McDonald's Turned To A Firm With Clinton Ties To Fight The Fight For $15 - HuffPo
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October 31, 2016
October 29, 2016
Why Does Deborah Wahl Publicly Disclose Proprietary Info?
McDonald's USA chief marketing officer addresses Masters of Marketing conference
While McDonald's Operators receive nasty, bullying E-mails negating their American right
to free speech, Deborah Wahl wanders the land openly discussing McDonald's marketing plans.
How does it benefit the McDonald's system when she shares McDonald's plans or corporate philosophies with her advertising industry peers? It doesn't. It's networking for her personal career path.
Hey, it worked for Mary Dillion. She worked at McDonald's for five years, gave a lot of speeches, and left to head up a cellular company. She is now CEO of the very successful Ultra cosmetics.
Disclosing proprietary stuff can be good for one's career - if you're a McDonald's executive.
Is this all she does? |
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October 28, 2016
October 26, 2016
Vegi Burgers Again
“Consumers are very hungry for a solution from plant-based meats,” Brown tells Fortune.
How many decades have we been hearing that?
Beyond Meat's Plans Broader Rollout for Vegan 'Beyond Burger'
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How many decades have we been hearing that?
Beyond Meat's Plans Broader Rollout for Vegan 'Beyond Burger'
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October 24, 2016
Are McDonald's Operators "Insiders"?
Do McDonald's Operators possess the necessary clout to be corporate "insiders"? Keep
in mind this entire subject centers around one activity - trading shares of the company.
Here's how website Investopedia defines insiders.
"Insider is a term describing a director or senior officer of a company, as well as any
person or entity that beneficially owns more than 10% of a company's voting shares.
For purposes of insider trading, the definition is expanded to include anyone who
trades a company's shares based on material nonpublic knowledge. Insiders have to
comply with strict disclosure requirements with regard to the sale or purchase of the
shares of their company."
in mind this entire subject centers around one activity - trading shares of the company.
Here's how website Investopedia defines insiders.
"Insider is a term describing a director or senior officer of a company, as well as any
person or entity that beneficially owns more than 10% of a company's voting shares.
For purposes of insider trading, the definition is expanded to include anyone who
trades a company's shares based on material nonpublic knowledge. Insiders have to
comply with strict disclosure requirements with regard to the sale or purchase of the
shares of their company."
Others still have their first amendment rights.
Here's what the Securities and Exchange Commission says
Here's the Investopedia link
Again, this about trading shares of companies. It's not about someone you trust asking,
"How's business?"
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Burger King Installing Drive-Thru Timers
Timers? We had drive-thru timers in our McDonald's stores in the early 1980s.
Burger King works to improve service speed
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Burger King works to improve service speed
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Beware Fake Surveys
It seems that some McDonald's Operators are receiving E-mail solicitations to participate
in an on-line survey on Surveymonkey. This is obviously an extension of the SEIU's effort
to organize McDonald's.
McDonald's Operators should be assured that Franchise Equity Group has nothing to do
with this particular survey.
We don't use on-line, website-based surveys. Probably never will. Private E-mail is our
only survey method.
The SEIU did not get E-mail addresses from here. I started collecting Operator's private
E-mail addresses in 1996 and have NEVER sold or shared my list of addresses with anyone
- never will.
I do use my list to advertise McDonald's stores for sale. The seller provides the necessary information and I send it out. The seller never sees my list.
There is also a producer and a couple of writers sneaking around telling folks they are
working on a documentary film about the process of opening a QSR restaurant. Give me a break - where is the market for such a film?
As if it's something to boast about, they use sleazes like Morgan Spurlock (Supersize Me)
and Michael Moore (Where to Invade Next) as film industry references.
Obviously, such a film would be an SEIU backed attempt to attack American business and
criticize the restaurant industry.
If the wrong person gets elected POTUS these are going to be the good old days.
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October 23, 2016
Management Promises Wall Street More Discounting
From the call transcript:
"Earlier this quarter, I spent some time in Phoenix and Scottsdale in Arizona, and then went
up to Portland in Oregon, and one common success factor in both those regions, both of them are the strongest sales regions we have in the U.S. currently, and what was also particularly successful there was they were complementing local beverage value alongside the McPick 2 platform alongside fundamentals of running better restaurants. So, there are these pockets
of great success that we’re looking to lift and localize and then launch rapidly."
.
"Earlier this quarter, I spent some time in Phoenix and Scottsdale in Arizona, and then went
up to Portland in Oregon, and one common success factor in both those regions, both of them are the strongest sales regions we have in the U.S. currently, and what was also particularly successful there was they were complementing local beverage value alongside the McPick 2 platform alongside fundamentals of running better restaurants. So, there are these pockets
of great success that we’re looking to lift and localize and then launch rapidly."
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October 22, 2016
October 20, 2016
CBS News on ADB and Operator Survey
“We are discounting almost everything,” said one respondent to the Nomura survey
whose name wasn’t disclosed. “It is all about top-line sales, not running profitable
restaurants. That’s why operators need several restaurants today, as the return on
their investment dwindles.”
What McDonald's needs: A follow-up to all-day breakfast - CBS News
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whose name wasn’t disclosed. “It is all about top-line sales, not running profitable
restaurants. That’s why operators need several restaurants today, as the return on
their investment dwindles.”
What McDonald's needs: A follow-up to all-day breakfast - CBS News
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October 18, 2016
More Coverage of Operator Survey
Lots of Operator quotes in these articles.
McDonald’s Operators: Focus on Our Core - βurgerβusiness
Franchisees: McDonald’s same-store sales slowing - NRN
McDonald's Franchisees Are In A Funk — Like Its Stock - IBD
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McDonald's Turnaround Needs a New All-Day Push
From the article:
"And then there is the 1,000-pound gorilla in the space: The new guy leading the
all-important U.S. business has a giant hole in his resume. Chris Kempczinski, who
will take over Jan. 1 as head of McDonald's U.S. from retiring Mike Andres (who
was the architect of the U.S. turnaround), has never held an executive position at
a restaurant prior to joining McDonald's. It's unclear from his LinkedIn profile if
he has worked in a restaurant at all during his career."
McDonald's Turnaround Needs a New All-Day Push - TheStreet
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"And then there is the 1,000-pound gorilla in the space: The new guy leading the
all-important U.S. business has a giant hole in his resume. Chris Kempczinski, who
will take over Jan. 1 as head of McDonald's U.S. from retiring Mike Andres (who
was the architect of the U.S. turnaround), has never held an executive position at
a restaurant prior to joining McDonald's. It's unclear from his LinkedIn profile if
he has worked in a restaurant at all during his career."
McDonald's Turnaround Needs a New All-Day Push - TheStreet
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October 17, 2016
OPNAD at Two Percent ?
From time to time we like to have some fun arguing about whether McDonald's Operators
are obligated to belong to OPNAD and if the pledge card is a real contract or just a 50 year
old bluff.
Now I hear a rumor that during September's meeting OPNAD discussed increasing the 2017
contribution rate to 2.00%.
First, congratulations to OPNAD on keeping the rate at 1.60%. But, as I understand it, 2017
is the second year of the current pledge period.
If the OPNAD pledge card is a "contract" signed by individual McDonald's Operators how
can a group of their peers even discuss changing the terms of that contract? Wouldn't that require all new pledge cards with new terms?
Of course, I haven't seen an OPNAD pledge card in a few years. Do the 2016/2017 pledge
cards say "as OPNAD will determine from time to time" in reference to the percentage
of sales pledged?
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are obligated to belong to OPNAD and if the pledge card is a real contract or just a 50 year
old bluff.
Now I hear a rumor that during September's meeting OPNAD discussed increasing the 2017
contribution rate to 2.00%.
First, congratulations to OPNAD on keeping the rate at 1.60%. But, as I understand it, 2017
is the second year of the current pledge period.
If the OPNAD pledge card is a "contract" signed by individual McDonald's Operators how
can a group of their peers even discuss changing the terms of that contract? Wouldn't that require all new pledge cards with new terms?
Of course, I haven't seen an OPNAD pledge card in a few years. Do the 2016/2017 pledge
cards say "as OPNAD will determine from time to time" in reference to the percentage
of sales pledged?
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McDonald's Operator Comment of the Day
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "WSJ: Karen King "Retiring"":
"MCD has never explained what they want to be or look like after all of these changes have
been completed. We know that technology will play a much larger role at the store level and
in Chicago. But, no one knows what that means in terms of cost and operations. I hate to see
Karen King leave but downsizing in general is a good thing, IMO. MCD has become too fat
and sloppy and the employee's have been running the company more for the benefit of the
employee's for far too long. Refranchising 4000 stores will make a huge difference. Many of
those stores will require massive reinvestment. However, at some point the system needs to
become focused on selling our food and not just making changes. When I say selling food
I'm not talking about selling discounted food. I understand that regional managers will begin
meeting with individual operators to ask for support for the beverage program against co-op
leadership recommendations. The co-ops need to stay united. "
.
"MCD has never explained what they want to be or look like after all of these changes have
been completed. We know that technology will play a much larger role at the store level and
in Chicago. But, no one knows what that means in terms of cost and operations. I hate to see
Karen King leave but downsizing in general is a good thing, IMO. MCD has become too fat
and sloppy and the employee's have been running the company more for the benefit of the
employee's for far too long. Refranchising 4000 stores will make a huge difference. Many of
those stores will require massive reinvestment. However, at some point the system needs to
become focused on selling our food and not just making changes. When I say selling food
I'm not talking about selling discounted food. I understand that regional managers will begin
meeting with individual operators to ask for support for the beverage program against co-op
leadership recommendations. The co-ops need to stay united. "
.
October 16, 2016
October 15, 2016
MCD Takes $130 Million Charge To Sell 4,000 Stores
Back in the good old days selling McOpCos was a profit center for the company.
More details to be released Oct 21.
McDonald's to book $130 million restructuring charge - MarketWatch
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More details to be released Oct 21.
McDonald's to book $130 million restructuring charge - MarketWatch
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October 14, 2016
October 13, 2016
October 12, 2016
Only One in Five Millennials Has Ever Tried the Big Mac?
This is rubbish. Four out of five millennials have NEVER eaten a Big Mac?
A complete fabrication.
I have two millennial children in their mid-20s and over the years they've been my in-house focus group on everything from Happy Meals, McCafe, Angus, etc. In the process they've
eaten many, many Big Macs. During his football years my son ate Big Macs two at a time.
If she could, my daughter would put Big Mac sauce on every sandwich.
When we feed groups of their millennial friends it's either pizza or multiple bags of Big Macs.
I'm sure there are millennial food snobs in New York City or Chicago who have never eaten
a Big Mac but I'd bet the ratio is the reverse. Maybe one in five millennials have never eaten
a Big Mac, but not the majority.
Most of what we hear about marketing to millennials is distorted because - well - it's written
or spoken by millennials.
Why the McDonald's Big Mac is America's burger - Business Insider
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A complete fabrication.
I have two millennial children in their mid-20s and over the years they've been my in-house focus group on everything from Happy Meals, McCafe, Angus, etc. In the process they've
eaten many, many Big Macs. During his football years my son ate Big Macs two at a time.
If she could, my daughter would put Big Mac sauce on every sandwich.
When we feed groups of their millennial friends it's either pizza or multiple bags of Big Macs.
I'm sure there are millennial food snobs in New York City or Chicago who have never eaten
a Big Mac but I'd bet the ratio is the reverse. Maybe one in five millennials have never eaten
a Big Mac, but not the majority.
Most of what we hear about marketing to millennials is distorted because - well - it's written
or spoken by millennials.
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October 11, 2016
October 10, 2016
October 7, 2016
Restaurant Executives Blame Election for Weak Sales
Are consumers hesitating in buying houses and cars? Maybe.
Burgers and fries? Not so much.
Restaurant executives grasping at straws.
Restaurant executives blame the presidential election for weak sales - NRN
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Burgers and fries? Not so much.
Restaurant executives grasping at straws.
Restaurant executives blame the presidential election for weak sales - NRN
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October 5, 2016
QSR Magazine's Latest Drive-Thru Survey
McDonald's was not the fastest but beat the 226.30 sec average. That's not bad considering that, other than Chick-fil-A, the typical McDonald's DT serves two to three times the customers than these other chains.
Overall survey results are HERE
Overall survey results are HERE
Chain | Average Time (in seconds) |
Arby's | 225.31 |
Burger King | 201.18 |
Carl's Jr. | 268.89 |
Chick-fil-A | 257.64 |
Dunkin' Donuts | 181.03 |
Hardee's | 273.73 |
KFC | 203.91 |
McDonald's | 208.16 |
PDQ | 225.72 |
Panera Bread | 267.90 |
Pollo Tropical | 231.23 |
Starbucks | 299.80 |
Taco Bell | 220.11 |
Taco Cabana | 240.73 |
Wendy's | 169.11 |
Summary | 226.30 |
October 4, 2016
October 3, 2016
Oak Brook Tweets
@McDonaldsCorp
Clean lines and a mod look make this McDonald's in Grafton, USA a sleek sight to see! #PlacesToGo
Clean lines and a mod look make this McDonald's in Grafton, USA a sleek sight to see! #PlacesToGo
October 1, 2016
Coke and Dunkin Working Together
"Dunkin' Donuts, which is largely franchised, said it would equally share with
qualified U.S. franchisees the net profits it receives from selling the ready-to-
drink coffee through outlets outside of its restaurants."
What a concept - like how McDonald's Operators share in the profits from
grocery store McCafe sales?
Dunkin launches 'ready-to-drink' product
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qualified U.S. franchisees the net profits it receives from selling the ready-to-
drink coffee through outlets outside of its restaurants."
What a concept - like how McDonald's Operators share in the profits from
grocery store McCafe sales?
Dunkin launches 'ready-to-drink' product
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