Local McDonald's Restaurants Add Free Web Access To Their Menus <b></b>
San Francisco-Three McDonald's restaurants in SanFrancisco have installed >STREETSPACE Web Stations, allowingtheir customers to "walk up to the Web" for free. Bytouching the screen of the stylishly designed Web Stations,customers will have free access to a wide variety of popular Websites and online services, including ABCNEWS.com, MSN HotMail, CitySearch, FOXSports.com, Kozmo.com, Tickets.com, and SFGate.com forSan Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders content.
"Adding to the >STREETSPACE Web Stations is another wayfor us to offer our customers an enhanced restaurantexperience," says Bob Mendes, a San Francisco-basedMcDonald's restaurant franchisee. "In addition to givingour customers free access to popular Internet content, it providesus with a great opportunity to connect with our customers in a newway."
Recognizing the increasing need to build a strong presenceonline, many retailers are calling on >STREETSPACE to help themleverage their physical space to introduce their Web sites tocustomers. The Web Stations at McDonald's will prominentlydisplay a McDonald's-branded Web site with links to contestsand promotions, customer feedback, food facts, online jobapplications, McDonald's merchandise and information on RonaldMcDonald House Charities. Making these features available willenable these McDonald's locations to create a two-way dialoguewith their customers and provide a fun and enjoyable experience inthe restaurant.
"We have always considered McDonald's the perfect venuefor our Web Stations," says >STREETSPACE founder TomMathai. "McDonald's has over 27,000 restaurants around theworld, which are visited by 43 million customers every day. Most ofthem use the Internet. Our goal is to someday provide free e-mailand Web-based content to all 43 million of those McDonald'scustomers. So far, the pilot test in the San Francisco area hasbeen a big hit."
Users do not have to pay to use them. To ensure customers do nothave to wait long to use a Web Station, there is a 15-minute timelimit for each session. Most users stay on a Web Station for aboutfive minutes, quickly checking their e-mail, news summaries orsports scores, or browsing shopping sites.
Since the Web Stations run on a private broadband network,powered by high-speed DSL, users are able to view entertaining,rich media content, including music videos, movie trailers,cartoons and up-to-the-minute news clips. Throughout the ongoingpresidential election controversy, McDonald's customers havebeen able to check in for up-to-the-minute news.-PRNewswire
