Joel Libava
(Courtesy of Lisa Padilla, Flickr)
The executives at McDonald’s headquarters in Oak Brook, Illinois have laid down their arms, and I don’t blame them. They’ve been through a lot….
- They’ve had to endure wackos that have been insisting that the toys provided in McDonald’s Happy Meals are part of a predatory marketing ploy aimed at out nation’s children.
- They had to pay an elderly woman $400,000+ because they served her hot coffee
- A hooker blamed (and then sued), the McDonald’s corporation for turning her into a prostitute
- Two NY teenagers sued McDonald’s for making them obese
There are even more lawsuits like those, but why go there?
Some Reverse Psychology
I would have liked to be a fly on the wall during what must of been some rather “energetic” marketing strategy sessions in Oak Brook during the last few months.
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That’s because of the recent decision that was made-and is now being implemented. They’ve really gone all-in.
In a bold move, McDonald’s has decided to, “List calorie information on restaurant and drive-thru menus nationwide to further inform and help customers and employees make nutrition-minded
choices.” Wow.
It’s a classic, “We’ll show you!” move.
For years and years, concerned Mommies have been hammering on McDonald’s to serve healthier foods…or at least disclose the calorie counts in what they’re serving. To McDonald’s credit, they have not been running and hiding. But, this move is risky, and it could backfire.
Or Not
I enjoy a McDonald’s hamburger. I always have. Their french fries aren’t too shabby either. I don’t think that “seeing” the amount of calories that I’m shoving down my throat displayed on a sign are going to deter me from going on my weekly trek to my local McDonald’s double drive-thru. But, it might.
Personally, I think that people looking for a convenient meal know what they’re getting when they choose to go to a fast food restaurant, anyway.
Could it stop Mom from taking her 4 year-old there more than a couple of times? Maybe.
For me, I’m not going to stop eating fast food until I’m ready to. It’s my choice.
And, as long as I always have a choice, I’m good.
What do you think? Will the new menu that display calorie counts deter you from eating a Big Mac?
Is McDonald’s doing the right thing? Is it a good business decision?
About the Author
Joel Libava is The Franchise King® — an independent franchise advisor with 25+ years in the industry, two published books on franchising, and his writing has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, CNBC, Entrepreneur® Magazine and others. In addition, he wrote exclusively for the U.S. Small Business Administration blog for eight years. He doesn't sell franchises. Instead, Joel helps you figure out if franchise ownership is actually right for you — and if it is, teaches you his powerful, proven-to-work franchise research techniques, so you can make a smart, informed decision on a franchise to own and be your own boss.
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