McDonalds has opened its first restaurant in Pakistan's western city of Quetta, but so far, local Taliban commanders aren't that impressed with the fast-food chain's offerings, with one even telling NBC News, "we don't even consider it food."
All items on the menu are halal for religious reasons - Sausage and Egg McMuffins are still on the menu, but are made from chicken sausage. And the McArabia is a shawarma-like wrap that caters to local tastes.
Ehsanullah Ehsan, a spokesman for one of the local Taliban factions in Pakistan, told NBC, "Yes, I know McDonalds and its food but we will never eat it. We don't even consider it as a food. This isn't our food ... We live in the rough, tough mountainous areas and need energy and power to fight against the enemy."
Another said he had once tried McDonalds food, but found it "too expensive" and tasteless. He added that Taliban fighters prefer mutton and rice.
He did concede, however, that it was "good when you are in a hurry and have no access to proper food."
"We know it's an American food company and our religious scholars have forbidden us from consuming any Western food and beverages," the militant went on.
The new McDonalds is located in Quetta's Millennium Mall, in the highly secured Police Lines neighborhood.
Quetta, which has for decades been home to refugees fleeing wars in Afghanistan and militants alike, has slowly stabilized, with violence decreasing more than 60 percent since last year.
