Waiters and fine china -- at McDonald's?
The burger chain is testing table service at a location in Australia. So far, there are no plans for similar experiments in the US.
McDonald's (MCD), which pioneered fast food in the 1950s, now is considering slowing things down a bit.According to media reports, the Golden Arches is testing table service at one of its restaurants in Australia. Customers at the location near Sydney are also eating Big Macs and Egg McMuffins on real china using good silverware. They are enjoying beverages in breakable cups.
According to the U.K.'s Telegraph, Glenn and Katia Dwarte, the owners of the franchise, would break out the cutlery when family members stopped by for visits. But the idea caught on with other patrons who asked for similar service. Catriona Noble, the head of McDonald's Australia business, liked the concept so much that she asked permission from the company's Illinois headquarters to try the idea out.
A McDonald's spokeswoman tells MSN that the fast food giant had no immediate plans to try this experiment in the U.S. That's a pity, because it would be an intriguing idea.
Rival Chick-fil-A, which is closely held, stands out in the fast food business for its attention to customer service. More specifically, it actually provides it. Employees will ask customers if they want refills on their drinks or perhaps dessert. No one at Chick-fil-A thinks they are eating at a five-star restaurant, but it is nice.
McDonald's, which is struggling to attract customers, could learn from its rival. Chick-fil-A generated gross sales of $2.9 million per location in 2011, the most in the fast food industry, topping McDonald's by $400,000 per location, according to Bloomberg News.
--Jonathan Berr owns a small position in McDonald's. Follow him on Twitter @jdberr.
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