Today, the NYT has a big piece about how traditional cafes all over France are going by the wayside -- all, according to the NYT, because of  "changing attitudes, habits and now a poor economic climate." France's poor economic climate is singled out by the NYT  for the quickening demise of  France's cafes, with the paper quoting one red-eyed cafe owner as saying: “People fear the future, and now with the banking crisis, they are even more afraid. They buy a bottle at the supermarket and they drink it at home.”Yet who do you suppose is doing well all over France? Well, none other than...McDonald's! Or as a recent corporate statement from the all-American food retailer notes:In Europe, strong performance in the U.K., France and Russia and positive results in nearly all other markets drove a comparable sales increase of 9.8%. Unique menu items and promotions as well as everyday value options continue to resonate with customers and drive...(Read Full Post)