Looks like McDonald's needs some mclovin' from millennials. The fast food chain is serving up a high-tech experience catered to millennials in select Southern California locations.
McDonald's is testing a new "Build Your Burger" program that will allow customers to customize and place orders using a tablet. Fast foodies can personalize their burgers by choosing artisan or brioche buns and other SoCal styled options like locally sourced tomatoes and 22 toppings that include yogurt-based garlic sauce, spicy mayo, cheeses, guacamole, jalapenos and bacon.
Once the orders are placed, customers can take a seat and be served their open-faced, personalized burger in new metal baskets by McDonald's employees who are dressed in a black and white pin-striped chef aprons. The program is only offered for guests who dine-in.
"It's not just a new burger, it's a new way of ordering a burger. Who knows where it will go?" says Dan Coudreaut, vice president of culinary innovation at McDonald's USA.
The high-tech program is an attempt to bring back business among millennials who favor fast food restaurants like Taco Bell, Subway, Panera and Chipotle. McDonald's ranked fifth in the list of popular fast food chains.
Consumers ages 19 to 21 that eat McDonald's at least once a month dropped 13 percent since 2011. Sales dropped 3.7 percent in August globally, the largest decrease in a decade.
Millennials are surrounded by technology that makes their lives easier. They are also used to customizing everything from their phones to their food. Market research found that millennials prefer fast food chains that have fresh, healthy and quality food.
Millennials have no problem handing over the extra cash for fresher food. Coudreaut, who developed the premium chicken McWrap options, says that consumers are "willing to pay more and give us more time" for premium, personalized food.
The higher-end and high tech "Build Your Burger" program features burgers at $5.49, almost a dollar more than a Big Mac, which doesn't include the 80 extra cents if you want to add bacon. A happier meal that includes fries and a drink will cost around $10.
The new program is being tested at two Laguna Niguel locations, as well two locations in San Diego.
"This is a whole cultural change for us," says McDonald's owner of the Laguna Niguel location on Golden Lantern, Bob Nibeel. "I see this as bigger than (when we first rolled out) breakfast."
It is not yet known if the program will expand nationally.
