But what is really killing McDonalds is that they have been upstaged by competitors who present a more upscale experience and attract an upwardly mobile clientele. Starbucks, Chipotle, P.F. Changs, Panera Bread, to name a few.
For some reason, McDonalds appears to attract mostly people from the lower classes and many feel uncomfortable when they go in there, especially in urban areas. I remember when McDonalds was full of families with kids. Most stores had a children's playground or even "ball pits" inside the stores. Now those play areas are empty and a McDonalds is likely to be frequented by threatening local toughs with hoodie sweaters, ball caps and "I hate the world" expressions on their face.
Contrast that to the young people you see at a Chipotles or Shake Shack. They are a clearly non-threatening crowd in preppie clothing and they are likely to be glued to mobile phones and tablets as they make their way through the line to order and receive their food. And they typically have more money to spend than the McDonalds crowd.
Many young people would never consider going to a McDonalds because it is considered "downmarket."
Until McDonald's finds a way to gentrify it's image and attract more upscale clientele like Chipotle, it is doomed in the long term. Also, they need to lose that clown mascot. Creepy as heck.
