23rd and Penn McDonalds

[Larry OKC]

I don't know about the "fresh" part...seems they keep coming out with a different design every couple of years now...it gets confusing..they used the one design for decades and it came to an expectation...THIS is a McDonalds...same with most of the other fast-food outlets...they had distinctive building designs that wee an integral part of the brand...now, not so much.

That said, I don't object to this design that much but it could have been so much better...we have seen many examples of it, Steve even did a recent article on it.

[GaryOKC6]

It is really nice inside for a McDonalds. i really like the second floor.

[Dubya61]

IIRC, the recent push to redo all McDonalds buildings was part of a very aggressive business strategy to trend their business to be competitive with Starbucks and similar coffee shops. They found themselves in a very good position going into the recent economic downturn and having just introduced the McCafe concept, decided to trend their ambiance away from kid-friendly, garish-colored, playground-themed plastic furniture that you could clean with a fire hose to a hipster coffee shop that their target demographic wouldn't mind spending some time in. Hello free WiFi and soft muted colored cushions. Goodbye Ronald McDonald. Parents still bring their kids, so they haven't lost anything but they are making money hand over fist with the McCafe brand. They are now very well positioned to take on Subway, the distant number two in the fast food biz and are tackling them with the McWrap. Personally, I don't think they will have the same success in that battle, but who knows? As it is, I think this latest theme highlighting the McCafe brand will stay for a while.

[edcrunk]

I like it. I really like all the pictures of local buildings and what not on the walls.

[Gene]

IIRC, the recent push to redo all McDonalds buildings was part of a very aggressive business strategy to trend their business to be competitive with Starbucks and similar coffee shops. They found themselves in a very good position going into the recent economic downturn and having just introduced the McCafe concept, decided to trend their ambiance away from kid-friendly, garish-colored, playground-themed plastic furniture that you could clean with a fire hose to a hipster coffee shop that their target demographic wouldn't mind spending some time in. Hello free WiFi and soft muted colored cushions. Goodbye Ronald McDonald. Parents still bring their kids, so they haven't lost anything but they are making money hand over fist with the McCafe brand. They are now very well positioned to take on Subway, the distant number two in the fast food biz and are tackling them with the McWrap. Personally, I don't think they will have the same success in that battle, but who knows? As it is, I think this latest theme highlighting the McCafe brand will stay for a while.

Good point, and I totally agree. Speaking for myself, it won't work.

Besides the fact that they don't serve breakfast 24hrs a day, I'm committed to Dunkin Donuts and 711 for coffee. If I want something really tasty I go with Starbucks or Panera. I don't even consider McDonalds.

[traxx]

McD's coffee is alright. I like DD and 711 too. Starbucks has a tendency to over roast their beans thus giving it a bitter taste.

[Larry OKC]

Gene: not a coffee drinker myself, and although they don't serve breakfast 24/7, I think they do have coffee and the coffeehouse type stuff all-day long???

[Gene]

Gene: not a coffee drinker myself, and although they don't serve breakfast 24/7, I think they do have coffee and the coffeehouse type stuff all-day long???

They do, yes. But if I want coffee and I'm hungry, I can't get coffee and a big mac. I don't know why, it just seems gross. Should I go to Dunkin Donuts around 3pm I can get a sausage egg croissant with hashbrowns and a large coffee. If I go to Sonic at 3pm I'll get a Super Sonic Breakfast Burrito with coffee.

Those are just examples, but my point is that I like coffee at anytime during the day, but I only like breakfast foods to go with my coffee.

EDIT: Also Panera usually has bagels and breakfast pastries well into the day.

[Snowman]

Probably the only reason breakfast is not an option all day is the grill has to be a different temperature to cook sausage patties than hamburger patties

[Gene]

Probably the only reason breakfast is not an option all day is the grill has to be a different temperature to cook sausage patties than hamburger patties

So here's the 1 million dollar question:

Does Sonic take a hit on the cost of serving breakfast all day to make customers happy...
or
Do they actually make enough money to justify running dual grills (or whatever the difference may be).

[Snowman]

It apparently works for them since they have done it for at least a few years, I am not really sure how long they have either had breakfast or served it all day

[Gene]

It apparently works for them since they have done it for at least a few years, I am not really sure how long they have either had breakfast or served it all day

I was working as a carhop my senior year in HS when it started (1999). My buddy who was a cook threw a fit when they announced it, but I think he got used to pretty quick. I never thought to ask him what extra work was involved.

[Larry OKC]

While it is true that there is often different temperatures for breakfast items than the others, especially for the meats, it doesn't have to be that way. Eggs do probably require a lower cooking temp as it can burn to easily at higher temps. Also, didn't McDonald's start serving BOTH breakfast and reg like after midnight? If they can do it then with different temps, why not other times. Other places (like Sonic) seem to figure out how to serve full menu all day.

[GaryOKC6]

I took my 5 year old there yesterday. She had a blast playing on the rock wall and climbing toy. There were a dozen other kids on it too. She did not want to leave. Good marketing ...it got me to sit there and eat while she played.

[TechArch]

GaryOKC6 - I was there for dinner last night as well. We ate on the second floor. My kids enjoyed the play area as well.

[MWCGuy]

Jack in The Box is serving breakfast all day and Whataburger does it for half the day 11pm-11am.

As kitchen technology advances, I can actually see the day where fast food places will specialize in a wide vareity of breakfast/lunch/dinner menu items and maybe even have a short order menu.

Mcdonalds is probably not far away from being full menu 24 hours just simply because almost every location has 24hour service in the drive thru. A select few have their dining rooms open around the clock.

[Larry OKC]

JTIB & Taco Bell are the type of places where dang little is actually cooked in the restaurant anymore. Things are just thawed out and reheated and then assembled. Some things aren't effected that much, others do not perform well during the translation.

[Larry OKC]

Discovered a major functionality design flaw with this store. They have essentially eliminated the drive-thru overhangs (small and attached too high on the building to serve a functional purpose). Not only were customers getting wet but the employees and the inside of the building. They had towels along the windowsill and a mop to try to control the flooding inside the store.

[CuatrodeMayo]

That is minor. The big goof is the fact that the layout is incredibly inefficient. By the time you put in two stairways, an elevator, two ordering counters, two complete drink areas and a two-story play area, there is little room left for actual seating. The place is claustrophobic when there are more than a few people in the building.

[Larry OKC]

Minor, not when you and the inside of your vehicle are soaked...not to mention what is happening to the inside of the restaurant with flooding. But I agree, that seems to be the trend with McDonald's these days...less and less seating. Can only presume that means they are getting a higher percentage of customers in the drive-thru which makes the overhang design flaw more of an issue...but only during wet weather....