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Mag. My Hue McGowran
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Oak Brook, US (pte036/15.06.2005/13:35) - Its new flagship restaurant outside McDonald's Corp. boasts digital-media kiosks for CD burning, downloading cell-phone ring tones and photo printing; plasma-screen TVs, Wi-Fi Internet access; new chicken sandwiches; double-lane drive-thro's; and an adjoining McCafe with gourmet coffees, fancy pastries and a fireplace.
In a revamping campaign that is supposed to lift McDonald's http://www.mcdonalds.com out of its 'McSlump', the world's largest restaurant chain is looking at using technology to regain and interest customers.
"It's unlikely you'll see this exact restaurant replicated,'' says McDonald's spokesman Bill Whitman. "But you will see elements of (it) in some of our new construction. It's all about keeping our restaurants more relevant for our customers.''
Although sales in Europe have been flagging, despite a healthier menu choice and image change, the company reported a first-quarter US operating income of US$910 million, up 6 percent, and an increased revenue of 9 percent to $4.8 billion over the same time last year. Its stock price nearly tripled over a two-year period, hitting a four-year high of $34.56 a share in March, but has since settled about $29.
Factors contributing to the sales resurgence include longer opening hours, the acceptance of credit and debit cards, the high-powered 'I'm lovin' it' marketing campaign and pricier new food items, such as salads, white-meat chicken nuggets and fruit options.
At Oak Brook customers are enticed by BlazeNet machines, which allow the browsing of a library that contains 40,000 songs and the creation of custom CDs for 99 cents per song. Other kiosks facilitate web surfing and the printing of photos.
A trial of the machine did well in Germany, and Whitman says that others may installed US-wide.
The age of the simple hamburger and fries is over for the chain, which has 13,600 McDonald's restaurants in the US and 30,000-plus worldwide. Now, to keep customers happy, it's going to take greens, fruit - and the latest in gizmos.
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