Ronald gets a makeover
You often hear in business classes, “Adapt or die,” and that’s precisely the decision McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) faces. That doesn’t mean McDonald’s is a failing business; it’s a cash-flow-producing machine that consistently improves its top and bottom lines. However, it does need to adapt its stores and menu to maintain current consumers and attract new ones, thus sustaining its growth.
That’s especially true with regard to my generation, the Millennials. I grew up eating McDonald’s and did so for a decade. Fast-forward to today, and I haven’t eaten at McDonald’s in years, and I don’t plan to make a trip anytime soon. I’m not alone, and McDonald’s has clearly lost some allure for my generation. The company’s recent store makeovers are an attempt to adapt and modernize its restaurants to bring consumers like me back to the Golden Arches — see below.
A modern McDonald’s interior. Image source: McDonald’s.
That’s an impressive effort to modernize a restaurant that has long been known for plastic seats and swiveling chairs. McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) plans to spend more than $3 billion to open 1,500 to 1,600 new restaurants globally, and it plans to reimage another 1,600 locations.
There’s more to the equation, though: As the U.S. market reaches saturation, McDonald’s needs to upgrade its menu to drive comparable-store sales.
During the recent recession, McDonald’s was able to use competitive advantages to stay impressively profitable. Its brand image drew consumers in, and its low-cost position enabled it to deliver value to those consumers. Now, as the economy has gradually improved and consumers are spending more, McDonald’s has struggled to graduate more of those consumers from the dollar menu, which still represents 13% to 14% of sales.
This problem has been amplified because of competition that is offering a more premium product at a decent speed and price – the new fast-casual style restaurants. As Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) and Panera Bread Co (NASDAQ:PNRA) continue to thrive in this new segment, McDonald’s will need to innovate new menu items to compete.
One idea could be borrowed from McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) Australian chain, the Dinner Box, which has been successful not only in Oz but also in several European markets. Another idea is to bring the European 1955 Burger — which is topped with caramelized onions, bacon, and a German-style BBQ sauce — to America. There are also discussions of “Shaker Fries,” which would be a small shaker bag with fries and a packet of seasoning. The list of possibilities goes on, but only time will tell whether McDonald’s can come up with more successful menu items.
Investment-worthy?
McDonald’s consistently reduces its outstanding shares while continuing to deliver revenue and earnings growth. In addition to its share buybacks, it consistently improves its dividend payout, which is what draws many investors to the stock.
Graph by author, information via Nasdaq.com.
