RENOVATIN’ AND LOVIN’ IT
Upgrades, modernization bring new looks, digital order kiosks
McDonald’s will be serving up a smorgasbord of upgrades at its New Mexico locations, including new exteriors, new furniture and digital ordering kiosks.
McDonald’s on Tuesday announced a $43 million plan to spruce up more than 60 of its New Mexico locations through the end of 2019.
The New Mexico plans are part of an overall $6 billion plan for Mickey D’s and its franchisees that will include upgrading and modernizing most of its U.S. restaurants by the end of 2020.
The total amount spent per location will depend on a number of factors, including how big the restaurant is, when it was built and which design the franchisee chooses, said Andres Zamora, president of McDonald’s New Mexico Co-Op and owner/operator of five stores, most of which are in Santa Fe.
He said many of the newer stores already have undergone renovations, incorporating some of the “modernized elements” into their businesses.
Among the changes customers around the state will see are new exterior designs, upgraded dining rooms with new furniture and decor, remodeled and expanded counter space, new digital menu boards both inside and in drive-through lanes, and digital ordering kiosks.
Customers still have the option of ordering at the counter, said Zamora.
McDonald’s has 146 locations in the state, all of which are owned by franchisees.
“This is an exciting time for McDonald’s, and we’re proud to help support local architecture, engineering and construction jobs,” Zamora said about the economic impact of the upgrades.
None of the eateries will close during the construction phase or cut jobs with the new technologies. “There will be at least a dining room or drive-through available to our customers while remodeling is occurring,” Zamora said.
The costs of the digital and structural upgrades are being borne by both the franchisees and the fast-food giant to win back customers and grow market share. A May 2017 Wall Street Journal article said McDonald’s was promising to pay 55 percent of the costs associated with its “Experience of the Future” initiative, a funding commitment that is a first of its kind.
In the past, the company typically required its franchisees to pony up the cost of upgrades, whether it was new equipment or restaurant renovations.