McDonald’s, the world’s largest fast food chain, announced recently that it will be eliminating self-service soda stations from all its restaurants by the end of this year as part of a larger effort to improve customer experience and safety. This change comes after three years of thorough testing and feedback from customers and employees.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, McDonald’s has made a number of changes in the in-restaurant operations. The company previously eliminated the use of plastic straws and Styrofoam cups, replacing them with paper ones. Additionally, McDonald’s invested heavily in its drive thru services, in order to make it more convenient and safer for customers.
The new policy of eliminating self-service soda stations is meant to further enhance customer experience and safety. By getting rid of the soda machine and having staff members serve customers directly, McDonald’s Overall Quality Managers, General Managers, and owners of the restaurant will have more control over the beverages in their restaurants.
The move is also seen by some as an effort to lessen millennials’ grip on the soda market. Millennials in general are more health conscious than other generations; in recent years, there has been an increasing demand for healthier beverage options such as flavored water, kombucha, tea, and juice. Thus, by replacing the soda machines with healthier drink options, McDonald’s hopes to gain more customers and revenues.
McDonald’s will start rolling out this policy at all its locations across the US and Canada by the end of August 2020. While eliminating self-service stations may disappoint some customers, the chain believes that it will benefit everyone in the long run.
This move comes as another step toward McDonald’s shift in focus from just being a fast food chain to becoming a restaurant that provides healthier and better quality food and beverage options. With the elimination of the soda machines, McDonald’s is making a clear statement that it is committed to providing its customers with both safer and healthier options.