McDonald’s “Senior” Restaurant

McDonalds is one of the world’s largest fast food chains serving millions of customers everyday. The main reason for their success is the fact that McDonalds adapts its products to fit the local markets. It is a truly ‘Global’ corporation.

The manager of this particular location faces a unique dilemma. She has a loyal clientele that visits regularly – seniors. Owing to the affinity of the staff with its customers, the seniors stay longer. Over time, this McDonald’s location has turned into a ‘meeting place’ for seniors. While her concerns are valid, it is also imperative to understand that McDonald’s mission is to be their customer’s favorite place and way to eat and drink. At the core of their philosophy is to give back to the community it serves. In this case it has, albeit accidentally, created a community for the seniors.

Here’s a quick look at some of McDonald’s Values – and how they can be aligned in this situation.

Place the customer experience at the core of all they do
McDonald’s already provides a welcoming environment for the seniors in this location. Adding Bingo to the equation only enhances this ‘experience’. As a brand, we must always strive to create an experience for our customers.

Give back to the communities
In this case, McDonald’s is serving the community by bringing the community together. The seniors gather at this location every day, and somehow, this makes their world a better place.

Strive continually to improve
Constant focus on evolution and innovation empowers McDonalds to creatively respond to changing customer needs…

and… Grow business profitably.

While McDonald’s is a fast food chain, it wants its customers to spend more time in the restaurant, interact with other people – while drinking their coffee. They are incidentally competing with Starbucks in coffee sales!

Bingo@McD’s:
As a business, it is never a good idea to discourage your customers. Especially not the loyal ones! The manager has correctly determined her target audience in the location. She not only is working towards improving customer satisfaction, but is also focused on increasing revenue.

Bingo will provide senior citizens an avenue to not just eat breakfast and catch up with friends, but also have an exciting time at the restaurant. Giving away store credit to winners is an excellent opportunity for sales promotion. Alongside, every month, they can introduce “Family Day” to encourage younger customers to accompany the seniors.

If this takes off, the opportunities are endless.