I read that McDonalds are closing stores this year due to a slump. I am a little surprised, but at the same time there is so much competition that their standards have not gone up. Here in the UK, Subway, Burger King and Greggs are offering food cheaper and at most times much better quality. Also there are healthier choices available, which I think also makes a difference. The veggie burger at Burger King does well and so do the veggie pasties in Greggs.
Well, I don't know about other locations, but McDonald's near me smells bad, has dirty bathrooms and covered up all of the electric outlets so that patrons can't charge their devices. Meanwhile Taco Bell has plenty of outlets, even some tabletop outlets so that people can charge up and surf the web while they eat, and they have a good new breakfast menu. And Burger King near me has a lobby that looks like a boho chic apartment with leather couches and potted plants and midcentury modern tables, and they serve Seattle's Best coffee and play music videos by OK Go, Phoenix, Foster the People, Capital Cities, etc. McDonald's would have to step up the cleanliness, food and atmosphere before I would consider switching back from the hipster Burger King. Maybe McDonald's is running out of ideas for keeping their menu and image current.
I think one of the biggest issues McDonald's has at present is that their prices are already very high. Granted they are too expensive but still their prices are at the same level of medium standard restaurants already and aside from getting your meal within 5 minutes there really isn't much being offered. This is also very impractical when you consider that you could get just as fast of a service in a Chinese restaurant that could probably get you your food at the same amount of time and at the same price, and for the same amount you'd get a full meal instead of just burger and fries.
Well, there are many MacDonald's out there, just under a different name. It wouldn't surprise me if the fast food corporations that you mention aren't already linked with MacDonald's. I can proudly say that I have only ever been to a MacDonald's once in my life. And I was dragged in there by a friend who desperately wanted a coffee. I will never forget that horrible taste.
Hmmm... this is very interesting considering McDonalds has more or less been king of the fast food industry for some time. It's not like them to be so behind the times. I can't really eat their food and I am trying to kick the french fry habit so it doesn't affect me one way or the other.
I think with the increased use of vouchers, meal deals and also groupon vouchers and the like people have more choice to eat well and cheaper. Some buffets are cheaper than a McDonalds meal and better value and so they have lost the edge. The workforce don't all have a lunch hour anymore, people have flexi-time and more freelance so they no longer need food so fast.
Here in my country, McDonalds is still a very popular fast food chain, one of the strongest business outlets as a matter of fact. And as I have observed, I don't think they will ever close their McDonalds' branches here.
Growth of places like Shake Shack has meant fewer people are willing to spend similar amounts of money at McDonalds since they haven't really been staying ahead or with their competition. I've also read that they are going to be cutting down on the amount of items they offer in order to simplify the menu and focus on the ones that are the most popular. But in my opinion competition is a good thing since they will push each other to become more efficient and develop better menus.
It's about time they start closing some of these things down. I can't walk a mile in any direction without there being a McDonald's. At this point I'm hoping one of the other fast food joints buys out a couple of these locations so I can have some visual variety on my walks.
They were the beginning of the end of our health in my opinion lol.. I'm truly happy to see them slowly collapsing. I'm hoping this is a wake up call to other places and maybe they'll start taking on healthier practices. Not just chemical laden salads with a heaping helping of salt and fat on the side.. but actual healthy practices. Yes, everyone should be able to have fast food once in a while, but look what that's done to us. 5 McDonalds' on every corner.. horrible choices, an obesity epidemic... it's gotta stop.
I haven't noticed any slump in their business around my location. I don't go to McDonald's anymore. Haven't in many years, but I remember when they first came out when I was just a kid. I loved them then. And that's just it. I think of McDonald's as a kiddie place. The ones here are always look to be full when I drive by and the only time I've noticed them closing one was when they tore it down in order to rebuild with the "new image".
Nearby me in Warren, Ohio, for a period of time we had the largest McDonald's in the country, but now that's been surpassed, but it's still listed as one of the "most magnificent" McDonald's around. It was built in the late 1980's when they were doing that whole "Mac The Night" promotion with the guy with a moon shaped head playing piano. They actually have an animatronic version of him in there sitting at a piano, which would play that jingle - but they haven't turned it on in many years. I don't even know if it still works anymore to be honest. Also the place has kind of gone downhill over the years, and it looks rather dumpy and dated inside, and not surprisingly, it's not very clean either.
I thought the main reason behind the closure of low performing McDonalds was the big push for livable wages. WalMart is closing some stores for the same reason. The McDonalds store restaurant in a big mall near me closed. It was very surprising. I rarely eat at McDonalds, but I do like the hotcakes and the grilled chicken salad.
