event, folks trekked to a participating McDonald's store from 6 AM to 7 AM, for their free breakfast treat via dine-in, take-out, and drive-thru. 

McDonald's Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Kenneth S. Yang took the lead in welcoming Filipinos to the much-awaited morning event. McDonald's Chief Happiness Officer Ronald McDonald was also present, along with McDonald’s endorsers and National Breakfast Day ambassadors. 

The brand’s most recent endorsers Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza, popularly known as "AlDub", gave McMuffin sandwiches to customers in McDonald’s Bluebay Walk, Pasay. Other celebrities who were present in different stores around the metro included Xian Lim, Enrique Gil, Janine Gutierrez, and a whole lot more.

"We celebrated our first National Breakfast Day in 2013 to share the goodness of a McDonald's breakfast to more Filipinos," said Yang. 

But the National Breakfast Day experience goes beyond March 14 through a “breakfast surprise.” 

Participating McDonald’s stores nationwide further spread the morning cheer by giving 100 free McMuffin sandwiches to groups or organizations who are unable to enjoy a good breakfast because of their early or different work schedules like security guards, hospital staff, and public school teachers. And yes, the aforementioned fishermen.

Thanks McDonald's for the reminder to appreciate the folks who work ungodly hours. I will pray that  they will be blessed with a hearty breakfast, make that three square meals, every day of their lives!

Berry Make Burgers at McDonald's Kidzania

Technically, Berry is a McDo veteran, with a Kiddie Crew stint under her belt.

But there's nothing like re-learning how to make a McDonald's cheeseburger inside Kidzania, only the coolest place for Berry and her friends these days.

Pay 15 Kidzos to learn how to make a McDonald's cheeseburger, but the kids get to bring their burger home, or eat it right in Kidzania

McDonald's in Kidzania may look like a typical McDonald’s counter, small by regular standards even, but right by the side is a kid-sized kitchen where kids 4 to 14 years old get to learn how to assemble their own McDonald’s Cheeseburger.

McDonald’s President and CEO Kenneth Yang, Alonzo Muhlach, Play Innovations Industry Partner Director Cecille Mariño, and Play Innovations President and CEO Maricel Pangilinan-Arenas formally open McDonald’s Burger Shop with a ribbon-cutting ceremony

All the kids who enter the McDonald's Burger Shop are taught the same procedure that real crew members use in preparing their iconic Cheeseburger every day in over 460 McDonald’s restaurants nationwide.

Berry and friends, putting five dots of mustard on one face of the burger bun

The "training" begins with the burger shop staff requiring the kids to put on a hairnet and an apron, and then briefing them on what they will learn inside.

Before they handle food, they are asked to wash their hands, a lesson in cleanliness and hygiene!

Then the beef of the activity begins - assembling the pure beef patty, a slice of American cheese, tangy pickles, minced onions, 5 dots each of ketchup and mustard, between two toasted buns - kids will find it a lot of fun!

“Making a McDonald’s Cheeseburger is an exciting activity in itself, but the real treat for kids and their parents is the experience and values learned while doing the activity. Together with KidZania, our hope is for kids to learn and appreciate the importance of hard work and responsibility, at the same time building their social skills and self-confidence,” said McDonald’s Philippines President and CEO Kenneth S. Yang.

“KidZania Manila is a place where kids can do big things and let their creativity run free,” said Maricel Pangilinan Arenas, State Governor for KidZania Philippines. “Here, they get to experience how a community operates, discover different careers, and learn while having fun by working closely with real-world brands that they know and love, like McDonald’s.” 

I might as well let you know too that there's a real McDonald's restaurant right at Park Triangle, on the ground floor close to the Kidzania entrance, and right across the LEGO store. Just in case you're jonesing for a full on meal after following the kids as they navigate the fun maze that is Kidzania.

KidZania Manila is located at Park Triangle, Bonifacio Global City. Open from 9AM-4PM on Mondays to Thursdays, and 9AM-2PM and 3PM-8PM on Fridays to Sundays. For more information, visit http://manila.kidzania.com. 

While at Kidzania, drop by McDonald’s Burger Shop and share your photos at McDonald’s official Facebook page, https://facebook.com/mcdo.ph. KidZanians may also tag @McDo_PH on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #McDoatKidZania. 

McDonald’s takes the fun outside their shops too, providing an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of kids in need through the Ronald McDonald House Charities or RMHC. For every purchase of a McDonald’s Happy Meal, 50 centavos is donated to RMHC in support of its flagship programs, Ronald McDonald Read To Learn and Ronald McDonald Bahay Bulilit.