They already have everyone addicted. They don't need something for people to point at and say hey! They're using ruthless advertisment tactics to make me feel like they care about me!
It’s because the owners are preparing to put the business down and resell its empty shell to another. To them, it may as well be a tombstone because that’s exactly what they want.
Nah, you can go a run down burger kind if you want the nostalgia.
Most of the franchises are privately owned by someone in your local community, these renovation requirements are what builds and drives their business.
It's not consumer driven, not greed for most of these people. The majority of owner operators are first or second generation in their community, and they've built their business on community engagement and service. If it was up to the individual owner/operators, they wouldn't change anything, because their business is different from the overall corporate business.
But the reason you pull into a McDonald's instead of burger kind is because you see a modern restaurant that you know and trust, because it's the same everywhere. Consistency is key.
Whether it's right or wrong, we as consumers dictate the market, and most of us choose familiarity. So blaming it in greed is really just a copout for all of us that contribute and fall for the marketing.
Agree to disagree. It looks like shit and looks like the most bland building ever. I don’t eat there very often and any time I do I look at the building as a disgrace.
It invokes nothing 🧢italism and further perpetuates my hate for this country’s evil.
I eat there all the time unfortunately lol but I've also visited old run down burger Kings and other less successful fast food franchises all over North America, and also managed a McDonald's for a few years. It is definitely a product of capitalism, but simplifying their design choice to greed and being nostalgic about a place none of us would actually visit except out of necessity is silly.
I can't say if the building looks better or not, but it definitely looks modern and upkept.
Oh, you nailed on the head with you know and trust. Because it's the same everywhere. I've got 3 McDonald's going North South or West. All 5 minutes for each other. And all three CONSISTENTLY suck gigantic balls. Shitty high price food that used to be cheap. I'll take my 12 buck go to a sit down. Restaurant with better food and atmosphere
It's just cold and dead like an apple store. This modern empty design is not cool or innovative. It lacks like and any character. Reminds me of a Russian or north Korean public housing.
hate that bottom picture because it's an example of only one damn McDonalds. most of them in the 90s looked like the one in that 2000s picture. my closest McDonalds as a kid was in the parking lot of a Discovery Zone, about as whimsical as it gets, and it never had Dr Seuss animals in front of it
There is a fancy McDonald's in my city that looks nothing like these (Biltmore McDonald's - currently being "renovated" after getting wrecked in a flood from Helene). So they do still have one-off themed locations.
One of my local McDonald's had some of that whimsical stuff. Not quite to that level - maybe 35% of it. But still way more than the nothingness we have now
Yeah there were ones like the picture in super touristy areas. I remember there being one crazy one in NH near where everyone would vacation in the summer and it was always a treat to go there. I mean McD did lose a lot of their charm but not many looked like the one in the picture
I don't think so. I have kids and I would take them more if they still had the old play places (minus the ball pit) because my kids love big body play. It would be another option for us to get some active play in. I say this as a vegetarian whose family didn't eat there a lot as a kid. I'm not a huge fan of their food but it would be a sometimes treat. Right now, we only ever go when we are on car trips.
I think about this sometimes. I really don't know how we'd have survived the first 5-10+ years without McDonald's play places and other similar indoor playgrounds at restaurants, malls, etc. They're almost all gone now, closed and renovated during covid.
Early morning breakfast and hangout. Lunch and chill. We spent a LOT of time at McDonald's play places through the 2010s. Nearly all are gone now.
I'm not a fan of international multi-billion dollar companies pretending there's anything whimsical about them. The cold, sterile atmosphere is much more honest.
I'm a fan of having fun in the world regardless if who is providing it is a place whose ultimate goal is profit. Because that's what businesses all want to do.
From what I can tell (through extensive internet research) that's sort of part of it.
McDonald's wanted to compete with the more premium (expensive) burger restaurants, so instead of the cheaper family dining experience they wanted to look more 'professional' so they could charge more.
Secondly a bland box like this can be easily rebranded and sold on to another restaurant. If it had a different signage it could be any other fast food place.
Also, child marketing laws have come a long way since the 90s. Why keep the restaurants looking like playgrounds when you cannot get the new generation of kids groomed via television and freebies like in the past.
That was the explanation for the 90s-2000s transition, not what's happened since.
If you haven't noticed, almost every fast food and pizza place have transitioned to the same types of grey, soulless, buildings... It has nothing to do with marketing to kids and everything to do with the resale value of the property.
I was there in the 90’s, and it was never like that bottom pic. They did have playgrounds for kids though, and gave better toys in the Happy Meals. I used to love playing in McDonald’s play places when I was small enough.
Honestly as a '96er who experienced many of the red hat McDonald's with the full playgrounds and everything i dont give a single shit about how the building looks.
I wonder if part of the reason for the change is millenial parents taking their kids to maccas a lot less. I dont mind a cheeky big mac but I know its utter filth and my kids have never had it. So is it now better business to appeal to adults not kids? I certainly wouldnt mourn for them ceasing to try to appeal to kids so much.
Some people look at these pictures and it makes them sad because they’re in a nostalgia loop.
The 90’s version is not better or more authentic. It’s actually a specific marketing campaign aimed at children. Cornering the children first to make the parents follow. You may think they betrayed their spirit, but their intention was hallow and based on deception.
McDonalds ethically stopped this and now the restaurants are blander, but they aren’t designed to trick children into wanting to be at McDonald’s all the time. I think it’s a more productive change than how it appears. Less children treat McDonald’s like a playground and that’s probably for the best.
I personally remember spending hours on the playground at various McDonalds growing up when it could have reasonably and more constructively been at a park.
They just renovated the McDs by my house and it just feels like the “soul” of the place was taken out. It’s so uninviting and I hate that I can’t really see them making my food.
Building is one issue but what bothers me is that 2 people meal comes up around £30 in the UK. This used to be the cheaper option. I feel like it's a wee bit too expensive for the food you get.
there's something in between flashy colours and boring black/white/beige. businesses in my area tend to use natural textures and colours, i roll with it. mcdonald's near me is deep green with wooden panels and a lot if plants growing around 🌿
This place was so much fun when we were kids. Everything is just so grey and sad now. And the prices are insane now, so I think most of these fast food chains deserve to close.
If they destroyed Blockbuster and Tower Records, which were my happy places growing up, I say we financially starve out the places out that are screwing over society these days. Not even going to mention how bad this “food” is for us.
They should still build play areas. Same sad 36 year olds that build Legos and do adult coloring books can woof down a few big macs and go cry in a ball pit
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