A hot new look ...for McDonald’s

BARBARA HODGSON TAKES A LOOK INSIDE THE REVAMPED RESTAURANT IN NORTHUMBERLAND STREET IN NEWCASTLE

A £1.3m revamp has been unveiled at McDonald’s in Newcastle, where changes include a third floor expansion and new self-service kiosks.

The major overhaul of the flagship Northumberland Street branch has seen the interior ripped out and fresh yellow, black and white decor, along with extra seating which means its restaurant can now accommodate 340 diners.

The work has taken place over a period of eight weeks, with the outlet closed for six of those, and on its opening on Wednesday, first customers are set to find a number of differences.

The biggest is its expansion to an upstairs floor and the introduction of 14 new self-order kiosks, where customers can browse the digital menu, check out nutritional information then pick and pay for it.

Within 35 to 50 seconds of doing so, their chosen meal – having been relayed to the kitchen team – will be on the counter for them to collect. Other new services will include delivery – following a successful trial run which saw the idea prove a hit with students – and an option to pre-order by app.

The £1.3m investment, plus a further £50,000 –£60,000 spent on staff re-training, has been driven by franchisee Ahmed Khan, who operates the Northumberland Street branch alongside three other McDonald’s restaurants in Newcastle.

“We are doing very much what customers were asking for,” he said.

With the new touchscreen menu information literally at their fingertips, the customers can take the time they need to make a choice before placing their orders at one of the kiosks which are sited on all three floors.

There are two collection points for their meals, served by four production areas with have their own teams of staff.

Ahmed, speaking on Wednesday morning as last-minute preparations were being made for the 10.30am launch, says that by the time customers pick and pay by card at the kiosk for their Big Mac, their freshly made-to-order order will be ready for collection within 35-50 seconds.

And, thanks to the new teamwork operation, the same speedy service will apply even at the busiest times, such as on a match day.

In the past, finding a seat in the busy centre branch could prove a challenge but now, with the help of the new upstairs area which had previously stood empty for about four years, there are now 90 more.

Future plans for the branch will include an option to have staff bring orders to the table.

For customers who want to order in the traditional way, there will be two or three staff – reduced from 12 – available to take orders at the counter, as well as others at the till to take payment from those who prefer to deal in cash.

Explaining an extra option for customers, McDonald’s operations consultant Gill Fay said: “We have an app available now so people can order on their phone before they even come in.”

And an upcoming treat to look out for will be a signature burger coming out in November, she added.

With wider plans under way – spearheaded by regional development agency NE1 Ltd and Newcastle City Council – to further refurbish Northumberland Street, Ahmed felt the time was right for the branch’s upgrade.

“I’ve been talking to NE1 and they are quite excited about the investment we are making,” he said.

“A lot of shops are being redeveloped and I think this fits in quite well.

“It adds to the character and I think, for us, it will mean significant extra sales.”

The revamp, which has created 30 jobs, has been welcomed by NE1’s operations director Adrian Waddell who called Ahmed’s ideas “ahead of the curve”.

He added: “There are exciting and ongoing plans to map out the future of Northumberland Street and restore it as the city’s retail core.

“And investment of this scale at McDonald’s, one of the street’s high-profile residents, is a really encouraging sign.”