Food: McDonald's (Table) Service with a Smile

Food: McDonald's (Table) Service with a Smile

Tuesday, 3 July 2018

Read post

Last week, I had a particularly long, tiring day at work. As a teacher, days are very regularly long and tiring but the reward that comes with it is more than enough to get me through. Every so often, I need a little something more than that feeling of accomplishment and generally speaking, that little bit something more comes in the form of a McDonald’s double cheeseburger. We’ve all been there. The dread of arriving into a packed restaurant, with nowhere to sit and the added stress of having to wait for your order number to be called – the likelihood of you hearing your order number being called over the sound of the child wailing next to you looking less and less likely by the second. 

McDonald’s have only gone and alleviated this stress, and they’ve done so in an innovative way. 

Table service is something that McDonald’s has been doing for quite a while now- Rich and I experienced it first hand around six months ago for the first time, in a McDonald’s Restaurant in Haydock and we were both impressed on how quick and easy the system was to use. The McDonald’s team in Wallasey, along with a number of other restaurants nationwide,have taken the service that one step further, incorporating technology with this already well-established concept to make customer service even more commendable. 

And the best thing about this? Absolutely nothing else in the ordering process has been changed, ensuring that it is still as easy to order your meal and have it personally delivered to your table than it is to collect it yourself from collection counters. 

A step-by-step, fool proof guide to table service. (If this dummy can manage it, so can you!)

Enter your favourite McDonald’s restaurant and head on over to to a self-service kiosk. 

At this point, you need to decide whether you’re going to eat in or takeaway. Presumably if you’re reading this guide, you’re all about eating in so go ahead and click that option. 

Now, previously when I’ve made the decision to stay and eat in a McDonalds restaurant, you’re asked to select a zone where you’ll go and sit after making your order. Staff will then find you within this zone and deliver your food. 

Here’s the interesting part: this is no longer an essential piece of information because McDonald’s have blown things out of the water and have inserted innovating technology into specially designed plastic table numbers. Inside the stylish table setting is a small tracker which allows customers to move freely around the restaurant without having to specify exactly where they were sitting. This all sounds far too good to be true, right? Wrong. The only piece of information you have to share with the crew members, via the ordering kiosk, is the number printed on the table setting. Enter that number onscreen when the kiosk requires and Bob’s your uncle! Done. 

The rest of the process is as easy as 1, 2, 3. 

Pick out your usual order (or be adventurous and have a look at the restaurant’s specials if you’re feeling like a bit of a change!) The self-service kiosks are easy to use, have settings to make them accessible if you have additional needs and make the entire ordering process that little bit less stressful. 

Pay for your order at the kiosk using your debit card or Apple pay. 

Whizz off to find somewhere to sit and wait for your food to follow you! 

It really is that easy. The tracker within the device notifies staff of any movement meaning that if you’re joined by a group of friends shortly after ordering and have to find a new, more sizeable table to sit on, then there is no risk of your food not being delivered to you promptly. Crew members who deliver your food do so with a smile – allowing for that little social interaction that is otherwise cut out when ordering traditionally on the kiosks – and they are quick to offer you condiments, straws and napkins upon delivery of your food. 

I can already see the benefits of this kind of technology. I imagine that this would be an ideal scenario for parents with small children – a quick order made at a kiosk by one member of the party would make the process much more prompt and much less stressful as a result. 

It’s fair to say that McDonald’s have done it again and changed customer outlook on stressful ordering systems. The entire process is quick and easy, ignites customer-crew interactions and is a hassle-free way of enjoying a delicious meal in a friendly environment. I cannot see what is next in store for McDonald’s – I hope I’ll be invited along for the ride!

Food: What's been 'app'ening at McDonald's?

Food: What's been 'app'ening at McDonald's?

Wednesday, 30 May 2018

Read post

I think that anyone who knows is me is well aware of my love for McDonald’s – whether it be nipping into store for a bite to eat after a long day at work or a catch-up with friends over a frothy coffee, McDonald’s has always been the go-to place for a quick and easy meal that tastes great and lives up to its enormous reputation. 

Being invited along to an influencer event at one of the McDonald’s branches in Wallasey wasn’t something I was going to turn my nose up at – with the promise of an exciting event where I would learn a plethora of information about the much-loved brand, there wasn’t a lot to lose and I was excited to see what was in store for me. Armed with Richard in tow as my accompaniment for the evening, I arrived to the restaurant to be greeted by Lena, the lovely PR lady who had arranged my meeting with the franchisee and crew members. I was introduced to Paul, the franchisee, and had the opportunity to speak to him about the brand and about his feelings about ethical sourcing and how the industry is advancing as a result of technology. He explained that there is minimal waste generated by the company, with oils used to power lorries and the lorries delivering produce also used to take away any waste, cutting the brand’s carbon footprint. It’s fair to say that technology is essential in advancing businesses and the use of technology within McDonald’s is no exception to this rule; customers use electronic self-service kiosks to order their food and as a result avoid waiting in line.  

The main purpose of my visit to this particular McDonald’s restaurant was to meet with the branch’s franchisee and discuss the impact of technology on the brand as a whole. People are very habitual in nature and tend towards what they know – myself included- and this is more often than not the pressure of self-imposed time restraints. There is absolutely nothing worse than sitting in a restaurant and panic ordering your food when the waiting staff arrive unexpectedly. This mobile app works at improving and enhancing the restaurant experience for customers, allowing them to pre-order (and pre-pay for) their food before arriving at their nearest restaurant. 

The app is incredibly easy to navigate – it does request that new users register so that they have the option to pay for their food before they arrive at the restaurant – and the layout of the app is sharp, crisp and simple. The front page of the app allows the option of setting your nearest restaurant – allowing for orders to be made whenever you’re in close enough proximity. Nutritional information is also readily accessible on the front page, as well as detailed categories within the ordering page. The app also highlights meals under 400 kcal and 600 kcal. The app, because it links directly with the restaurant of your choice, also advertises in store offers and new meals. The app works the same way as ordering within store would – options to add and remove ingredients from your favourite orders are readily available and it’s just as easy to request condiments as it would be to ask for them at the counter. 

Order on the move, prior to entering the restaurant and pay beforehand. When you arrive at the restaurant to pick up your food, scan the barcode generated by the app at one of the mobile check in points around the restaurants – staff will not start preparing your food until you have scanned your code, meaning that there is absolutely no rush when it comes to getting to the restaurant. Order en-route to the restaurant and you won’t have to worry about the inevitable traffic that will hit or the phone call you receive seconds before walking inside. Order at your own pace, and collect your food with no issues and minimal waiting time. The perfect McDonald’s experience – just what was ordered. Having had the opportunity to explore the brand further, we were also able to meet with two of the crew members and discuss their experiences working for the brand. Emphasis was placed on the idea that working for McDonald’s is like being part of a family, where everyone clubs in and works together to succeed. The crew members explained the charitable side of the industry, and the work that McDonald’s do to help the local communities and hospitals. Clearly, working for McDonald’s has benefits beyond being a paying job and both girls seemed thrilled to be a part of such a warming and thoughtful community. The girls discussed the benefits to working for the brand and explained how hard work is the key to progressing within the ranks – what you put in is definitely what you get out and hard work is rewarded accordingly. 

Having tried and tested the app both within the restaurant itself and later on in the week, as a post-shopping treat, it’s fair to say that it works like a dream. I’m excited to see where McDonald’s will go next with their innovative ideas – today’s click and collect app may well be tomorrow’s direct home delivery service. I’d be happy to recommend the service to anyone and look forward to continuing to use it in the future.