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Viennese discovers 28-year-old McDonald's voucher – a nostalgia trip!
A Viennese user discovers a 28-year-old McDonald's voucher from the 90s - a fascinating piece of fast food history.
Viennese discovers 28-year-old McDonald's voucher – a nostalgia trip!
An atypical find is currently attracting everyone's attention: a Viennese Reddit user found a 28-year-old "McDonald's" voucher for a small portion of fries and shared his photo of this relic on social media. This discovery not only sparked nostalgia, but also piqued the interest of the fast food chain, which called the voucher a "great find." The voucher dates back to the early 1990s, when “McDonald’s” took the hearts of burger fans by storm in Austria.
At that time, the chain had opened between 15 and 20 branches in the federal capital since 1986, including at Schwarzenbergplatz and Westbahnhof. “McDonald’s” was particularly popular in the districts of Innere Stadt, Mariahilf, Neubau and Donaustadt. One of the oldest branches has been at Donaustadtstrasse 49 since December 1992.
A little nostalgia
Decades ago, customers were able to receive vouchers for various “McDonald’s” products in the branches, which made the restaurants a popular meeting place for young and old. These vouchers, as nostalgic objects, received new attention on sales platforms such as eBay. A similar voucher for a “McDonald’s voucher advertisement from the 90s” is currently being offered for EUR 1.00. The seller, a private seller from Braunschweig, Germany, offers fast delivery times and has positive reviews from satisfied buyers.
The details of the offer are clearly outlined on the platform: the item is used but in good condition. Buyers can pay conveniently with Klarna and benefit from eBay buyer protection. Regardless of the nostalgia, the demand is obvious as the item already has more than five interested parties.
A look back at marketing mishaps
The 90s were not only characterized by vouchers, but also by striking marketing attempts by the fast food giants. At the time, McDonald's tried to reinvent itself with the Arch Deluxe - a burger that was marketed as an "adult burger." This campaign, which cost more than hundreds of millions of dollars, is now considered one of the biggest marketing fails in the history of the fast food industry. Despite the laudatory tastes of some customers, the pricing was not for everyone, and the understanding of the needs of adult customers was questionable.
The Arch Deluxe was introduced in 1996 while McDonald's wanted to maintain its family-friendly identity. The large number of criticisms ultimately led to many guests not accepting the higher price for the burger. As the example shows, strong marketing cannot always hide customer needs. However, McDonald's learned from this and has since tried to better align its offerings with consumers' wishes.
The recent discovery of a nearly three-decade-old voucher not only brings back memories, but also shows how the fast food sector is changing. Whether nostalgia or future-oriented innovations – one thing is certain: the adventures of “McDonald’s” in Austria are far from over.