What's behind all these fast food chain makeovers?
On this day last week, McDonald’s Canada officially announced what many diners of the restaurant already knew: it’s undergoing a makeover.
Indeed, as several of the fast food chain’s locations have undergone fancy renovations of late, the restaurant publicly admitted it’d be spending $1 billion to renovate and refurbish most of its 1,400 Canadian outlets.
To the newly-redesigned restaurants will be Wi-Fi access, fireplaces, flat-screen TVs, stone and tile accents and improved seating. They will be, in the goal of the corporation, places you’ll feel comfortable staying long after your meal.
Well, on the heels of McDonald’s’ announcement, it looks like another storied fast food chain is remodelling. Save for her glorious head of hair, you may not recognize Wendy much longer.
Out of the U.S. comes news that Wendy’s will debut four new redesigned locations across the country. The four renovated restaurants will feature unique designs, from which a standard template will be selected based on customer feedback and market research.
*Bing: What’s the healthiest item on McDonald’s’ menu?
The redesigns will include many of the modern-chic staples McDonald’s will make standard at its restaurants: plenty of natural light, varied seating, including high-top bar-style chairs, café-style booths, upholstered chairs surrounding a fireplace, as well digital menu boards and a remodelled line system, meant to queue customers against the wall in an open concept, as opposed to the rat maze filter system traditional to Wendy’s.
On the surface, such fast food remodels are cosmetic changes, but make no mistake about it. They’re rooted in the fear of the obsolete.
The Vancouver Sun notes that McDonald’s has been losing ground to Tim Hortons for nearly a decade, after the coffee shop revamped its menu to include more breakfast and lunch options.
So to battle stagnation, then, the McDonald’s’ and Wendy’s’ of Canada (though no Canadian renovations have been announced) are being forced to adapt and spend billions to draw the public back in. It is a restaurant redesign as much as it is an image redesign.
Are you more likely to visit a McDonald’s or Wendy’s if the interior aesthetics are more pleasant? What do you make of the new redesigns at McDonald’s?
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
*Photo courtesy QSRWeb.com.
Posted by: John | Sep 15, 2021 5:02:02 PM
I couldn't care less about the interior aestetics. What has that got anything to do with quality of or service? I haven't seen any of the new redesigns, because I won't be duped into going to one, unless I was starving to death and there was absolutely no other place to go, and I had left my hunting gear at home.
Posted by: RICK MOORE | Sep 17, 2021 11:01:53 AM
After reading EAT TO LIVE, I made life style changes to live longer. All the comforts in the world from fireplaces to comfy chairs wont change the fact that FAST FOOD INDUSTRY still offers NO nutritional value to anyone. I suggest buy the book, go and sit in a comfy chair by their Fireplace and read. Chances are you may be like me and would never return.
Posted by: norm | Sep 18, 2021 1:58:18 PM
These companys can dress up their restaurants all they want and advertise nice looking burgers
but when you go there and the service sucks and you open the little box or wrapper and it looks like someone sat on it.You just lost a customer.(or thousands)
Posted by: reemarx | Sep 18, 2021 7:14:05 PM
Just tried Burger King after new owners. Advertising FREE medium pop FREE med fries if you pay for a RINGMASTER BURGER. Guess what? The bill came to $7.92 anyway. Heck of a deal, nice try guys but thats not how you attract and keep customers!
Posted by: Byron | Sep 19, 2021 12:59:28 PM
I'm not a frequent fast food (burger chain) restaurant customer, maybe 3 to 6 times a year. However, I must say over the last 30 years I have always had pleasant services. I always am amazed by the low pay, no tips wait staff with their enthusiasm and smiles! These hard working people have my total respect.
Posted by: I'm in the Food Business | Sep 19, 2021 1:45:49 PM
I have the opportunity to know everything about the food industry. While I do not frequent fast food places, there isn't much diff in quality of food between them and other Ma/Pa establishments except for the hamburgers. A little more filler in them but much safer than the ground beef being handled at some Ma/Pa Rest - in some cases.
The Golden Arches have always been the Market Leaders in terms of foodservice purchases. For instance, for every out of the home purchase (not including grocery stores) a person makes on food, McD was the leader at 6.6% of all purchases while Subway was second at approx. 3.2%. That was the stat in Canada for the longest time. Along came Tim Horton's. Would you believe that Tim's has a share of 26.4% vs. 3.8% for McD? If you consider those who purchase a coffee every morning at Tim's, that counts for 7 purchases. McD is the leader in the US because Tim's has not penetrated much. McD is putting up a battle ground now in the US & Canada to attract some of that business back. That's why McD offers a much better quality coffee. However, Canadians are creatures of habit which Tim's will continue to benefit. The refurbished stores won't do much.