Word: mcdonaldization
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...McDonald's (MCD) did so well with its dollar menu that Wal-Mart (WMT) decided it will create one, too. The difference is that the Wal-Mart version will be merchandise and not food. McDonald's philosophy of selling very inexpensive food in a clean, well-lit environment served by consistently friendly people has helped it expand its operations to 36,000 stores worldwide. Wal-Mart's approach to retail stores is not terribly different. It may not be entirely coincidental that Wal-Mart was started in 1962 and McDonald's began in 1955. Millions of relatively young people, most...
...campaign. You will see everything from taste, indulgence, convenience and price point across the body of work that will be presented over the next couple of years." Yet the company has so far resisted franchisees that have been too explicit about price. Last year in Seattle, a group of McDonald's franchisees ran a billboard that read, "Four Bucks Is Dumb," a clear shot at Starbucks prices. After a talk with corporate headquarters, the billboard was taken down. (See which businesses are bucking the recession...
...McDonald's might want to stay aggressive, because Starbucks won't go away quietly. The company is introducing a grande iced coffee for under $2 this summer, and the company has said it will lower prices on basic drinks in some markets. Starbucks has also just launched print ads taking direct aim at the quality of other coffee brands like McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts. "Beware of a cheaper cup of coffee. It comes with a price," reads one ad. "If your coffee isn't perfect, we'll make it over," says another. "If it's still not perfect, make...
...least one analyst, however, thinks the coffee war between McDonald's and Starbucks could be overhyped. "I think it's a bit naive to think that all of those Starbucks customers are running across the street to McDonald's," says Sharon Zackfia, an equity analyst at William Blair & Co. In a recent report, she noted that when McDonald's rolled out local TV advertising for McCafé in Michigan, Starbucks management told her that Starbucks actually saw a boost in traffic. "The obvious answer to Starbucks' problems is that the economy is weak, and 30% of its stores...
...Thompson of McDonald's naturally disagrees. "We want to be a beverage destination," says Thompson. "For us, growing markets with great margins is the place to be." McDonald's will always have the Big Mac. But does anyone want a latte with their fries...