4 ms·

Other than great food and great software depend on execution, there's very little analogy. As much as I'd like for users to select my piece of software over com

by abcd_f 13y ago

Other than great food and great software depend on execution, there's very little analogy. As much as I'd like for users to select my piece of software over competitors', because it's 10x smaller and eats less CPU, even if it's more expensive, it's just not going to happen. And even if it would've happened, McDonalds still makes more than French Laundry. I don't like it a bit, but that's life.

kbenson 13y ago
McDonalds makes more money for many reasons, and I don't think they are all specific to that industry. McDonals is cheap. Not everyone lives on a budget that makes it possible for them to eat at French Laundry. For many that it is possible, they can't justify it because the extra expense is better spent on other items that will have a greater impact on their lives. McDonalds is quick. You are less likely to encounter extended delays that impact your schedule in any way. McDonalds taking four times as long to deliver a hamburger to you probably means you had to wait an extra 5-10 minutes. McDonals is convenient. There's probably one close by. As we've covered, it's also quick. Getting and eating your food is a very simple, well understood process. I think you can apply this to many markets. The there are high-end products that work by offering quality, and low-end products that work by offering some combination of convenience, speed and low-cost.
- gtani 13y ago
  power/weight ratio: Sausage mcmuffin and other items are 400+ calories for US$1 I have noticed that many suburban McDonalds only care about serving drive-throughs quickly and you could easily wait 6+ minutes for your commodity Indifferent Meal(TM)
- pattisapu 13y ago
  McDonalds is a known quantity. If you're in an unfamiliar area of town, or some other town, or just need to grab lunch without a big production you can do it at McDonalds without reading a menu, considering options, prices, etc. -- and without the risk of getting food that wasn't what you wanted/expected/understood at the outset.
  - kbenson 13y ago
    This brings to mind an interview I saw on Top Gear once with an Olympic athlete after the Olympic games in China, and he commented on how he ate McDonalds before competing. His reasoning was that in a foreign country, the last thing you want to do before competing professionally is to subject yourself to food you are unfamiliar with (or just don't know if the local variety will cause problems). Similarly, in parts of Mexico where US citizens are advised to be careful of the water, if bottled water isn't available or desired, a bottle of coke or beer works as a stand in, because there's trust in the product and it's uniformity across regions. Note: Yes, I know Mexican coke is different[1], but I'm lucky enough to live in CA where I can get it at any of the 10 Taquerias within a mile of me. [1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Coke http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Coke

by abcd_f 13y ago

kbenson 13y ago

McDonalds makes more money for many reasons, and I don't think they are all specific to that industry. McDonals is cheap. Not everyone lives on a budget that makes it possible for them to eat at French Laundry. For many that it is possible, they can't justify it because the extra expense is better spent on other items that will have a greater impact on their lives. McDonalds is quick. You are less likely to encounter extended delays that impact your schedule in any way. McDonalds taking four times as long to deliver a hamburger to you probably means you had to wait an extra 5-10 minutes. McDonals is convenient. There's probably one close by. As we've covered, it's also quick. Getting and eating your food is a very simple, well understood process. I think you can apply this to many markets. The there are high-end products that work by offering quality, and low-end products that work by offering some combination of convenience, speed and low-cost.

gtani 13y ago
power/weight ratio: Sausage mcmuffin and other items are 400+ calories for US$1 I have noticed that many suburban McDonalds only care about serving drive-throughs quickly and you could easily wait 6+ minutes for your commodity Indifferent Meal(TM)
pattisapu 13y ago
McDonalds is a known quantity. If you're in an unfamiliar area of town, or some other town, or just need to grab lunch without a big production you can do it at McDonalds without reading a menu, considering options, prices, etc. -- and without the risk of getting food that wasn't what you wanted/expected/understood at the outset.
- kbenson 13y ago
  This brings to mind an interview I saw on Top Gear once with an Olympic athlete after the Olympic games in China, and he commented on how he ate McDonalds before competing. His reasoning was that in a foreign country, the last thing you want to do before competing professionally is to subject yourself to food you are unfamiliar with (or just don't know if the local variety will cause problems). Similarly, in parts of Mexico where US citizens are advised to be careful of the water, if bottled water isn't available or desired, a bottle of coke or beer works as a stand in, because there's trust in the product and it's uniformity across regions. Note: Yes, I know Mexican coke is different[1], but I'm lucky enough to live in CA where I can get it at any of the 10 Taquerias within a mile of me. [1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Coke http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Coke