Ben Preiss
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McDonalds chic? Spend 600 million euros ($828 million), redesigning 1,280 restaurants and you can make it happen. They have also introduced a healthier menu and cater to regional tastes with wine and caffè lattes. So, is this really even a McDonalds anymore?  The Golden Arches are going upscale. Aiming to create a more relaxed experience in a sophisticated atmosphere, McDonald’s is replacing bolted-down plastic yellow-and-white furniture with lime-green designer chairs and dark leather upholstery.Hoping to attract more young adults and professionals, in addition to its core customer base of children, the chain is also adding amenities like Internet access and rental iPods.
The changes are paying off. In the first half of this year, combined sales at Europe’s 6,400 restaurants rose 15 percent, to $4.1 billion, compared with a 6 percent increase in the United States, where McDonald’s has 13,800 restaurants and sales totaled $3.9 billion.
A separate food factory in Munich is trying to come up with new menus for the different tastes in the 41 European countries, including Russia, where McDonald’s operates.
In Britain, McDonald’s restaurants started to serve porridge for breakfast. In Portugal, they offer soup and in France, cheese saga — burgers with French cheeses.
(nytimes)References: nytimes Filed In: |
