McDonald’s Continues to Disrupt

McDonald’s has seen a rollercoaster of financial reports during the past decade. With some steadier times under his belt recently, McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook recently told Business Insider that the “better burger” menu focus will give way to having a competitive edge on technology.

“Unlike retailers such as Sears and Macy’s that have struggled to compete with the rise of ecommerce, [Easterbrook] doesn’t want McDonald’s to be torn apart in a quickly-shifting industry. ‘Do we want to wait and be disrupted, or do we want to be the disrupter?’” Easterbrook asked.

Since Easterbrook took the position of McDonald’s CEO in 2015, the fast-food giant has clearly been aiming for disrupter status, putting tech initiatives front and center, adding kiosks to restaurants, and rolling out mobile order and pay, which will be available at all 14,000 U.S. locations by the end of 2017. 

The next frontier for McDonald’s is tech-enabled delivery. Since January, the fast-food chain has offered delivery in some U.S. locations via an UberEats partnership, now available at more than 25 percent of U.S. locations. As Easterbrook sees it, delivery provides a way “to both attract new customers to McDonald’s and bring back people who may have ditched the chain.” It’s also part of Easterbrook’s plan to ensure McDonald’s is winning over consumers who seek even greater convenience than drive-thrus in an increasingly fast-paced world. 

Grocerant-Ready Ideas:

• Partnering with a ride hiring service (Uber, Lyft) for delivery
• Corporate catering and delivery service aimed at local business parks
• Pre-order and curbside pickup for grocerant meals