Posted on 09/12/2014 12:06:29 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
McDonald's just expanded a test for burgers that are 100% customizable.
The brand hopes the strategy, which is currently in four restaurants in San Diego, California, could help attract a younger crowd and revive lagging sales.
Many analysts believe that the customization will soon become widespread at McDonald's and allow it to better compete with fast-casual competitors like Chipotle.
Chipotle is largely successful because the ingredients for its burritos, bowls, tacos, and salads are entirely selected by customers, who increasingly crave tailored options and high-quality ingredients.
Dominique Zamora at Foodbeast tried out the process, which also has elements of fast-casual brands like Panera Bread and Five Guys, for herself.
A big screen advertises the tablets in restaurants.
The tablet then prompts you to choose whether you want one or two beef patties. The company emphasizes the "100% pure beef," an effort to market to people who believe that McDonald's food is full of additives.
The emphasis on built-from-scratch food made from high-quality ingredients is directly out of Chipotle's playbook.
The machine then prompts you to select a bun, cheese and toppings.
Once you are guided through the topping options, which include bacon, guacamole, jalapenos, and crushed tortilla chips, a worker gives you a buzzer reminiscent of those used at Panera Bread.
The burger packaging has a modern look that is a departure from McDonald's normally heavy logos.
The finished product looks more like a Shake Shack or Smashburger sandwich than McDonald's.
Chipotle posted a 9.3% sales gain in 2013. Meanwhile, former parent company McDonald's saw sales fall by 1.4%.
I routinely make my own McD's "Surf-and-Turfs" ala White Castle. A Filet O' Fish sammich w/ cheese and no sauce and a McDouble w/ just cheese. Toss the bun from the McDouble and use the Fish Bun. Yum.
Yeah, I think they’ve been pretty common over the years at such fast casual restaurants.
I think they’re missing the point. When McDonald’s first sold the Big Mac, it was as wide as a Whataburger and twice as tall. It was a very big sandwich.
Today, it is approaching the size of a slider.
But it makes you wonder. If they made a Big Mac the size it used to be, and sold it for $5 or even $7, they would likely get a lot of takers.
Many people are way ahead of most food providers about food. McDonald's still thinks peeled French fries, corn syrup, and disgusting white bread are food.
I only eat peeled french fries, white bread is okay with me and I have no problem with corn syrup.
“You think their service is slow now, wait until the low-info crowd is standing there trying to figure out how to use the terminals, and selecting from a myriad of condiments.”
That’s the nice thing, order kiosks are cheap, they’ll just add more. They’ll also add smart phone ordering, etc.
We have a sandwich shop in our area that uses kiosks for all orders, Wawa. You zap in your order, collect your chips and drinks, pay for everything, and pick up your sandwich. Virtually no waiting.
Minimum wage for robots, demand it now.
when I do go I'm still waiting behind tools who wait to decide what they or their kids want until they get right up to the counter.
LOL! It’s like the people who don’t seem to remember that they have to pay until they get to the register...and then they painstakingly search for their cash or card, get it rejected because they put it in upside down, etc. You always wonder how they get through life.
I get “customized” orders at El Pollo Loco, for lower cost, with better ingredients than nearby Del Taco.
That’s been around for years. Where have your been?
How is Chicraple and more customizable than Subway?
Haven’t eaten at a MickeyD’s in years.
Ever since they put something in their stuff that gives myself and other senior friends bad stomach aches.
The thing about McDonalds is that they’ve got the formula down to a science on those burgers. They’ve got the ratio of pickle to ketchup to onion exactly right. It’s sort of like buying a Snicker bar. They’ve been making that same bar for half a century and you know what you’re getting.
Don’t know about this. I worked at McD on and off in high school and college. I first started working there just a few months after the Big Mac came out in 1968. It used the same size patties as the regular hamburger and the buns were the same diameter as the regular hamburger, just taller and 3 part.
I was later working for them in college when the 1/4 pounder came out in 1972. In fact our store was one of the test locations for it before it went nationwide.
Maybe you’re thinking of another chain?
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