McDonald’s Says Customers Give High Marks for Makeover

McDonald’s customers are giving a thumbs up to the fast-food chain’s ongoing makeover, the company claims, as it has opened 20 newly designed restaurants in the U.S. and given another 20 existing locations an extensive facelift.

The changes are part of a major redesign for the QSR—its first of such scale in 30 years—to reinforce its “forever young” branding efforts. Some 30,000 McDonald’s restaurants globally (including some 6,000 restaurants in the U.S. by yearend) will undergo some form of re-imaging.

Under the renovation, McDonald’s is replacing its prototypical red mansard roof with a flat roof. Some restaurants will feature more upscale elements, including leather couches, fireplaces, plasma TVs and wood flooring. Other improvements include lighting and color changes to create a warmer atmosphere. McDonald’s iconic arches will remain unchanged.

“It’s about making our restaurants relevant and contemporary and giving them a real, forever young essence that fits in with our ‘i’m lovin’ it campaign,” McDonald’s U.S. spokesperson Danya Proud said. “It’s about making McDonald’s a destination and providing customers with a really great experience.”

“Customer feedback has been extremely positive,” she added.

McDonald’s is casting aside its burger joint atmosphere to better fit in with customers’ lives, the company said. Not only can customers eat in a more inviting atmosphere at McDonald’s, they can also watch TV and surf the Internet via Wifi connections.

“We recognize that customers use McDonald’s differently,” said McDonald’s global spokesperson Tara McLaren. “Some may visit McDonald’s to grab a quick bite, others may come in and work on their laptops, or a mom may want to treat her family to a McDonald’s meal. Either way, the zones of our new restaurant designs can accommodate our customers. We want to make our customers’ experience enjoyable and hopefully attract some new visitors as well with our new modern look.”

The company said it worked with franchisees to develop a plan for the re-imaging effort, though some news reports say franchises are balking at the costs for construction and complain the changes detract from McDonald’s brand. McDonald’s corporate would not release renovation or rebuilding costs. Going forward, it said, all new McDonald’s restaurants will feature the company’s new standard building type, which includes the new architectural elements.

The re-imaging is part of the brand’s focus on entertainment. Beyond aesthetics, more than U.S. 7,000 restaurants offer Wi-Fi access. McDonald’s has begun offering podcasts that support its healthy eating messages via its Web site. As a result of its menu revisions, technology introductions and site renewal, McDonald’s is serving more than 2 million more customers in the U.S. than it did in 2003, Proud said.

In a related development, McDonald’s has formed a panel of mothers to help the company better serve moms and families. The Global Moms Panel includes nine moms representing six countries (Argentina, China, Germany, Italy the U.K. and the U.S.) from around the world who give the company feedback on balanced active lifestyles, restaurant marketing and children’s well being. Panelist will serve a one-year term.