American fast food conglomerate McDonald's will be serving up hot espresso and French pastries in new coffee house-style McCafe branches throughout Israel.
A kosher McCafe is already operational at Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport, offering take-out fare.
New McCafes in Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, and other locations, will feature comfortable seating, porcelain dishes, and French pastries imported from the factory which supplies European McCafes. Most of the locations will be located adjoining regular McDonald's restaurants.
Israeli McCafe shops will try to compete with Israeli espresso bar chains by undercutting the local businesses with lower prices.
Due to the Arab League boycott of Israel, McDonald's did not open in Israel until 1993, when they opened their first branch in the Ayalon Mall in Ramat Gan.
While some Israeli McDonald's restaurants flout Jewish law by serving milk and meat together or remaining open for sales on the Sabbath or Jewish holidays, kosher McDonald's restaurants can be found in several locations throughout Israel.