Within the next decade, McDonald’s is set to make a significant change to its customer experience. The ability for customers to self-serve and refill their own drinks will be phased out at all McDonald’s restaurants in the US by 2032. As part of this transition, several locations in Illinois have already moved their soda machines behind the counter, where staff members now serve beverages directly to customers.
This decision comes as a result of shifting consumer behavior in the post-pandemic era. More and more people are opting for drive-through service rather than dining in at McDonald’s. To accommodate this change, McDonald’s is reconfiguring its dining rooms to create more space for drive-through customers and increase efficiency in fulfilling orders.
Other fast-food chains are also adapting to similar shifts in consumer preferences. Some are focusing on enhancing their drive-through experience, while others are partnering with food delivery apps. Chipotle, for example, is actively seeking out locations for its Carside pick-up points, and Domino’s has partnered with Uber Eats to boost its delivery capabilities.
It’s worth noting that drive-through service is already a dominant component of McDonald’s business, accounting for 70% of its US operations as of November 2022.
Let’s take a quick look at the evolution of McDonald’s drive-through service:
– January 1975: McDonald’s opens its first drive-through restaurant in Sierra Vista, Arizona. This drive-through featured a classic menu board, a speaker, and a sliding window. It was primarily established to serve soldiers stationed at the nearby Fort Huachuca Army Base who were required to stay in their vehicles while off base.
– May 2018: McDonald’s acquires Dynamic Yield, a “decision engine” developed by an Israeli startup. This technology allows McDonald’s to adjust its digital drive-thru menu based on various factors such as time of day, weather conditions, drive-thru times, regional menu popularity, and more. McDonald’s claims to have implemented this product recommendation engine in 12,000 kiosks within the first six months.
– September 2019: McDonald’s acquires Apprente, an enterprise voice assistant service. The plan is to replace some human workers with robot servers for faster and more accurate order taking.
– October 2019: Some McDonald’s locations in the US experiment with license plate recognition technology to identify previous customers. This enables McDonald’s to predict their orders and provide AI-based recommendations.
– December 2022: McDonald’s tests a separate “Order Ahead” drive-thru lane in Fort Worth, Texas. This lane is specifically designed for customers who have placed their orders in advance using the McDonald’s app. These customers can bypass the traditional drive-thru line and receive their orders via a food and beverage conveyor.
Additionally, McDonald’s is adopting a new small-format concept called “CosMc’s.” These locations prioritize takeaway and delivery services and have a minimal dining area. Testing for CosMc’s will commence in limited regions next year. This move is driven by the significant growth in digital and delivery services, which have reduced the need for large dining rooms.
Overall, the fast-food industry is heading towards the development of “ghost kitchens,” cooking facilities without dine-in or customer-facing areas. According to research firm Euromonitor, this market is predicted to reach a value of $1 trillion by 2030.
In related news, McDonald’s has recently announced plans to tighten franchise rules, which has received mixed reactions from restaurant owners. Additionally, the company’s former CEO will pay an additional $400,000 for obscuring the reason behind his termination. Furthermore, a billionaire activist investor is reminding McDonald’s of its commitment to animal welfare and the protection of pigs.
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