McDonald’s, the world’s largest fast food chain, is experiencing a chip shortage in Japan as a result of the worldwide supply chain issue.
The problem at the home of the Big Mac, however, is not a shortage of chips.
The company has stated that supplies of the potatoes used to manufacture its famed French fries are encountering difficulties.
As a result, starting Friday through December 30, it will only offer tiny amounts of its French fries in Japan.
As a preventative move to guarantee customers can continue to enjoy McDonald’s French Fries, McDonald’s Japan will temporarily limit sales of Medium- and Large-sized French Fries.
“Customers will still be able to order Small-sized French Fries at all of our restaurants. To date, there have been no breaks in supply ,” the company told.
McDonald’s claimed the potatoes it uses are usually imported from a port near Vancouver, Canada.
Ships, on the other hand, have been delayed due to flood damage and the pandemic’s influence on the worldwide supply chain.
The company stated in a statement that it will now turn to alternative means, including flying goods to Japan.
This isn’t the first time McDonald’s has been forced to reduce the size of its meals in Japan.
A long-running labour dispute involving 20,000 dockworkers, terminal operators, and shipping lines at 29 ports on the west coast of the United States resulted in a shortage of French fries in 2014.
McDonald’s Japan responded by selling only modest amounts of French fries while flying in 1,000 tonnes of potatoes as an emergency measure.
Separately, McDonald’s said in August that supply concerns were hurting the availability of shakes and bottled drinks at its 1,250 UK locations.
One of the reasons for the delays, according to the company, is a statewide scarcity of lorry drivers: “A number of issues are impacting retailers in the UK at the moment, one of which is the nationwide shortage of HGV drivers.”
Changes in restrictions following the UK’s exit from the European Union worsened a “historic” shortage of drivers, according to the company.
