|
|
McDonald's Using High-Tech Design to Remake It as Hangout PlaceJust outside the wooded campus of its headquarters, McDonald's Corp. is offering sneak previews of its fast-food future.
Now playing at its new flagship restaurant: Digital-media kiosks for burning CDs, downloading cell-phone ring tones and printing photos.
Dozens of plasma-screen TVs. Wi-Fi Internet access.
New chicken sandwiches. Double-lane drive-throughs. And an adjoining McCafe with gourmet coffee, fancy pastries and a fireplace.
Don't expect Starbucks-like makeovers like this one at the 13,600 U.S. McDonald's, or 30,000-plus worldwide; the Oak Brook restaurant, which opened late last month, doubles as public restaurant and test site.
But the world's largest restaurant chain is tinkering with various possibilities in technology and design to try to ensure it is a hangout of choice in the future.
"It's unlikely you'll see this exact restaurant replicated," McDonald's spokesman Bill Whitman said.
"But you will see elements of this restaurant in some of our new construction.
It's all about keeping our restaurants more relevant for our customers."
McDonald's has undergone an image change in more ways than one since a time 2 1/2 years ago when its sales and reputation were sagging amid complaints about its service and food.
Despite inconsistent results in some large European countries, that McSlump
more: www.newsday.com/business/ny-bzmcd... (363)
July 3, 2005 | Viewed 21,793 time(s)
|
|
|
 |
Latest News |
|
|
|
