McDonald’s franchisees believe the brand is in a “deep depression” and could be facing its “final days,” according to a new survey.
“We are in the throes of a deep depression, and nothing is changing,” one franchisee wrote in a response to the survey by analyst Mark Kalinowski. “Probably 30% of operators are insolvent.”
Another wrote common “the CEO is sowing the seeds of our demise. We are a quick serve fast food restaurant, not a fast-casual like Five Guys or Chipotle. The system may be facing its final days.”
More than a dozen franchisees expressed frustration with McDonald’s management, saying that CEO Steve Easterbrook’s turnaround plan – which includes initiatives like all-day breakfast and a shift to digital ordering kiosks – is a distraction from the core issues of McDonald’s, like food quality and customer service.
Several franchisees complained about all-day breakfast, saying that it has complicated kitchen operations and goes against Easterbrook’s repeated promises to simplify the menu. “The system is very lost at the moment,” one franchisee wrote. Our menu boards are still bloated, and we are still trying to be too many things to too many people. Things are broken from the franchisee perspective.”
McDonald’s has tried nearly everything to revive business – from all-day breakfast, a create your own taste menu, toasting buns longer, making its beef patties larger and also has announced plans to remove antibiotics from its chicken. But it seems none of this is working.
By the way it looks, McDonald’s may not be in anybody’s future much longer….
