More Changes Coming for McDonald’s

Caesar Salad, McSkillet Burrito, Southern Style Biscuit could end up following the same path as the Angus Burger.

May 21, 2013

CHICAGO – While McDonald’s announced recently farewell to the Angus Burger and Chicken Selects, they probably won’t be the only McDonald’s dishes on the chopping block, Bloomberg News reports. 

The QSR chain has also considered cutting Caesar salads, the McSkillet Burrito, the Southern Style Biscuit and steak bagels, a franchisee told Bloomberg News. 

The menu overhaul is an effort by McDonald’s to streamline a menu that has grown nearly 70% since 2007, an expansion that has strained kitchen staff, while slowing service and spoiling customers for choice.

“It’s gotten to the point where the operation has kind of broken down and that’s all a symptom of the complication of the menu,” said Richard Adams, a San Diego-based restaurant franchisee consultant and former McDonald’s store owner. “They can’t make the food fast enough.”

“We are constantly adding and removing menu items,” said Danya Proud, a McDonald’s spokeswoman. “It’s not new for McDonald’s. We’ve been doing it for decades!” 

McDonald’s Chief Executive Officer Don Thompson is trying to revive U.S. same-store sales, which dropped 1.2% in the first quarter.

Even as the company cuts items, it keeps adding new ones, including egg-white McMuffin sandwiches, three chicken McWraps, and three new Quarter Pounder hamburgers.

Meanwhile, Burger King earlier this year began selling turkey and veggie burgers, and Wendy’s launched flatbread grilled chicken sandwiches.

While McDonald’s has added double-lane drive thrus to speed its service, the efforts are offset by new items, which take longer to make, such as the McWraps. And it takes longer to get through the McDonald’s drive thru than it used to, according to QSR Magazine and Insula Research Inc. Last year, the average time was 189 seconds, compared with 184 seconds in 2011 and 167 seconds in 2007.

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