McDonald's International Media Days 2008 (Day 1, Part 1)

The McChronicles is currently participating in McDonald's International Media Days. This event (the 4th of it's kind in recent times) is being held in various cities near McDonald's global HQ (near Chicago, Illinois, USA).

While some participants are focused on corporate financials, and while McDonald's is focusing in a variety of messages this week, The McChronicles is here for one purpose: "Chronicling the McDonald's Brand Experience From The Customers' Point Of View."

Stop 1 on Day 1 was at McDonald's Hamburger University. According to Wikipedia, "This corporate university was designed to instruct personnel employed by McDonald's in the various aspects of the business. Over 70,000 managers have graduated from the institution and it has 30 resident professors."


The first event was a question and answer session with top McDonald's corporate executives: Jim Skinner: Vice Chairman and CEO; Ralph Alvarez: President and COO; Pete Bensen: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Don Thompson: President - McDonald's USA; Jose Armario: President - Canada & Latin America; Dave Garland: Vice President & CFO - Asia/Pacific, Middle East & Africa; and Denis Hennequin: President - McDonald's Europe. It was quite an opportunity to listen to their prepared remarks as well as their answers to the media's questions.

(image 2: Don Thompson, Pete Bensen, Ralph Alvarez, and Jim Skinner field questions).

Jim Skinner actually said quite a few things that made it clear he is focusing on the customer's point of view. Among them:

• Our customers think of us as their local neighborhood restaurant.
• The moment of truth: the moment we interact with our customer.

He also discussed his corporate program, called "Plan To Win" , which emphasizes people, product, place, price, and promotion. This theme came to the surface during other presentations throughout the day.

The McChronicles has learned, through interviewing restaurant managers, that offering "friendlier" service is a corporate priority. Therefore, it was interesting to hear those exact words from Ralph Alvarez when he said, "We are friendlier, faster, and more accurate than we were five years ago."

Pete Bensen, corporate number cruncher, was aligned when he commented that, "At McDonald's, the most important number is number 'one' (a reference to an earlier statement that the customer is number one). If we don't get these 'ones' right, all the other numbers don't matter."

And on it went. Don Thompson saying things like:

• We are, "strengthening our focus on the customer."
• We want, "friendly service and fast, accurate delivery every time."

So, The McChronicles probed and asked the panel to describe specifically HOW all these words will eventually reach us - the customer. The McChronicles mentioned that executives aren't the people grilling and serving. We wanted to know how the crew will get this message and, most importantly, how they will be empowered to do what they know is the proper thing.

Both Jim Skinner and Don Thompson did a good job of describing how information and education are being created to enable store owners and managers to educate, train, and coach their crew. Later in the day more info on this topic arose when The McChronicles saw how processes, software, and even equipment are designed and built to make the crews' efforts more effective - with the two-part goal of making their time with the customer warmer and more friendly AND enabling their activities to produce more consistent food faster.

More on Day 1 in the next post (off to dinner now).

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.

Images: The McChronicles.

Double Cheeseburger Issue (part 3)

The McChronicles enjoyed yesterday's double cheeseburger so much that ... well ... you know.

Today The McChronicles and a friend stopped back in for more. And, we got to thinking. We wondered about the differences between what we were "sold" and what we actually received.

So, we ordered two sandwiches (Big Mac, double cheeseburger), snapped their pictures (as received), then went online to see what McDonald's are telling us they SHOULD look like (sold).

We're not going to tell you which is which.

What do you think?

Images:
McDonald's double cheeseburger, McDonald's Big Mac: McDonalds.com.
Other images: The McChronicles.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.

Double Cheeseburger Issue (part 2)

Fans of The McChronicles will recall vividly how The McChronicles discussed the "goings-on" related to the double cheeseburger. Here is more info.

Background:
McDonald's is reportedly experimenting with either removing the double cheeseburger from the dollar menu or cheapening it up by removing cheese, or discontinuing it. Prices (for some version of the above) are said to be ranging from $1.00 to $1.09 to $1.19.


Today:
Being in a "need to know" mode, The McChronicles drove to our home McDonald's, took a look at the menu and - BAM! There it was, double cheeseburger, $1. Just like always. Apparently, The McChronicles was not in a test zone.

LOCATION: New Hartford, NY (Route 5)
STORE #: 825
ORDER: Double cheeseburger, small fries, bottled water

Result:
The McChronicles purchased a double cheeseburger, a small order of fries, and enjoyed it - a lot.


The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: The McChronicles.

Double Cheeseburger Issue (part 1)

According to a comment posted at Netflix's MOVIE FANS site, and pointed to by a McChronicles commentor:

"you have to ask for a dbl hamburger with cheese to get the one for $1! If you ask for a dbl cheeseburger they charge you $1.19..."

Well, according to an article on consumerist.com:
"In an interview, Don Thompson, president of McDonald's U.S. business, said the company has tested ways to make the burger less expensive to make. Some restaurants are selling it with one slice of cheese instead of two, and billing it as a "double hamburger with cheese." Others are offering a double hamburger without cheese. Some are selling the traditional double cheeseburger at prices ranging from $1.09 to $1.19."

Does anyone have a definitive comment or statement on this?

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: Nancy Luna's excellent Fast Food Maven. She covered this story months ahead of The McChronicles.

Will McDonald's Adopt Coca Cola's "Beverage Dispeners of the Future"?

Coca Cola has introduced what some are calling the "beverage dispenser of the future".

According to an article on QSRmagazine.com:

“We believe this will do for beverages what mp3 did for music,” says Ray Crockett, director of communications for Coca-Cola North America.

"Customers can choose their beverages—among more than 100 varieties—via a touch screen located on the front of the machine"

"Second-generation versions of the dispensers will begin testing in the first half of 2009"


Wow! Imagine choosing from a selection of over 100 beverages! No more need to mix Coke & orange.

Will we see these in McDonald's soon? It sure sounds like it. If you spot one in action, check it out and report to us via COMMENT. Thanks!

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: QSRmagazine.com

McDonald's Gold Card (Revisited)

The McChronicles has mused about the McDonald's Gold Card previously. At the time it was called The McDonald's McGold Card. A recent comment on the posting has us reopening the topic.

The McChronicles has to admit that we are intrigued by this item, and that we have no personal experience with it. So, we did what any responsible netizen would do and Googled McDonald's Gold Card. We were quickly delivered to the McD Gold Card home page - there is a complete program!

We attempted to register, only to find that, "Only McDonald's employees are authorized to use this site. " So, it is an employee-only thing.

Apparently the card is a way to help employees get discounts at various retail stores. One page that you CAN access on the site offers a depiction of how the card can save the user over $500. According to the example, the McDonald's Gold Card can be used at places like: Apple, Foot Locker, Jiffy Lube, LensCrafters, T-Mobile, and more.

This seems great for the employees.

The McChronicles wonders if McDonald's has ever considered offering an affinity, discount, membership card for customers to use. We think that this could be kind of cool, if done properly. What do you think?

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: McDGoldCard website.

Taiwan's Chung Ho City (Sheng Nan Rd.) McDonald's

The McChronicles dropped in to Taiwan's Chung Ho City (near Taipei) and headed for Sheng Nan Road. That's where this McDonald's is located.

This store is interesting since it combines several funky features all into one restaurant. First, it is a McCafe and a regular store all in one. Next, instead of a drive-thru it offers a walk-up. But it's not an ordinary walk-up, it's sort of a "scooter-up" (you don't actually drive thru in your scooter, you drive up , get off, order, then drive off or eat on the sidewalk). It's a big, urban-type store (small ground floor presence with a multi-(3)story dining area). Add it all up and the experience is pretty cool. Interestingly, this store offers no deivery and no bottled water.

The first-floor order area feels very small and tight. No problem when the crowd is small (it could be a mess if a ton of people show up). The stairs are steep as they lead to the second and third floors. Since the building occupies a corner space there are windows (and tons of natural light) everywhere. This, and the Taipei suburb's teeming masses, make for some extremely interesting people watching while dining.

It's a relief to ascend to the dining area and relax since the street is throbbing with energy. Cars, trucks, scooters, people, smells, sounds, and more add up to almost numb the senses. Behind the glass, and one or more stories above the fray, is a bit of solitude, providing time to unwind and relax - even if it just for a few minutes.

If you're in the neighborhood and in need of a break - consider this option.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Images: The McChronicles.

McDonald's Girl Delivers

It may be news to some (not to regular readers of The McChronicles) that McDonald's delivers. Maybe not in your town, but there are places in this world where your meal can be brought right to your home, office, party, event, or ... ?

We've explored the concept of McDelivery before. But, today, while sitting in a Shanghai, China McDonald's, after observing several delivery people returning to the roost, grabbing their next order, and heading out into the streets, it hit us. Who are these people? Why do they do it? What's it like McDelivering? Sadly, we didn't get to ask the questions, yet.

The McChronicles did build up a healthy dose of curiosity and interest. We also snapped these shots of "McDonald's Girl" as she prepared to battle the dangerous streets of Shanghai. 

As she disappeared into the drizzling summer haze we found ourselves saying out loud, "Go, McDonald's girl, go."

We'll try for an interview and report back if we get one.

Comment if you've got a cool McDelivery or McDonald's Girl story.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.

Images: The McChronicles.