There has been a lot in the news and on social media about McDonald's iosing customers and losing economic growth. This information mostly concerns a specific demographic -- those around 25 years old.
McD has made some surprising efforts to try and solve this problem, to reach out to this group, to come up with solutions. (One solution is/was simplifying the menu but offering more options. Yeah.)
The following is my opinion, and opinion only.
If McDonald's wishes to retain the business of the 25 year olds -- quit treating them like they are either 16 year old employees without a clue, or the 7 year old consumers they once were. This is disrespecting the customer.
Giving them only one suggestion for a drink is infantizing. "does-ums want some cokey-coke wiss zat?" Even parenting manuals advise offering a choice. "Would you like a coke or some coffee with that?" is a much more adult interaction.
Contradicting this is the updated healthy choice happy meal option. To order a Happy Meal now, one (customer or cashier) must read through the equivalent of a preflight check list.
Which entree?
Which size entree?
Which side? (There are four choices.)
What drink?
And, when there's a choice of toys, which toy?
Some of this can be shortened by the one choice suggestion -- and did you want apple slices with that? Would you like a chocolate milk with that? -- it can leave the customer wondering about the choices not being offered.
Again, a subtle show of disrespect.
Each customer and each order should be treated individually, not by recitation.
Suggestive selling is a part of any restaurant experience. Yet there are restaurants that allow a customer to say, "That's all." and not insist on offering something more. Let the order placing and order taking be done individually. If the customer seems insistent that "That's all" then don't insist on insisting an addition.
Who wouldn't prefer to go to a place where they are actually listened to?
Respecting the customer will bring more return visits than forceful selling of a serving of pie (that the customer has already indicated is not wanted.)
And, often, if the customer comes around, they will decide on a little more.
Or they may just decide to come back another time, because your place really does care about their experience.
The following is speculation on my part.
Another problem that McDonald's may have with this demographic is that many of them have worked for the business.
It is most likely that most of them worked for franchise stores, as they are the most prevalent. The franchise stores often do not treat their employees according to McDonald's corporation standards. And if there is an HR (human resources) problem, the corporation does not offer back-up to the employees. They tell them to contact their HR department. Many franchises are small, three or four stores, and the only HR is the bosses/owners that are already at the heart of the problem. If someone has tried to complain to corporation, they are getting desperate. It isn't easy to get through to them for general HR problems. (There are hotlines for specific unresolved conflicts.) To be told you must return to the source of the problem for a solution is (also) disrespectful.
If the 25ers haven't worked there, they have friends or relatives who have. It seems likely to me that these customers may be choosing not to go somewhere that has treated someone (they care about) badly.
In many cases, it may be as simple as that.
I have no suggestions to offer as solutions (except allow the order taker to sometimes decide if a suggestive sell is inappropriate).
I am reporting my observations and experiences, and those of people I have known.
I hope that McDonald's is considering these factors as well as menu choices, locations, and the many, many other facets there are to running a business of that size.
If they are, if they do, then it's possible for everyone to win.
McD has made some surprising efforts to try and solve this problem, to reach out to this group, to come up with solutions. (One solution is/was simplifying the menu but offering more options. Yeah.)
The following is my opinion, and opinion only.
If McDonald's wishes to retain the business of the 25 year olds -- quit treating them like they are either 16 year old employees without a clue, or the 7 year old consumers they once were. This is disrespecting the customer.
Giving them only one suggestion for a drink is infantizing. "does-ums want some cokey-coke wiss zat?" Even parenting manuals advise offering a choice. "Would you like a coke or some coffee with that?" is a much more adult interaction.
Contradicting this is the updated healthy choice happy meal option. To order a Happy Meal now, one (customer or cashier) must read through the equivalent of a preflight check list.
Which entree?
Which size entree?
Which side? (There are four choices.)
What drink?
And, when there's a choice of toys, which toy?
Some of this can be shortened by the one choice suggestion -- and did you want apple slices with that? Would you like a chocolate milk with that? -- it can leave the customer wondering about the choices not being offered.
Again, a subtle show of disrespect.
Each customer and each order should be treated individually, not by recitation.
Suggestive selling is a part of any restaurant experience. Yet there are restaurants that allow a customer to say, "That's all." and not insist on offering something more. Let the order placing and order taking be done individually. If the customer seems insistent that "That's all" then don't insist on insisting an addition.
Who wouldn't prefer to go to a place where they are actually listened to?
Respecting the customer will bring more return visits than forceful selling of a serving of pie (that the customer has already indicated is not wanted.)
And, often, if the customer comes around, they will decide on a little more.
Or they may just decide to come back another time, because your place really does care about their experience.
The following is speculation on my part.
Another problem that McDonald's may have with this demographic is that many of them have worked for the business.
It is most likely that most of them worked for franchise stores, as they are the most prevalent. The franchise stores often do not treat their employees according to McDonald's corporation standards. And if there is an HR (human resources) problem, the corporation does not offer back-up to the employees. They tell them to contact their HR department. Many franchises are small, three or four stores, and the only HR is the bosses/owners that are already at the heart of the problem. If someone has tried to complain to corporation, they are getting desperate. It isn't easy to get through to them for general HR problems. (There are hotlines for specific unresolved conflicts.) To be told you must return to the source of the problem for a solution is (also) disrespectful.
If the 25ers haven't worked there, they have friends or relatives who have. It seems likely to me that these customers may be choosing not to go somewhere that has treated someone (they care about) badly.
In many cases, it may be as simple as that.
I have no suggestions to offer as solutions (except allow the order taker to sometimes decide if a suggestive sell is inappropriate).
I am reporting my observations and experiences, and those of people I have known.
I hope that McDonald's is considering these factors as well as menu choices, locations, and the many, many other facets there are to running a business of that size.
If they are, if they do, then it's possible for everyone to win.
