Build Your Own Burger… At McDonalds?

Image courtesy of utsandiego.com

Would you believe me if I told you that you could build your own burger at McDonald’s? Probably not. In fact, as many of my friends did, you might even look at me like I was crazy. In their struggle to create a burger that’s loved by all and to keep up with our millenial generation, the fast good giant introduced their experimental build your own burger line at select locations (four in SoCal) in the US, last month.

The process is simple, but the experience is completely new. Walk up to the counter – a separate line from its ‘fast food’ counterpart – and well… build your own burger using tablet technology. Your topping choices include Quarter Pounder burger patties, artisan or brioche rolls that are either buttered or toasted, different types of cheese, guacamole, pickled jalapeños, grilled mushrooms, garlic aioli, and bacon – among other things (Harvey, 2014).

Unlike the norm, these burgers are made to order (what?!) and are served to you at your table, in a fancy metal basket. Once you’re done indulging in your McDonald’s creation, servers – yup, you read that right – bus your table and ask for your feedback on the burger and your experience.  And yes, this is real life!

So what does any of that have to do with creating a new, hit burger and keeping up with the millenials? I’ll tell you. McDonald’s tablet technology tracks each order that is inputted. Whatever burger combination is ordered the most, will likely become the next ‘big hit’. And then there’s us – the millenials. Who, as we’ve been learning, have been changing the face of the way organizations manage and market themselves. To fill the needs of our generation, McDonald’s roll out of their build your own burger line is expected to fulfill our expectation of higher standards and our need for higher quality products.

What do you think of McDonald’s Build Your Burger campaign? Hit or miss? Too little too late?

References:

Harvey, K. (2014). McDonald’s ‘build your burger’ trial comes to San Diego. Retrieved from: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/04/mcdonalds-build-your-burger-test/