McDonald's Extreme McMakeover stupidity

May 5, 2006
McDonald's has decided that a redesign of their fast-food franchise restaurants was needed for the 21st century because the existing McDonalds look is "too dated". Dated? Try an American Icon! Don't mess with an American icon. According to Business Week, the world's largest hamburger chain is redesigning its 30,000 eateries around the globe for the first time in 30 years.

McDonalds Redesign

Look at the picture above of the redesign. No more double-slanted roof? No more cheesy plastic booths that while uncomfortable are are part of my childhood memories.



The nostalgia will be forever lost with this redesign. They're adding more wood instead of plastic to "warm" it up.  The "linger" zone will offer comfortable armchairs, sofas, and Wi-Fi connections which they hope will keep teenagers "lingering" around. Funny, growing up, every McDonalds I ever visited had teenagers hanging out inside or in the parking lot on weekends, so I'm not sure how they will increase the "lingering" effect.

In all of this redesign, kids seems to be excluded. From what I gather the playground or indoor playyard will be eliminated. Young kids will no doubt see McDonald's as "boring". McDonald's is alienating a demographic that made it what is today. Every parent takes their kids to McDonald's because their kids want to go there. The fun is gone...

Additionally, many franchisees up in arms over the high costs of a makeover which will cost them $300,000 - $400,000 to renovate an existing restaurant, which is the average yearly profit for a McDonalds franchise. To tear down and start from scratch would cost $1 million. According to BW, "the franchisees will have to pay for the renovations themselves, which has some of them seething."  About 160 franchisees from North Carolina wrote Mcdonalds headquarters and explained why they oppose the new plan. According to BW: They say the roof change erases 40 years of brand building and that "there has been no business case presented which justifies the change." Says Frederick Huebner, who owns 11 McDonald's in North Carolina: "We don't want to lose the iconic look of what we've got." If franchisees balk, McDonald's can refuse to renew their contract.

McDonald's needs to realize what and who they are. They are a fast-food chain with good food that is bad for your health. They're not Starbucks, they're not Mortons or Ruth Chris Steakhouse, so why mess with a good formula?

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Comments to McDonald's Extreme McMakeover stupidity


  1. Michael :
    May 5, 2006 5:30 PM

    If I were a kid, I would care.

    But since I'm NOT, this is pretty exciting.


  1. Rich Tehrani :
    May 5, 2006 6:28 PM

    McDonald's needs to realize what and who they are. They are a fast-food chain with good food that is bad for your health. They're not Starbucks, they're not Mortons or Ruth Chris Steakhouse, so why mess with a good formula?

    ---

    Tom: the best answer to this question IMHO is that 30 years ago McDonalds or anyone else for that matter would not believe we would pay more for a cup of coffee than we do for a meal of hamburger, fries and Coke. This isn’t lost on McDonalds who would likely want to raise prices to generate more profit. A new look would make this easier to do. People like the atmosphere in Starbucks. This is part of why they can justify spending so much money. Imagine how much more they might spend in McDonalds if they liked the atmosphere there as well!


  1. VoIP Phone Service :
    May 6, 2006 3:23 AM

    And kids are now changed and have became more hifi and technocrats....And for we young guns its really excitiong. Change is necessary otherwise you feels bored. Now McDs should shed their child icon image and grow up now
    http://www.voipphone-service.blogspot.com


  1. Tom Keating[TypeKey Profile Page] :
    May 6, 2006 2:25 PM

    >>And kids are now changed and have became more hifi and technocrat

    Agreed, and I'm not opposed to WiFi in McDonald's or adding a lounge section. But you can add a WiFi router to a McDonald's without tearing off the famous double-slanted roof and forcing franchises to spend $300,000 - $400,000 to do it.

    Also, I'm not as opposed to modernizing the interior as I am ripping off the roofs just to change the style. That's just overkill and unnecessary. Leave the nostalgia of the building's outside design and just update the interior. Seems like a good compromise to me.

    >>And for we young guns its really excitiong.

    Wait till you have kids and they tell you they'd rather go to Burger King because they are kid-friendly. I don't know about you, but when I'm going to eat fast food I much prefer McDonalds over Burger King. Alas, my kid will be dictating we go to Burger King instead, whose fries suck IMO.sad


  1. PhoneBoy :
    May 7, 2006 6:06 PM

    One of my local McD's went through this extreme makeover. They didn't lose the kid area, they expanded it. In addition to just the typical jungle gym/slide thingie, they created a toddler area, added a kid-size air hockey game, and a kid-sized basketball game.

    Anyway, the new restaurant looks pretty nice. Unfortunately, the food is what really needs the extreme makeover.smile


  1. Tom Keating[TypeKey Profile Page] :
    May 8, 2006 10:56 AM

    Thanks for the heads-up PhoneBoy that it will still be kid-friendly. I have a 17 day old and will want to take her to McD's when she is older.

    >>Unfortunately, the food is what really needs the extreme makeover.

    agreed. Except the fries. Don't mess with McD's fries. Greasy, salty, cholesterol-filled, crunchy, potato goodness - just the way it should be!


  1. PhoneBoy :
    May 8, 2006 4:54 PM

    McD's French Fries, when piping hot, are second to none. That doesn't make them any better for you unfortunately.smile


  1. Cope :
    May 8, 2006 6:37 PM

    Am I the only one who thinks it may be a good thing that McDonald's is potentially alientating kids?

    www.soweirdproductions.com/images/too_many_happy_meals.jpg


  1. David Humphrey :
    January 19, 2007 4:08 PM

    Amen.
    They sell cheap burgers, as a college student that's where I go for cheap ( and I underscore cheap) food.

    Getting a cup of coffee is classy, its not a meal, its a transition to conversation; McDonalds needs to recognize that when the franchise famous for food on the run (FAST FOOD) tries to change its business model in the guise of a redesign they are weakening their attractiveness to business owners.

    Franchisees want predictability; I understand the drive for higher profits but those profits come from speed; don't re-brand yourself, buy a subsidiary. I will never say to a client or boss: hey, lets grab a 7 dollar hamburger and go over business earnings

    This is monumentally stupid.


  1. haley :
    November 7, 2007 11:58 AM

    all that i was wondering was how much fucking money they make maybe you should tell me how much they do!


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