Serving Up the McDictionary

The Golden Arches are said to be more widely recognized than a Christian cross. All thanks to Ronald McDonald.

McDonald's represents capitalistic imperialism at its best, pushing hamburglars and cheeseburglars into countries where people used to value things like kosher products, low-fat foods and vegetarianism. And the xenophobic clown won't be stopped.

Still, with more than 26,000 restaurants worldwide, they're obviously doing something right. Besides stepping on toes in other countries, they also create items adapted to different cultures. In Hong Kong, they have things called the Curry Potato Pie, Shake Shake Fries and a Red Bean Sunday. In Italy, they have four salads: Marinara, with shrimp and salmon; Vegetariana; Mediterranea; and Fiordiriso, with rice, tuna, ham and mushrooms. In Japan, they have the Teriyaki McBurger, which is sausage on a bun with teriyaki sauce. In the Netherlands, they have the McKroket, a burger made of beef ragout with a crispy layer around it, topped with a mustard/mayonnaise sauce. Switzerland serves a Vegi Mac.

Yes, that redheaded clown has bought and sold his way into the hearts of billions.

But to some, McDonalds is an evil empire. They market unhealthy, fat-packed, fiber-filled food to small children through their grease-painted spokesman and toy-strewn happy meals. They produce ungodly amounts of waste. And more cows die for your Big Mac attacks than for any other company.

McDonalds has restaurants in 120 different countries and serves a whopping 29 million people a day. But here's something you may not have known: They also own 131 different words and phrases--including such surprises as "Black History Makers of tomorrow" and "Healthy Growing Up." They've trademarked them so no one else can use them. We've copied them off the McDonalds Web site to show you that if we're not careful, McDonalds may someday own the McWorld. Literally.

According to the Web site, "(t)he following trademarks used herein are owned by the McDonald's Corporation and its affiliates:

1-800-MC1-STCK; Always Quality. Always Fun; America's Favorite Fries; Arch Deluxe; Automac; Big Mac; Big N'Tasty; Big Xtra!; Birdie, the Early Bird and Design; Bolshoi Mac; Boston Market; Cajita Feliz; Changing The Face of The World; Chicken McGrill; Chicken McNuggets;

Chipolte Mexican Grill; Cuarto De Libra; Did Somebody Say; Donatos Pizza; emac digital; Egg McMuffin; Extra Value Meal; Filet-O-Fish; French Fry Box Design; Gep Op Mac; Golden Arches; Golden Arches Logo; Good Jobs For Good People; Good Times. Great Taste; Gospelfest; Great Breaks; Grimace and Design; Groenteburger; HACER; Hamburglar and Design, Hamburger University, Happy Meal, Happy Meal Box Design, Have You Had Your Break Today?;

Helping Hands Logo; Hey, It Could Happen!; Iam Hungry and Design; Immunize for Healthy Lives; Lifting Kids To A Better Tomorrow; Mac Attack; Mac Tonight and Design; McDonald's Racing Team Design; Made For You; McBaby; McBacon; McBurger; McBus; McCafe; McChicken; McDia Feliz; MCDirect Shares; McDonaldland; McDonald's; McDonald's Earth Effort; McDonald's Earth Effort Logo; McDonald's Express; McDonald's Express Logo; McDonald's Is Your Kind of Place; McDonald's Means Opportunity; McDouble; McDrive; McExpress; McFamily; McFlurry; McFranchise; McGrilled Chicken; McHappy Day; McHero; McJobs; McKids; McKroket; McMaco; McMemories; McMenu; McMusic; McNifica; McNuggets; McNuggets Kip; McOz; McPlane; McPollo; McPrep; McRecycle USA; McRib; McRoyal; McScholar; McScholar of the Year; McSwing; McWorld;

Mighty Wings; Millennium Dreamers; Morning Mac; Quarter Pounder; Ronald McDonald and Design; Ronald McDonald House; Ronald McDonald House Charities; Ronald McDonald House Charities Logo; Ronald McDonald House Logo; Ronald Scholars; Sausage McMuffin; Single Arch Logo; Speedee Logo; Super Size; The House That Love Built; The House That Love Built Design; twoallbeefpattiesspecialsaucelettucecheesepicklesoniononasesameseedbun; We Love to See You Smile; What's On Your Place; When the U.S. Wins You Win; World Famous Fries; You Deserve a Break Today."