Posted on 01/23/2014 6:59:04 AM PST by Red in Blue PA
NEW YORK (AP) -- McDonald's reported disappointing sales for its fourth quarter Thursday, as the world's largest hamburger chain saw fewer customers visit its restaurants.
The Oak Brook, Ill.-based company says global sales slipped 0.1 percent at established locations. In the U.S., where it recently revamped its Dollar Menu to include items that cost a little more, the figure fell 1.4 percent.
(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...
It’s not their price increases, or their substandard food. It’s their nasty attitude.
Actually its the dollar and more menu now.... (prices anywhere from $1 to $2 now.)
McDonald’s was never high quality, but its quality has gone to the crapper even more in the last decade or two.
There is nothing worse to my mind than putting together an sandwhich with a patty that was cooked 10 minutes ago... If you get a fresh off the grill burger from McD’s its amazing how much better (not calling it great, but so much better) than the manner they make them today. It takes 44 seconds to cook a burger, and something like 1:45 to cook a quarter pounder... I really don’t know what they were thinking when they left the fully prepared and assembled burgers, to the model they now use.
There is no excuse to get a cheeseburger, where the cheese isn’t even melted.
Always tastes the same and they'll brew a new pot for you if you stop by late.
Medium coffee black and two apple pies = 100 mi. late night highway travel.
You have identified the problem. DQ I can eat for 5 bucks. Arbys 5.35, BK 5.50 McDonalds, 8 bucks (all not including taxes).
I tend to go to Pizza Ranch if I have time. Sit down meal, as much as I can eat for 8 bucks.
There definitely is a disparity amongst their chain about how their restaurants are run that is for sure.
I hit 2 different ones from time to time, one I hate going to, even though its prices are actually a little lower, its just horribly run and half the time they screw up the order, and believe it or not its a suburban location. The other location is in an urban area, and it actually is far better run if a bit higher priced.
I think McDonald’s biggest mistake has been in ignoring what their customers want, in favor of not being criticized by those who want to determine what their customers should be allowed to have. You know, *those* people. Who themselves would never dream of eating at a place like McDonald’s.
At least they should listen to one of their competitors:
“My opinion is that the media is the main
supporter of healthy eating. We’re certainly
not hearing it from our customers.”
— Andrew Puzder, CEO of Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr.
Were I in charge of McDonald’s, the first thing I would do would be to compare a Big Mac, which more and more has shrunk to the size of a White Castle slider, with a Whataburger.
The Whataburger chain, in the southland, is very proud that its hamburgers are unchanged in size or character since the late 1950s. Their burgers are still wrapped in paper, not put in a (small) box.
If you had a Big Mac the width of a Whataburger, but otherwise a Big Mac in assembly, you would have a real meal of a burger. Sell the current Big Mac as the “Big Mac, Jr.”
At least put it as an option on your menu. My guess is that it would quickly become McDonald’s number one selling burger, even if it was $5 a burger.
Because *that* is what the customers want! And that is a key to running a successful business.
Actually you are far more likely to have your food spit in in a higher class restaurant than a fast food one.... That’s fact. Quick Service all the food prep is visible to the consumer, higher end places its hidden from view.
You are welcome hon.
There’s always another side to the story.
At the Texas shoot a year or two back, I got a very unflattering picture took, and it was posted on the thread. I was mortified, and I was under a lot of stress because I chose THAT VERY WEEK to kick cigs.
Partly due to the stress of kicking cigs, I pretty much flipped out. Melted down. Lost it. Humblegunner reached out to me then, and later too, to let me know it wasn’t all that, and that it didn’t matter or speak to who I truly was.
He showed a very caring, loving side of himself that moment in time.
Don’t tell anyone though, he’d hate for his reputation to be on blast like that. :)
This is a Freepmail, right? I didn’t post it to the thread, did I?
FWIW, McD's has a pretty good cheap healthy option. A McChicken without the bread (duh...it's already breaded) and two packets of apple slices costs $2 total.
It’s not worth the money ,we can make much better at home
No, I posting post.
The salads are actually good. It’s all I eat there any more.
McD is a volume business that caters to down-and-outer (welfare), quick-grab, and budget customers. “Dollar” menu items appear during recessions and disappear during recoveries. High-end menu items are window dressing to up-sell customers who have extra change. But with so many great options, they can’t keep customers who are moving up the food chain from moving out.
About 5 years ago, I got so sick of eating McDonalds that to this day I still cannot eat the food.
Lots of people are probably like this.
RUNED, I tells ya!
That.
Plus the workers are surly.
For the low, low price of a Cheeseburger and a coke, I didn't see nothin'.
Indeed. The general staff attitude is what has ruined the customer experience for me.
I go to Subway. IT’s healtheir AND the stores near here are family owned and staffed.
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