Mon Dieu! Prêt-à-Burger

The New York Times reports that the American hamburger and cheeseburger have swept Paris this summer. That's right. It's not just in quick food places but even in restaurants run by three-star chefs. You can read the article at The Times--be sure to view the slide show, too.

Update: We've just learned that France and Europe's taste for McDonald's is on the rise, too. BusinessWeek.com reports that--thanks to an overhaul by the first non-American president of the European operations--"Europe is now McDonald's largest region by revenues, despite having roughly one-quarter the number of outlets as the U.S." Innovations in Europe have affected the menu, the facilities, and the service, all while staying true to McDonald's American roots. Reportedly, the transformations in Europe are so successful that the company is thinking about importing them to the U.S. (Thanks to Ev Koelling for this update.)