Food trucks are everywhere in Austin. And now, there's a new kid in town.
That new kid is McDonald's, the fast-food juggernaut and 2015 South by Southwest sponsor. As if people couldn't get any more cynical about South by becoming one giant playground for brands, the Golden Arches has settled right smack dab in the middle of it all with its own food truck—which is actually more of a food big rig, as this thing dwarfs any food truck you've ever seen.
We went to the McDonald's activation, just steps from the convention center, and found out what this thing was all about. Proving everything is indeed bigger in Texas, the sizable footprint takes up the corner of 4th and Red River Streets in downtown Austin.
We asked patrons—some local, some from out of town, even some international folks—about their experience. Take a look at the video above.
But before it opened on Sunday, we asked the local food trucks—some of whom had several vehicles in different locations—what they thought of the idea, and how it could impact local business and culture. Reactions were mixed, but it's safe to say many folks were surprised, at least, by the news.
One food truck operator sounded off: "McDonald's benefits no one, at all—in any way. It's really shitty food. McDonald's is crippling in every sense, and to see them trying to get in on something that is completely counter to what they are is just kind of gross."
Hear what others thought in the video above.