McDonald’s has moved back to Chicago’s West Loop after its 47 years’ of operations in the suburb of Oak Brook, Illinois.
Now, the company’s brand new $250 million headquarters is strategically located in an up-and-coming neighborhood known for its trendy restaurants.
The move of the company’s headquarters is expected to help McDonald’s cultivate top talent and tap into emerging food crazes and tech trends, according to CEO Steve Easterbrook.
So, what's inside McDonald's new headquarters?
A McDonald's restaurant
The restaurant is located on the first floor and is open to the public. This McDonald’s showcases menu items from around the world, where selective international foods will be featured periodically.
For example, customers may now try the McSpicy Chicken Sandwich from Hong Kong and the McFlurry Prestígio from Brazil in this store.
More importantly, this McDonald’s also features the latest perks that the company has rolled out or is ready to debut in the global market, including self-ordering kiosks and table delivery service.
Hamburger University
This academy where McDonald’s trains its managers is located on the second floor. Since 1961, the University has graduated over 80,000 managers and owners/operators.
A test kitchen
On the third floor resides McDonald’s test kitchen, where new menu items are created and then tasted countless times before they are rolled out in the stores.
McDonald's employee café
The employee café is located on the sixth floor. It features stadium seating as a means to promote collaboration and meetups during meals.
On the same floor, there is a McCafé with barista-style coffee, Canadian pastries and a tech bar, where employees can seek assistance with IT and computer-related issues.
Work neighborhoods
Office space has been adapted at the new HQ as "work neighborhoods" with open floor plans. Each neighborhood features huddle rooms, individual workstations, private phone rooms, and more, along with unassigned benches, couches, cubicles and open space throughout the office space to encourage collaboration and impromptu conversations.
Meeting space
There are 300 conference rooms that are equipped with video presentation technologies, plus one conference center for 700 people.
The rooftop
The company’s fitness center, as well as several outdoor terraces, are located on the rooftop (9th floor), overlooking the skylines of the city of Chicago.
What to expect from McDonald’s?
Along with its new concepts/designs in the stores, McDonald’s recent updates on its fresh beef burgers and the $1, $2, $3 menu seem to be working for shareholders and customers alike. Same-store sales at McDonald’s locations have been reported to top analysts’ projections in the first quarter of 2018.
Additionally, the company plans to upgrade 1,000 stores every quarter with kiosk and mobile ordering technology in the next two years. In fact, some international markets, such as Canada and the U.K., have already embraced the technology trend and are fully integrated with kiosk and mobile ordering services.
It appears that the kiosks and mobile ordering technology can provide different experiences to customers and very likely will help companies save on soaring labor costs. Consumers might also pick up more items when ordering with a kiosk or a mobile device as they face fewer pressures of placing a rush order.
Modeling the growth of Asia, where 10 percent of system sales come from delivery service, McDonald’s is also hoping to grow the delivery service in the U.S. market. The company is currently testing various delivery models, including in-house and third-party options.
How do you feel about McDonald’s new strategic plans? Are they good enough to move this fast-food giant forward?
