A McMakeover for McDonald’s
McDonald’s is spending more than $140 million in the state as the fast food giant modernizes its restaurants with tech upgrades and a makeover, inside and out.
Lindsay Wallin, a McDonald’s owner-operator, said 10 of the 13 stores she owns in Boston and the North Shore with her father, Bob King, have completed the upgrade.
“In all our stores that are done so far, it just brings a lot of pride to our employees and a lot of pride in the neighborhoods,” Wallin said. “The stores look awesome. They’re so much more modern and comfortable.”
Patrons may have noticed improvements in some stores already, including digital self-order kiosks, dining rooms with globally and locally inspired decor, new furniture and refreshed exterior designs.
The construction, which will continue through 2019, also includes remodeled and expanded counters, brighter digital menu boards inside and at the drive-thru, and designated parking spots for curbside pickup for mobile orders.
The company said yesterday its locations are using local contractors to do the work. Wallin hired a contractor out of Stoughton that she’s worked with for years.
“They’re very familiar with how our operations work in the restaurant business. They’re good about making sure we maintain at least drive-thru or the main dining room open unless it’s a complete rebuild,” Wallin said. “For the most part, we’re at least able to remain partially open.”
Out of the company’s 140 restaurants in the state, about 100 stores have already been upgraded. McDonald’s isn’t footing the whole bill, though. Owner-operators have to pay for a percentage depending on their individual agreements.
“This is an exciting time for McDonald’s,” said Rich Hogan, a McDonald’s owner-operator in Greater Boston. “We are also pleased that our modernization supports local architecture, engineering and construction jobs across the great state of Massachusetts.”
The Massachusetts initiative is part of a larger investment across the entire country, with the McDonald’s franchisees investing $6 billion to modernize most U.S. restaurants by 2020.
“Overall it’s definitely a very positive change,” Wallin said. “It’s a big project, it’s a lot of work, but so far it definitely feels as though it’s worth it.”
