SURVEY: MCCAFE DRINKS A SERVICE STOPPER
Franchisees complain laborintensive drinks cause delays, aren’t worth the hassle
McDonald’s new McCafe coffee drinks are causing a brew-haha among franchisees, an analyst finds.
They’re complaining the beverages take too long to make, slowing down service and causing delays at the drive-thrus, according to a new report by Nomura Instinet analyst Mark Kalinowski.
New hand-crafted drinks — caramel macchiato, Americano and three flavors of cappuccino — were introduced in early September as part of an effort to refresh the McCafe brand.
The survey of 27 franchisees uncovered gripes about how labor intensive they are and how complicated they are for workers to make. They also said the new drinks aren’t driving sales.
“Time-consuming products like this do not belong on McDonald’s menu,” one commented.
McDonald’s could not immediately be reached for comment.
It’s not called “fast food” for nothing. People who come to chains such as McDonald’s want their order in their hands ASAP.
Complex items considered a time suck can muck up the food-and-beverage assembly line. That drives up service times — and annoys impatient customers.
Average time spent at a McDonald’s drive-thru is 3 minutes,
59.03 seconds this year, according to an annual performance study conducted by QSR magazine, a trade publication that covers the fast-food industry.
After McDonald’s introduced its McWraps in 2013, the product also was criticized for slowing service down.
The recently added McCafe drinks are:
Cappuccino, which is espresso with whole or non-fat steamed milk, fluffy foam and a choice of French vanilla, caramel or hazelnut flavor.
Caramel macchiato, served hot or iced, a dark-roasted espresso that’s made with caramel syrup and whole or non-fat milk.
Americano, a strong, dark espresso.
McCafe coffees have been on McDonald’s American menu since 2009.
However, the concept first debuted in Australia in 1993.
Despite the complaints about the long McCafe prep times, Kalinowski called McDonald’s “a relative ‘safe haven’ ” stock during challenging times in the broader consumer landscape.
McDonald’s stock closed Thursday at $166.50 per share, up
73 cents or 0.44%.
“Timeconsuming products like this do not belong on McDonald’s menu.” McDonald’s franchisee