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McDonald's hallmark bright red and yellow restaurants will soon become history as the brand begins a total redesign of its franchisees across the country.
After a battle with slumping sales over the last few years (despite the return of all-day breakfast), the 60-year-old company has decided to give its franchisees a face-lift. That means you can start saying goodbye clownish colors, harsh fluorescent lights, cheap formica tables, and wood veneer.
In just a few years, the fast-food industry has become increasingly competitive as sleek, slightly more upscale chains like Shake Shack emerge and gain popularity. Following this trend, McDonald's will be ditching its long used cafeteria-like dining room in favor of designs that make the restaurant feel more intimate. Max Carmona, the company's senior director of U.S. restaurant design, told Buzzfeed News that the "cafeterias aren't stylish, but it's a legacy." The Golden Arches was also motivated by direct competitors like Burger King and Wendy's, who have recently upgraded their outposts with modern seating and wall decor. Some Wendy's locations even have fireplaces.
But the upgrades have also been sparked by the brand's own technological advances like self-service, touchscreen burger kiosks and table service. "A lot of the things we're doing now in terms of menu, technology, and customization, I don't think you can do that effectively in a non-modernized restaurant," Carmona said. "Modernized restaurants are the foundation for all these great ideas and innovations."
Curious about how exactly your Mickey D's is going to look? There are six new styles starting to roll out at locations across the U.S., including "Allegro," "Craft," "Simply Modern, "Fresh and Vibrant," "Form," and "Living Room." And while they might seem jarring to the average McDonald's regular, these looks have already started rolling out overseas. Some of them were even directly imported from foreign markets like Australia, Canada, and Europe.
However, for some U.S. customers, this might not be all that new. Designs have been unveiled slowly for a few years now. According to Buzzfeed, the fast-food company hoped to have completed its rebranding last year; however, with business slowing only 3,000 locations—just about 20 percent of McDonald's 14,300 total U.S. locations—were remodeled. The expectation, says Carmona, is a boost in sales. Historically, a refocus like this amounts to about a 6 or 7 percent increase in sales."Our operations folks are starting to understand that design does matter, and not looking like a cafeteria does matter," he said.
Here's hoping the country's coolest McDonald's locations—you know, the ones built into bridges, boasting enormous treehouse play places, and keeping it diner-style—remain intact.
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