McDonald’s kitchen wall demand angers franchisees

McDonald’s Corp. has its own wall problems. They’re both literal and metaphorical.

The world’s biggest restaurant company is creating strife with its U.S. franchisees by including a new wall in a remodeling plan. McDonald’s restaurant owners are arguing that adding a barrier between cashiers and kitchens — intended to hide unsightly kitchen equipment — is a waste of money and doesn’t help customer service or operations, according to letters and an email viewed by Bloomberg News.

“We can NOT afford the waste that a ‘one size fits all’ reinvestment program creates,” McDonald’s franchisees said in a letter this month to fellow store operators. “We must allow our owner operators to take back control of the reinvestment that is happening, stop the useless and problematic investing (Sam Walls), and focus our reinvestment in what will actually produce a return on investment (drive thrus and kitchens).”

The division shows how a big push by McDonald’s to revamp thousands of U.S. locations has encountered hiccups lately. In an effort to stay ahead of fast-food competitors and keep same-store sales growing, Chief Executive Officer Steve Easterbrook is championing remodels that include self-order kiosks, new systems for delivery orders and extra drive-thru lanes at some restaurants. But the company recently said it’s delaying those renovations by several years to appease franchisees who have complained about the expensive changes.