McDonald's: Relevant Retailer for a Down Economy

McDonald's restaurant, circa 1960


The lead business story in this Sunday's New York Times on the continuing success of McDonald's Corporation sounds a number of themes that readers of this column will find familiar.

The chain has broadened its merchandising appeal beyond kids and young parents just as management's renewed focus on value, quality, service, and cleanliness has taken hold.

Minor adjustments in the menu in the form of fresher food, better coffee and more savory seasonings (including a return to the Big Mac sauce in use when CEO Jim Skinner and I worked on McDonald's crews in 1971) appeal to the tastes of an aging population. Reformatted restaurants feature more comfortable seating, faster drive-thru operations, and flat-screen TV monitors.

Under Skinner this is a company that has rediscovered the secret sauce.

See our newsletter on Restaurant Lifecycle Management here.

See also McDonald's Strategy: Meat, Potatoes and Coffee and Brand, Menu and Store Design and Chain Restaurant Development or visit our Google Group page featuring articles about McDonald's Corporation.

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