McDonald's Raises Quarterly Dividend

McDonald's Raises Quarterly Cash Dividend By 15% - Seeking Alpha
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Who Controls the Morality of McDonald's Commercials?

This commercial is awful (and a little perverted)

Never mix grandmas with lust in ads for a family restaurant.

This McDonald's commercial is great

Good use of humor and family fun.



Since McDonald's Operators pay for McDonald's television advertising - do they no longer have any input on what's aired? 
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Another Restaurant Company That No Longer Wants to Be in the Restaurant Business

Steak 'n Shake copying the Chick Fil A licensing model.

The Burger Gold Rush is On at Steak 'n Shake - QSR mag
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Good News For Restaurants?

Credit card companies agree to a $6.2B swipe-fee settlement

McDonald's Shares Have Not Had a Good Year

McDonald's Shares Go Rancid - TheStreet

The above article includes a short video of Wendy's CEO talking about kiosks, mobile 
ordering, and drive-thru.
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Trading Spaces

I recently talked with a former McDonald's Operator who commented that, when pulling into a McDonald's parking lot, he gets the impression that McDonald's is doing everything to keep customers from parking and dining in the restaurant. He was referring to all the signs advertising McDelivery, mobile ordering, and curbside pickup. I hadn't looked at it that way but I have noticed these initiatives appear to be eating up the parking stalls most convenient to the entrance to the restaurant.

Soon after my news-feed picked up an article from the Netherlands about a deal to install charging stations at 168 McDonald's. Most businesses tend to install these facilities in the most visible spot on the property and that's usually near the entrance, often next to the ADA required parking.

Less convenient parking sends more customers to the drive-thru and hopefully not to the competitor next door who probably has parking right in front of the door. In theory this makes it harder to justify dining room upgrades and kiosks.

McDonald's, Google strike wind power deals in Europe - Business Insider

NLRB Getting It Together

New joint employer definition is proposed

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Eating Habits Are Changing Faster than QSRs Can Keep Up

If only McDonald's had an attribute that made it more attractive than cooking at home.

Wait! Fast service could, but McDonald's leadership is going in the other direction. 

Fast Food Races to Meet Americans’ Growing Demand to Eat at Home - Bloomberg
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Subway To Stop the Price Fixing

               

     

                              Subway ditches iconic $5 footlong deal - San Diego UT
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Is McDonald's USA Slowing Service Benefiting Competitors?

Sonic stock surges on improved traffic

From comment below, "Of course there is nobody left in McDonald’s operations who even knows that there are lines in the cups, even if they happened to notice the lines they certainly don’t know what they are for. Even if they know what they are for they don’t know why." 
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Chi-Trib Isn't Too Sure About Rock and Roll Replacement

The New McDonald’s Is an Architectural Nothing Burger

Article About New Franchises With Nice Ray Kroc Qoute

"Franchisors cannot be successful if they think that it's only them who should make money. Ray Kroc knew that franchising could only work if the franchisees made money along with 
the franchisor." 

Restaurant Franchisors Must Build Relationships With Their Franchisees
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