Another fact not mentioned, is that Argentina's government pressured McDonalds to lie on the price of the Big Mac as to appear lower on the chart of the Economist's Big Mac Index (http://www.economist.com/node/21542808).
The Big Mac combo in Argentina is AR$21.50 (approx USD$4.90) and the next cheapest combo is around USD$8.50.
Another funny fact is that one of the USD 8.50 combos is the "Triple Mac", which is basically a Big Mac featuring yer another slice of meat on top of the lowest one. One can build his own "Triple Mac" for arround USD 7 by buying a Big Mac and another hamburger.
Also FYI no official information about the government really regulating the Big Mac price is available... only rumors. Both the government and McDonalds deny theiy have engaged in talks regarding the Big Mac price, McDondalds alludes they are only segmenting the market to allure to cheapskates and the lower substrates of the market. I'm not defending the government here, only telling what I found out.
Well nobody recorded the conversation... But what I just realized this week directly is that I can't find certain very important medications because the same minister (Moreno) stopped importation of foreign elements. So... if he stopped critical imports related to health I can only think that the big mac story is real.
Also, Mc Donalds will be harmed if they recognize it, this is the reality.
Indeed the typical big mac (two hamburgers) doesn't appear in the big photos just in a little menu in small letters. There is then another big mac combo with three hamburgers with the real price but because is not "the real big mac" it is not part of The Economist index.
A federal judge, following orders of president Cristina Kirchner, ordered MD to remove it from the menu. They are trying to hide the inflation rate while they spend all the money from the federal reserve. Once that money is gone, the economy collapses once more. Ah, and Cristina Kirchner doesn't care what we say here, she knows very well that the people who voted for her in this past elections (54%) don't know how to read (English, of course).
Kragen, I agree it is much more Latin American in the social aspect, but definitely not in the way of doing business and it is much safer to live in as well.
Miami's murder rate is 19 murders per 100 000 people per year. Buenos Aires's is under 5. Therefore, it is much safer to live in Buenos Aires. That's another way that Miami is more Latin American.
I haven't tried to do business in Miami, so you might be right about that.
Ditto. I'm Diego, founder/CEO of Flaptor (and friend of llopatin). I lived and worked in the Bay Area for several years (the first .com cycle) and then started Flaptor in Buenos Aires. I'll be happy to share my experiences, my email is in my profile.
