Tamales and egg McMuffin. (Photo/People's Daily Online)

The fast food giant McDonald's recently encountered some trouble in Mexico. An advert for the McBurrito alienated customers in Mexico with its claim that "Tamales are a thing of the past". Even worse, the advert came out just before Candelaria Day (Day of the candles) - it has been a tradition for more than a century to eat tamales on the festival.

McDonald's attempt at light humor turned out to be a disaster. Customers were infuriated by the statement, "I'd rather eat tamales than your horrible rotten products," one customer wrote on Facebook. McDonald's very quickly ended the campaign and apologized to the public.

It was actually the second battle between McDonald's and tamales, a traditional masa-based, leaf-wrapped food. In 2002, when McDonald's was trying to open another shop in Oaxaca, the "Gourmet Capital" of Mexico, citizens voluntarily distribute tamales on the street , in defense of their traditional food. The local government eventually rejected McDonald’s plans.