A McDonald’s outlet in Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, recently underwent a makeover – swapping its iconic golden arches for a traditional, antique-style signboard reading “Mudan Lou” (牡丹楼).

With a red-and-gold plaque, red plastic stools, and old-fashioned palm-leaf fans, the American fast-food chain transformed into what looked like a traditional Cantonese restaurant, leaving the internet amused.

“Mudan Lou” is a long-standing Cantonese nickname for McDonald’s, derived from a phonetic pun. In Cantonese, “McDonald’s” (pronounced Mak Dong Lou) sounds strikingly similar to “Mudan Lou” (Mou Daan Lau), which means “Peony House.”

In an example of localized marketing, McDonald’s turned the long-running meme into a fun, participatory offline event that resonated with Cantonese culture.

On April 18, the McDonald’s outlet in the Xinghuo 1926 mall, located on Datang Street in Guangzhou’s Yuexiu district, officially unveiled a “Mudan Lou” signboard and held a “grand opening” ceremony.

Decked out with elements reminiscent of a 1990s-style Guangzhou street eatery – including enamel cups, slippers, and bamboo baskets – the outlet sparked a wave of social media posts about a local pun becoming reality.

However, the fun did not last long. In the afternoon the same day, the signboard was taken down and the restaurant returned to its normal appearance.

Many netizens who rushed to take photos arrived only to find they had missed the gag, prompting remarks such as: “Just went viral and already closed – McDonald’s really knows something about marketing!”

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Responding to local enthusiasm, McDonald’s re-introduced the flash marketing event at two more locations – the Enning Road branch in Guangzhou’s Liwan district and the Xiaogongyuan branch in Shantou — on April 22.

Signboards reading “Mudan Lou” in a vertical, traditional style were installed beneath the golden arches, along with cultural decoration such as dancing lions and fish lanterns. In a jocular touch, stainless steel plates – typically used in Guangzhou street eateries – were deployed to display jokes and new menu items.

This time, the event will last till May 19.

China Daily photographer Parker Zheng captures playfulness at the “Mudan Lou” McDonald’s in Guangzhou through his lens.