Posted on 06/18/2015 5:54:17 AM PDT by C19fan
The burger chain that put "supersize" into the American vernacular is slimming down: For the first time in more than 40 years, and perhaps ever, McDonald's says the number of U.S. restaurants it has is shrinking.
McDonald's plans to close more restaurants in the U.S. than it opens this year, according to the world's biggest hamburger chain. That hasn't happened since at least 1970, according to an Associated Press review of McDonald's regulatory filings.
Becca Hary, a McDonald's spokeswoman, declined to provide a specific figure but said the reduction would be "minimal" compared with its total of about 14,300 U.S. locations.
(Excerpt) Read more at bigstory.ap.org ...
Well they did just hire former Obama press secretary Robert Gibbs.
Just came back from a vacation and we eat at McDs quite a bit. If anything, I think they’ve improved the quality of their food and service.
On the other hand, the soda machines at BK and Wendys are awesome.
It appears the flippers picked a bad time to demand a huge wage increase. Union losers.
I wonder if the $15 minimum wage movement and harassment has anything to do with it?
Not surprising with tons of new restaurants serving niche markets for a resonable price points...
5 Guys
Chipotle
Moe’s
just to name a few...
I think people have generally hit their peak on burgers. I also think that people are willing to pay more now....to eat a more wholesome lunch/dinner. The day of me just spending $6 for burger and fries are mostly over.
McDonald’s has been shrinking the size of their burgers for decades too. The pickle slice pretty much covers the whole patty on the basic burger.
Summer of Recovery, Version 7.0! One more to live through after this one, Folks!
Our local was advertising for 15 year olds to hire in our Cow Town of about 8,000. Subway can’t find any workers, either.
Yep, the reason liberals are pushing for $15 minimum wage is that practically all the job openings are minimum wage.
Their very own Bagdad Bob.
“We are not going out of business.”
They should have hired Sandy Berger as the Hamburglar.
I pay higher than minimum. This is the first season I’ve hired teens in a long while, as they’re such a bunch of PITAs, LOL!
I've noticed that, too. The other thing I've noticed is just with those small changes the one nearest to here has gotten quite busy.
Quick, inexpensive lunch for nutrition Nazi: McChicken no bun (bun is included in price), senior coffee = $2
The PC crowd has been chipping away at this great chain for 25 years, non-stop, equating a burger & fries to that of smoking at least a pack a day.
It had to have a cumulative effect on the consumer who is now more terrified of “Trans Fats” than a pat down by TSA officers...
Or not...
This character, renowned for his white sauce, has a nasty wound on his knee. He is Cook.
Bout time. I once lived where there were 3 within a mile of one another.
The nutritional game has been played. McDonalds has even adapted to it and offers various nutritional items which would make people happy. The other side of this is that no one in the fast food business offers anything (nor can they) of a nutritional nature (Subway offers the better of all deals but it’s not really that purely nutritional in nature).
I’ll admit in the past eighteen months....I’ve just been to Burger King or McDonalds....three times. Given the choice of paying $12 to $15 and eating a tasty dinner....rates higher than paying $6 for the big-burger and fries deal. Maybe I’m over and fifty and just tired of burgers....but looking forward....I just don’t see myself eating more than two or three times a year at such an operation. They can pay their guys $20 an hour....I don’t care. The menu for me....doesn’t work anymore.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.