McDonald's Secret Plans to Boost Sales Include Faster Drive-Thru, Frozen Lemonade and All-Day Breakfast The fast-food chain dished to franchisees on the details of its turnaround plan.
By Kate Taylor
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McDonald's plan for a brighter future includes speedier drive-thrus, more mid-price menu items and all-day breakfast.
On Monday, the company held an internal webcast with franchisees to unpack the details of the turnaround plan. While the company has refrained from publicly discussing the intricacies of these plans, The Wall Street Journal reports that revamping the drive-thru was one project discussed in the meeting.
The company reportedly plans to change up menu boards to display only the top selling drive-thru items, in hopes of speeding up and improving service. In another drive-thru focused initiative, the company is also adjusting the Create Your Taste platform, which allows customers to build their own burgers via a kiosk inside of locations. After franchisees criticized the option for not being drive-thru friendly, the company is now expanding a variation on the concept called "Taste Crafted," which allows customer to order customized chicken sandwiches and burgers from the same "premium" menu at the counter or via drive-thru.
Related: The 4 Things You Need to Know About McDonald's Turnaround Plan
McDonald's also reportedly announced new menu items, with a focus on mid-tier offerings that cost between $1.50 and $3. New items include a McChicken sandwich with leaf lettuce and tomato and a double burger with lettuce and tomato, to be sold in addition to veggie-free lower-priced versions of the sandwiches. The chain is additionally said to be launching frozen and fresh lemonade drinks this summer.
The company is also expanding its test of all-day breakfast, currently available in San Diego, to include Nashville locations. While reports of the call don't delve further into the issue, don't expect this to be the only McDonald's test that's expanding, as the chain promises to ditch ingrained tradition in favor of tests including delivery in New York City.
McDonald's did not immediately respond to Entrepreneur's request for comment.
Monday's webcast came one week after McDonald's initial reveal of its turnaround plan – a presentation that focused on broad restructuring as opposed to concrete details about the future of the chain. The major news revealed last week was that McDonald's plans to refranchise 3,500 locations in the next three years, increasing its percentage of franchised restaurants to 90 percent. Additionally, the chain announced a new corporate structure that emphasizes countries' growth profile instead of geographic proximity.
Related: We Tested Chipotle and McDonald's New Delivery Services. Here's What Happened.
