4 ms·

This is really interesting to me, I live in Australia and on a recent visit to the USA I noticed exactly the things you comment on at McDonalds, however in ever

This is really interesting to me, I live in Australia and on a recent visit to the USA I noticed exactly the things you comment on at McDonalds, however in every other country in the world I've been to McDonald's is the place to head to if you want somewhere to sit down for free and a clean toilet. In Australia I live across the road from a McDonald's so I admit I go a little too often for my own good, however they have implemented a number system so you give your order and they hand you a receipt with a number on it. When your food is ready your number appears on a TV screen above the collection area. Pure speculation: Perhaps what's happening is that McDonald's hasn't noticed a significant enough drop in business when leaving these items untended in the USA, but the drop is more significant in the rest of the world and hence solves the problems you list.

cuchoi 12y ago
I think McDonalds also targets different people in different countries. In Chile you will mostly see McDonald's in wealthy areas and shopping malls and the price it is not exactly a cheap meal for a regular Chilean. The restaurant are usually cleaner than in the US (in my limited experience). In the US you target a different audience, for example you can see homeless people eating at McDonald, you are never going to see that in Chile.
- smelendez 12y ago
  That's a good point--and probably another challenge for McDonald's in the US. In a lot of cities, McDonald's is probably one of the easiest places for homeless people to come for cheap food (the 99 cent menu), shelter and toilets. In some places, it's also a de facto senior center for similar reasons: "They were drawn there by proximity and price, and they have stayed for the companionship" according to http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/29/arts/design/lessons-from-mcdonalds-clash-with-older-koreans.html http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/29/arts/design/lessons-from-m... But that can't make it easy for the chain to target a more upscale market. Starbucks, Chipotle, Five Guys and the rest probably don't have this problem to the same extent, because they don't really sell anything you can buy with spare change.

cuchoi 12y ago

I think McDonalds also targets different people in different countries. In Chile you will mostly see McDonald's in wealthy areas and shopping malls and the price it is not exactly a cheap meal for a regular Chilean. The restaurant are usually cleaner than in the US (in my limited experience). In the US you target a different audience, for example you can see homeless people eating at McDonald, you are never going to see that in Chile.

smelendez 12y ago
That's a good point--and probably another challenge for McDonald's in the US. In a lot of cities, McDonald's is probably one of the easiest places for homeless people to come for cheap food (the 99 cent menu), shelter and toilets. In some places, it's also a de facto senior center for similar reasons: "They were drawn there by proximity and price, and they have stayed for the companionship" according to http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/29/arts/design/lessons-from-mcdonalds-clash-with-older-koreans.html http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/29/arts/design/lessons-from-m... But that can't make it easy for the chain to target a more upscale market. Starbucks, Chipotle, Five Guys and the rest probably don't have this problem to the same extent, because they don't really sell anything you can buy with spare change.