Author Topic: McDonald's Future in Question  (Read 26156 times)

Hawkmoon

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #50 on: January 31, 2015, 10:24:15 AM »
A lot of the franchisees complain about the growth of the menu.  Too many marginal products they are required to produce.  Then there is the complain about HQ marketing stunts that have no known purpose (free coffee, fer instance).  McD lost its founding vision for any number of  reasons.  Press I've been reading says McD will go back to its roots.

Too many products for the franchisee, and too many for the customer. It has been years since you could look on the overhead menu and see every available product listed. A few recently-renovated stores now use digital menu boards, so the display can scroll through the entire menu -- but (at least around here) those are few and far between.

Another annoying trait is lack of menu consistency from one store to another. The value menu includes a "McDouble," which is a double cheeseburger but with only one slice of cheese rather than two. To shave a couple more calories, I usually order a McDouble and tell than to hold the cheese. The store nearest home does that -- and they charge me for a McDouble. Last price I remember was $1.19, but it may have gone up.

If I go to the McD's nearest to work and ask for a McDouble with no cheese, the order taker always says, "Oh, you want a double hamburger" -- or else doesn't say anything and rings up a double hamburger. The price for that is $0.99. Go back to the one near home and ask for a double hamburger and they tell me there is no such thing.

The one near home offers sundaes in chocolate, caramel and strawberry. Another, newer one a few miles in the other direction doesn't have strawberry sundaes.

Not insurmountable once I learn the foibles of the individual stores, but it's very annoying away from my home turf when the menu isn't the same as what I'm accustomed to. I understand that, due to rent, taxes, and perhaps food costs the price for any menu item may vary by a few cents from one location to another, but the actual menu choices should be uniform.

It was much easier when all they sold was a burger, fries and a shake. The McDonald's ad jingle when I was in high school was, "Forty five cents for a three course meal? Sounds to me like that's a steal. ... AAAAAT McDonald's."

The three course meal, of course, was a burger, fries, and shake.
« Last Edit: January 31, 2015, 04:29:29 PM by Hawkmoon »
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K Frame

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #51 on: January 31, 2015, 01:52:49 PM »
"If I go to the McD's nearest to work and ask for a McDouble with no cheese, the order taker always says, "Oh, you want a double hamburger" -- or else doesn't say anything and rings up a double hamburger. The price for that is $0.99. Go back to the one near home and ask for a double hamburger and they tell me there is no such thing."

Could be different franchisees running the two places.

Over 80% of McCrappie's are franchisee owned/run, and they have some leeway in what they can serve and in how they operate.

Many of the truly successful McDonald's products have been developed by franchise owners, the most famous of which is the Big Mac.
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just Warren

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #52 on: January 31, 2015, 04:29:03 PM »
The Burger King nearest me is one of those places that is consistently off. The uniforms are spotty and stained, even the managers. Plus shirts are untucked or half-tucked and some of the employees wear their pants low. The tables are indifferently cleaned. The drink machine is always out of something and usually more than one thing. There are always flies in the place and the service is slow.

I complained a few times via the website but since nothing ever changed I've stopped going there. I wonder how many other people made the same decision and if it's a lot of people how does it manage to keep going?

The local Jack-in-the Box almost always smells like dirty mop water so I don't go there.

Wendy's is okay.

Popeye's sucks. Their food is so bland  I wonder just what the "Louisiana" part means in the commercials.

In-n'-Out is good.

McDonald's menu is too large. At one point they had like six salad options. Who cares about salads at a burger joint? They are trying to be all things to all people and it ain't working.

I like Taco Bell. I think the sauce they use for their bean burritos is made with addictive ingredients. But they too, have a menu that is absurdly large.

Arby's is the absolute worst. Lowest price/enjoyment ratio of any fast food place I've been too.

COSTCO's food court $1.50 dog and a drink special is  an excellent value as is their huge slice of pizza for only $2.

Subway is meh. Slightly overpriced bland ingredients on a bland bun sandwich.

We have our local places as well including a Philly cheese steak place that makes "authentic" cheese steak sandwiches. Well, if these are authentic then I don't know what all the hoopla is about because they are not that great. I prefer Steak-Ums to that place.

We have a locally owned burger chain and the food is good but if you add too many toppings to your burger you find yourself paying a lot of money. I mean I like Ortega chilis but not at $2 for one. So we wait for coupons to arrive before we go there.
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Hawkmoon

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #53 on: January 31, 2015, 04:36:15 PM »
Could be different franchisees running the two places.

Over 80% of McCrappie's are franchisee owned/run, and they have some leeway in what they can serve and in how they operate.

I understand that, but it doesn't work. If they want to allow a franchisee to experiment with a new product, that's one thing. A product that's available in every McDonald's in the universe should have the same name everywhere. Two burger patties on a bun is a double hamburger, I can get it in any McDonald's, so I should not have to call it one thing in one restaurant and call it something else in a restaurant ten miles away. And to get a double hamburger I should not have to pay for the cheese they don't put on it.

As to the sundaes, if McDonald's is going to offer three flavors in most restaurants, they should offer three flavors in all restaurants.

When you buy a McDonald's franchise, you buy a franchise to sell McDonald's menu. It should be the same everywhere. That's the point of selling franchises.
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Ben

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #54 on: January 31, 2015, 04:43:28 PM »

COSTCO's food court $1.50 dog and a drink special is  an excellent value as is their huge slice of pizza for only $2.

If I were homeless, I'd panhandle just enough to afford an annual Costco membership, then live off the free samples inside the store and the stuff at the food court.
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Perd Hapley

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #55 on: January 31, 2015, 07:01:12 PM »
I prefer Steak-Ums to that place.

What-ums?  ???


Many of the truly successful McDonald's products have been developed by franchise owners, the most famous of which is the Big Mac.

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #56 on: January 31, 2015, 07:20:42 PM »
Now that I think about it, Whataburger is everywhere down here, but I don't think it get much out of the Texas Gulf Coast.  Good franchise.  Good food.

Stephenville, Granbury, all over D/FW.  I don't remember how prevalent they are farther west, but they definitely extend well north of the Gulf Coast.

Perd Hapley

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #57 on: January 31, 2015, 07:21:19 PM »
Stephenville, Granbury, all over D/FW.  I don't remember how prevalent they are farther west, but they definitely extend well north of the Gulf Coast.

Killeen.
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just Warren

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #58 on: January 31, 2015, 07:27:42 PM »
White Castle has opened a store in Vegas. They were selling 4000 sliders an hour and had to close to resupply.
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Doggy Daddy

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #59 on: January 31, 2015, 07:50:00 PM »
White Castle has opened a store in Vegas. They were selling 4000 sliders an hour and had to close to resupply.

Maybe they'll get the hint and open one off-Strip.  There are very few things that I'll battle the Strip for (Yo, Scout!).  Since I can get Ratburgers at the grocery store and nuke-em at home, I have no need to go there.  But, I probably will when/if they slow down a bit, just to say I was there.
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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #60 on: January 31, 2015, 09:07:48 PM »
I've only had the freezer variety myself but I'm told there is a huge difference in quality.

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Perd Hapley

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #61 on: January 31, 2015, 10:03:42 PM »
I've only had the freezer variety myself...

I am occasionally reminded that large swaths of the nation have no White Castles. Strange.

The real thing is the same size, but has pickles, and really greasy buns.
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Doggy Daddy

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #62 on: January 31, 2015, 10:08:06 PM »
I've only had the freezer variety myself but I'm told there is a huge difference in quality.



If ya throw on a couple of pickles and some mustard, then eat 'em real quick before the bun gets "strange", they're acceptable.
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K Frame

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #63 on: February 01, 2015, 12:06:00 AM »
"A product that's available in every McDonald's in the universe should have the same name everywhere. Two burger patties on a bun is a double hamburger, I can get it in any McDonald's, so I should not have to call it one thing in one restaurant and call it something else in a restaurant ten miles away."

That's the problem you get with franchises.

McDonald's doesn't have (nor does any company) a posse of clown-faced inspectors running from store to store to make sure that the Hamburger U sylabus is being followed 100%.

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Perd Hapley

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #64 on: February 01, 2015, 01:36:47 AM »

McDonald's doesn't have (nor does any company) a posse of clown-faced inspectors running from store to store...



...but it sure would be entertaining if they did.
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Doggy Daddy

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #65 on: February 01, 2015, 02:09:52 AM »

...but it sure would be entertaining if they did.

"specially if they didn't run, but all car-pooled in one little bitty car at the same time.
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lupinus

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Re: Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #66 on: February 01, 2015, 08:23:16 AM »
"A product that's available in every McDonald's in the universe should have the same name everywhere. Two burger patties on a bun is a double hamburger, I can get it in any McDonald's, so I should not have to call it one thing in one restaurant and call it something else in a restaurant ten miles away."

That's the problem you get with franchises.

McDonald's doesn't have (nor does any company) a posse of clown-faced inspectors running from store to store to make sure that the Hamburger U sylabus is being followed 100%.
Actually they used to.

Theyed check both that stuff was made right. They even had ones that did nothing but check drive through time and order accuracy.
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zahc

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #67 on: February 01, 2015, 10:20:44 AM »
When I worked at Papa Johns we were a franchise but we still had Corporate guys call in orders, and drop in and count the number of pepperoni slices on a Large, check the oven temperature,  make sure the car-top signs were lit up, etc. It's called quality control and it's hard work.

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #68 on: February 01, 2015, 10:59:30 AM »
When I worked at Papa Johns we were a franchise but we still had Corporate guys call in orders, and drop in and count the number of pepperoni slices on a Large, check the oven temperature,  make sure the car-top signs were lit up, etc. It's called quality control and it's hard work.

I go to chik fil a entirely because it's not a harrowing nightmare to visit the place.

And that brings us to another point- quality of employees and quality of the franchisee

Quality of the employees- at places like ChikFilA and other higher quality fast food places, you'll notice that you don't have the typical ghetto thug or white trash people working behind the counter. They hire better people, train them better, and treat them better. And they make them speak English instead of Ebonics.

I can't tell you the number of times I've been to a McDonalds or Burger King, or worst of all, Hardees, and waited forever to recieve my order even though I'm one of two customers. Or had to wait while the cash register operator has disappeared somewhere else for five minutes. A crowded restaurant is another level of hell. And let's not forget the mouth breathing moron customer who stands at the cash register and stares at the menu for five minutes and then asks the cashier about each item or argues with the cashier over the prices, holding up the line forever.

Conversely, go to ChikFilA. You'll get your food fairly quickly whether it's packed or empty, as the staff is efficient. The drive through lines may be long but they move pretty well. The cashiers provide good customer service.

The food is also consistently good from restaurent to restaurent, as opposed to the cheap places, where it can vary widely from region to region and restaurant to restaurant. The better places are are also consistently cleaner.



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TechMan

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #69 on: February 01, 2015, 11:22:18 AM »
I also like ChikFilA for all the above reasons as well as the staff is very polite, if you say "Thank you" they will say "It's my pleasure".
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Perd Hapley

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #70 on: February 01, 2015, 11:40:33 AM »
I rarely see a ChickFilA that isn't packed with customers. And I still say those employees are on some kind of drug.
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Cliffh

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #71 on: February 01, 2015, 02:42:58 PM »
The local Dairy Queen went out of business last summer.  The main reason was the service - it'd take as much as 10 minutes in the drive through to receive your order.

The orders were usually correct, but the product was way over-priced compared to other fast food joints.

And McD's fries haven't been the same since they changed the oil/grease they used to use.

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #72 on: February 01, 2015, 03:25:06 PM »
For a couple years the Lubbock ChikFilA was the highest grossing store in the nation. Double lines wrapping around the store and into the strip mall parking lot behind them were the norm. On Saturday afternoons it was normal to see several dozen cars in line. They still managed wait times less than most places with drive-thru lines only for or five cars deep. Watching the kitchen staff was a lesson in efficency, proffesionalism, and effective training.

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #73 on: February 01, 2015, 03:45:11 PM »
The local Dairy Queen went out of business last summer.  The main reason was the service - it'd take as much as 10 minutes in the drive through to receive your order.

The orders were usually correct, but the product was way over-priced compared to other fast food joints.

And McD's fries haven't been the same since they changed the oil/grease they used to use.

Our local dairy queens are also very slow and very pricey. I haven't been back in a long time. Also to me the taste of their milkshakes has changed, and not for the better.



 
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Perd Hapley

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Re: McDonald's Future in Question
« Reply #74 on: February 01, 2015, 03:56:27 PM »
I think our local Dairy Queen is pretty good. I usually use it just to get a cheeseburger, at the drive-thru. Nothing fancy, just a very good, burger-tasting burger.
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