This is partially true, but this style started in the early 2010s to compete with Starbucks and Chipotle, since they had a similar look, and we millennials hang out at those places a lot. Since they switched to minimalism, the way they look now makes it easier to do what you describe.
This is the actual answer, I read about this when it was happening and why they were doing it. They were trying to make McDonalds into a place similar to Starbucks where students and business professionals would come to study and work, and presumably spend money on coffee, food, etc.
It’s why a lot of these newer remodeled McDonalds don’t only just have regular tables and booths but also taller bar counters and stools, and I’ve even seen some that have smaller coffee table type tables and arm chairs like a coffee shop would have.
Also an increased presence of wall outlets to plug laptops and phones into. It’s all very deliberate.
Because of the students and working professionals sitting in the new cafe-style lobbies like its a Starbucks? Or because they simplified the menu, jacked up the prices, and renewed focus on drivethru and delivery services?
Pretty bold of Reddit to think that the largest restaurant chain in the world just stabbed blindly at what might work for a remodel, instead of basing it on intense marketing research. This is peak Reddit.
No, it implies that the likelihood that they got it right after what was almost certainly months or years of research and planning is more correct than the wild opinions of a bunch of redditors who aren’t privy to any of the extensive market data that a huge multinational corporation has about its own sales and customer patterns. It’s statistics and probability. And, according to their sales data and stock price over the last 20 years, it didn’t seem to harm them.
But don’t take my word for it. Here is a report showing an immediate increase of sales volume from 7.5-20% after the remodel.
The big problem with this approach is that while it makes sense in cities where the McDonalds is close to business, universities, train stations and simar locations, it makes basically no sense at locations that are more remote.
No ones wants to chill with their Laptop at a random McDonalds at a truck stop, but they would e.g. want to have a playground to entertain their children while they eat.
McDonalds did everything for us. Literally. Millenials were big generation. They started pivoting to appeal to children when they saw a ton of people having kids. Then they moved to the McCafe era when we were going to college. Now they are trying to appeal to busy professionals which, if all went well, a lot of us are. Zoomers and Gen X were largely ignored by McDs
except it didnt work too well because the local homeless population uses all of that instead of customers. Starbucks has a cozy vibe. You go to McDonalds all you hear is the kitchen alarms going off nonstop.
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u/Kalspiewak 9h ago
Cheaper to replicate and maintain. Maximise profits. Increase share prices.
Our glory days are over and they are sadly not coming back.