What do you want from McDonald's[1]?
No, don't say "a happy feeling," because I won't believe you.
I suspect what you really want is a hunger-satiating hit that has just the right amount of unhealthy fatty goodness.
Oh, and you also want it quick. Because this is America and that's how we roll.
Oddly, some fast food chains haven't been so very good at the fast part of their promise. They say they make fast food, but it doesn't always come out as quickly as customers would like.
McDonald's used to be one of the culprits. The brand labored to keep up with the times -- and, indeed, with quick-service times -- because it was somewhat unwieldy and management wasn't always sprightly in the innovation area.
This was especially evident at the drive-thru, a service that's become all the more important during the pandemic[2].
It's edifying, then, that McDonald's has hastened its act. In the latest Quick Service Restaurants Study[3], conducted by customer experience company SeeLevel HX[4], the chain improved its drive-thru service time by a fulsome 28.9 seconds. Its average drive-thru service time is now a mere 349.3 seconds.
Indeed, McDonald's was one of only three fast-food chains to enjoy improved times.
Could it be that the speakers at the drive-thru are working a little better? Not exactly. Instead, according to Nation's Restaurant News[5], McDonald's made a fine investment in a tech company.
Eighteen months ago, McDonald's bought personalization and recommendation company Dynamic Yield[6]. The promise was that this tech company could create electronic displays to feature food that's appropriate for the time of day, the weather, trending items