Business Lessons from McDonald’s

OK, I know McDonald’s is not a healthy place to eat.  But, every once in a while we indulge…

This last weekend, my hubby and I watched a special on McDonald’s operations and how hard they work at testing new products.  They have this intense process where they test and retest and taste products before even rolling it out as a trial to customers.  They also work  very hard with their multiple vendors to ensure the food tastes the same no matter where you get it from.  (We actually had breakfast at McDonald’s when we were in Hawaii and it did taste the same!)

The documentary also detailed how McDonald’s ensures that their food is easy to make so that a 20 year old cook can make it as good as the cook with 20 years experience.  This was fascinating but we both looked at each other and asked, “Why can’t they get the salt to fry ratio right?”

You know what we mean.  Sometimes, you go to McDonald’s and the fries are way too salty.  So salty you can’t even eat them.  Not to mention the old fries you know have been sitting their awhile.

So how is this a business lesson?  Well, its about meeting your customers’ expectations.

When you go to great lengths to get everything “right” in your business, why would you allow a “failure”?  For me, McDonald’s fries are a failure because they aren’t consistent.  You can have old, soggy, salty fries or fresh salty fries, sometimes they are just right, etc.

McDonald’s is a very successful business, and they are not going away.  People will still eat there despite the fries.  But, wouldn’t it be so much better to have a great experience every time you go to McDonald’s rather than a crap shoot?  You really don’t know what you’re going to get.

So why do you keep spending your money at McDonald’s? Is it OK that they don’t meet your expectations?  Do you lower your expectations for McDonald’s?

Why would you lower your expectations for anything you are spending your hard earned money on?