Have you been in a new or remodeled McD's lately? Nothing in there but tables & chairs, a cashier station with no cashier, and a window to get your stuff. No soda machines, napkins, straws, salt, ketchup, etc. All you get is what they give you. After you get your stuff and go on your way, if you need more napkins or whatever, you gotta go stand there and wait till someone sees you. And, they don't seem to know what a handful of ketchups is (or they have small hands).

I'm curious: where in NC is that tiny piece of fast food hell?

Was this an inner-city McD's? Sounds like something a company would put in a high theft area.

This is what happens when everyone deserves at least $15/hr.

The MickyD and TacoBell near me simply locked their doors and only do drive thrus.

They remodeled our nearby store like this. Unfriendly environment in my opinion. And their prices like everywhere else have skyrocketed. It sucks. Their food is nothing special either.

Their food are like shit. Haven't eaten there in a few years, but all the McDs around here have been remodeled to the same external dreary appearance. All gray and looking like prisons. The previous bright and playful look are gone.

Also notice there is not a single padded seat in the place. All hard flat surfaces.

They don’t want you to come inside

Have not seen that. Sounds like a big city thing.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
Also notice there is not a single padded seat in the place. All hard flat surfaces.

That reminds me of an interesting thing I learned long ago -- fast food seating is actually designed to be uncomfortable. If a visitor stays too long (loiters), it slows down the "turnover rate" -- the rate at which existing customers leave and new customers can be served. It's all about volume.

Sounds like the one I went to in 1957, except no inside seating then. What was old is new again

quote:

Originally posted by coloradohunter44:
They remodeled our nearby store like this. Unfriendly environment in my opinion. And their prices like everywhere else have skyrocketed. It sucks. Their food is nothing special either.

They don’t want you going in there anymore.

They want you to drive up and get your food and drive away, dining there is an afterthought now and gets treated as such. I think the pandemic made them realize they can do far more volume of sales from drive-thru/pickup/Door Dash than they ever could hope from dine-in sales.

All the McDonald’s around here are getting remodeled into these with multiple drive thru lanes, multiple self-order kiosks and tiny, unfriendly dining rooms.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Their food are like shit. Haven't eaten there in a few years, but all the McDs around here have been remodeled to the same external dreary appearance. All gray and looking like prisons. The previous bright and playful look are gone.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

Their food are like shit.

Mostly true. One exception, their coffee is actually fairly good if you get it when it's freshly brewed. Much better than typical restaurant coffee.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
Also notice there is not a single padded seat in the place. All hard flat surfaces.

That reminds me of an interesting thing I learned long ago -- fast food seating is actually designed to be uncomfortable. If a visitor stays too long (loiters), it slows down the "turnover rate" -- the rate at which existing customers leave and new customers can be served. It's all about volume.

McDonald’s last round of revamp/remodels was the exact opposite.
They went with the McCafe theme and wanted folks to stay. They have super comfortable seating with work spaces, outlets, charging ports, ours has a big conference style table. One of the tables is a touch sensitive LED light table that has all these LED lights embedded in the table and change color with touch. The boys love it, it’s like a big light bright.
They bring the food out to you.

Of course Covid really changed all that. They just redid the one closest to us and it is just like a prison cafeteria.

I pass that to go to the McCafe style one as my boys enjoy a big breakfast with hot cakes and I like their burritos with a coke.

We go on a Saturday or Sunday morning and it is packed! We get there early around 7:00 am before heading to the skate park before it gets balls hot and the older miscreants arrive.

I think these high prices McDonald’s has been pushing is finally catching up to them. They did release their earnings last week and were crowing on about how they went up 10% in sales, but I think it’s a lot of people trading down from regular restaurants now.

The one near me usually has a line out to the street and lately it is been dead. Also have noticed ads from Applebee’s and Chilis now advertising a big burger, fries, and a drink for $10 when the McDonald’s here is now charging like $12 for a Big Mac combo meal. I think they know what’s up and are trying to capitalize on that.

I suppose they'd prefer to go all drive through if they could, but know there are some people who just won't come then. This may be their way of encouraging you not to come in.

Most of the MD's in our region have gone this route. No filling your own drink cup, condiments and napkins come in a little bag with the meal. Don't see the people filling up their coolers and gallon jugs with soda anymore . Used to love their fries but now they seem to come unsalted. When we travel we usually stop at MD's (if there is no Whataburger) but if they don't have sit down I will find another place to eat. Hopefully Whataburger doesn't go this route.

Other than one time I took my granddaughter with me, and she wanted to go it, it's a big deal for her, I'm in the car line, most have added dual ordering lines.

Imagine the chairs are uncomfortable to keep all the older retirees out who buy one cup of coffee and sit there for hours kibbitzing over free refills.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:

Imagine the chairs are uncomfortable to keep all the older retirees out who buy one cup of coffee and sit there for hours kibbitzing over free refills.

If they don't want people to linger, they should eliminate the free wifi.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
Also notice there is not a single padded seat in the place. All hard flat surfaces.

That reminds me of an interesting thing I learned long ago -- fast food seating is actually designed to be uncomfortable. If a visitor stays too long (loiters), it slows down the "turnover rate" -- the rate at which existing customers leave and new customers can be served. It's all about volume.

McD's must be 2/3 to go business, or more. I have rarely been in a McD's when the inside seats were even remotely close to full. I bet it doesn't much matter whether people linger, since so few eat in the restaurant. I doubt that limits their ability to sell burgers. It has got to be more about how fast they can get cars through the drive in, and, to a lesser extent, how fast they can get the inside lines serviced.