May 23, 2013

McDonald's

May 2011

Quick serves could be poised to step up their franchising efforts as soon as the credit market thaws and while available real estate remains cheap. Some experts say that minority-franchisee recruitment will be a particular area of focus, as franchisors pursue the value minorities bring to...

May 2011

Imagine this: You walk into a McDonald’s for a quick bite on a workday. The place is busy, and customers are unwrapping their food at the tables and biting into burgers, salads, and wraps. But when you push to the counter, there is no one there to take your order. No cashier smiling at you...

Recent government crackdowns on Chipotle and Pei Wei that forced both concepts to at least temporarily close locations have reminded restaurant operators that the government is taking illegal immigration very seriously.

The two incidents, in which illegal immigrants were found to be in...

With family dollars and repeat business becoming more important for quick serves to capture, one company hopes its signature product will stick in the minds of operators as they increase their marketing efforts toward children.

Kem Clark, president and owner of Omnicor Inc., says her...

While there are many millions of coffee drinkers who rely completely on Starbucks to satisfy their coffee urges, more than half of Starbucks’ customers regularly visit...

April 2011

There is a constant murmur during the July 27, 2010, Congressional hearing before the Committee on Energy and Commerce. As politicians shuffle in and out from their burgundy leather seats, Ken Feinberg, made famous for distributing insurance claims to 9/11 victims and their families, stays still...

McDonald's and its franchisees are looking to hire up to 50,000 new crew and restaurant management positions at restaurants across the country during a hiring event on April 19.  

The one-day event will seek to bring in and hire a combination of both...

April 2011

In 2007, Ludo Lefebvre did what no businessman should ever do: He made an important business decision out of fear.

Faced with the opportunity to use millions of dollars in investments to open a restaurant, the Los Angeles–based celebrity chef balked at committing himself to 10...

April 2011

What do Bic underwear, Harley-Davidson wine coolers, and Jamba Juice soup have in common? They’re all ways companies have tried to extend their brands—and they all failed.

It shouldn’t have been a surprise that the rough and manly image of the Harley brand wouldn’t...

Jimmy John’s and NASCAR.

McDonald’s and the Olympics.

Taco Bell and Major League Baseball.

Papa John’s and the National Football League.

With consumers increasingly difficult to reach given the fragmented media landscape, sponsorship has inherited a...

March 2011

While Democrats and Republicans battle over President Obama’s health care reform—a battle that intensified in January when U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson of Florida declared the reform unconstitutional—chain-store operators all over the country are struggling to figure out...

McDonald's Corporation announced that it will contribute to the Japan disaster relief efforts with a donation of $2 million USD. The funds will be channeled through the International Federation of the Red Cross.

"The devastation in Japan has stunned and saddened the global...

McDonald's awarded Henny Penny Corporation the 2010 Worldwide Equipment Partnership of the Year at the McDonald's Equipment Supplier Summit.

Henny Penny's win is attributed...

March 2011

In many cases, it’s a different consumer out there today deciding where to dine when the urge hits. Throughout the recession, full-service restaurants offered so many fire-sale bargains that those little affected by the economy could almost feel guilty for practically stealing meals when...

McDonald's Corporation announced its Sustainable Land Management Commitment (SLMC), a significant advancement in the company's effort to ensure the food served in its restaurants around the world is sourced from certified sustainable sources. The McDonald's SLMC requires that, over...

As foodservice operators endure the challenge of staying ahead of guests’ expectations, one reality is becoming increasingly clear in the restaurant game: The status quo will no longer do. Today’s consumers seek a greater mix of quality, value, and healthy options when dining out.

March 2011

Just last year, women crossed the 50 percent threshold in the U.S. workforce, and for the first time in history represent the majority of working Americans. Even in our own industry, more than 50 percent of restaurants are now owned by women—a statistic released by the National Restaurant...

March 2011

As far back as I can remember in my McDonald’s career, Ray Kroc preached the importance of giving back to the community. He always said that if we were going to take money from the residents, we should be giving back value to the place where they lived and worked. He called it being...

Subway was the top quick serve in a recent study measuring consumer perceptions of the “simplicity” of various brands.

The Global Brand Simplicity Index from strategic branding firm Siegel+Gale gauged more than 6,000 consumers’ opinions of what brands made their lives...

March 2011

Why are specialty beverage programs growing in popularity?

The quick serves are all trying to add specialty beverages to do two things. The first is to differentiate from each other, and secondly they’re trying to add products that their customers are already...