How to save McDonald's.

McDonald s freshness image problems were discussed in the February Shopper Report. During March, we got feed back suggesting that we d failed to talk about the sparkle of cleanliness, which McDonald s seem to need even more than fresher food.

Years of clean stores, clean tables, clean prep areas, clean rest rooms, and a terrific food safety record have given consumers a set of cleanliness expectations that the big M is no longer meeting. Clean and safe restrooms are one of the things that made McDonald s a national treasure. It may be that they need to find new ways to re-spark the sparkle.

Responses to the other items we had on our McDonald s needs list are shown below: Things That Some Younger 231 167 and Older Shoppers Think Younger Older McDonald s Should Have Shoppers Shoppers Fresher food 82% 45% Healthier menu 78% 74% Lower prices on beverages 78% 55% Lower prices on food 64% 58% Friendlier service 60% 53% Tastier burgers 55% 48% Sandwiches like Subway s 54% 50% Faster service inside 50% 52% Faster drive through service 46% 27% More chicken or turkey 41% 45% Tastier fries 28% 26% Simpler menu 5% 28%

* More salad choices and more appetizing salads with colorful veggies and not in a shaker.

* Something healthier than fries (as a side option).

* I d go for better service and a healthier menu.

* I d go and pay more for healthier food.

* Offer some healthier choices along with their regular items. When we eat at McDonald s, we usually feel a little yucky after a half hour or so.

* Most food they serve upsets my stomach, but I can eat at Wendy s and Burger King.

* In our area, staff is not well supervised or trained. They don t know how to say please or thank you and are barely intelligible when they speak.

* Service is slower than at a real restaurant.

* Their hamburgers need some taste.

* I think they had better quality chicken nuggets-they look like pressed pieces of chicken and who knows what else.

* Instead of trying to be a restaurant they re not and trying to be everything to everybody, McDonald s needs to go back to the basics that made them successful: good taste, good price, good service!

One of the most interesting responses to our McDonald s questions was the solid rejection of the idea that McDonald s day is past. The response went beyond recalling the truism that it s hard to dis an icon. The national cross section of shoppers serving on our panel think that there is a lot about McDonald s that s worth saving.

Read the following comment carefully (it s underscored for emphasis) to understand just how entrenched McDonald s is and how much brand strength it has. When my husband and I eat fast food, it is almost always McDonald s. We consistently pick McDonald s over all the others in spite of the fact that it is expensive. the service is always poor, and food isn t always good.