Ruminations on Foodservice Ambiance

The other evening, as I was sitting and sipping a Shamrock Shake at McDonald’s Corporation’s flagship store in Hinsdale—about 5 min. from corporate HQ in neighboring Oak Brook—I had ambiance on the brain (amidst the subtly minty, green coolness that’s Shamrock’s hallmark…). This is not your everyday McDonald’s, as images can attest. Due to its proximity to HQ and Hamburger University, it—along with the McCafé next to Oak Brook Shopping Center—has long been a proving ground for MickyD experimentation and a destination for visiting corporate dignitaries.

And despite the never-ending flurry of competitive QSR jousting, with names like Angus, premium coffee, frappe and the like batting hither and thither, it seems atmospheric impressions are the platform du jour. A recent Brandweek article delves into this subject, noting that chic urban aesthetics are replacing the fiberglass circus concepts of yore at both The King and The Clown. Competition is fierce in today’s still-dollar-strapped world—and those dollars will likely remain strapped for some time now, despite any talk about recovery… The American economy that we will discover after emerging from this economic abyss will be unlike any of us have likely experienced in our lifetimes, regardless of your age. The golden days of spend now, think later are gone—perhaps forever… But I digress (a bit)…

In a foodservice world where McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s are in direct competition with Panera, Qdoba, Chipotle, Noodles & Company and even coffeehouses like Starbucks and Caribou and the likes of Jamba Juice, all bets are off. It’s time to rethink the entire picture, and the overall dining experience is a big part of that picture when folks are looking for sit-down dining destinations, not drive-thru.