RISE - Menu Monitor

McDonald’s Corp. is struggling to change to trans fat-free oils, according to recent reports. The chain announced back in 2002
that it was planning a move to trans fat-free oil. With New York’s recent legislation to ban trans fats and other chains
announcing plans to cut back or eliminate trans fats, McDonald’s has been testing oils and has said that it will cut the level of
trans fats in its cooking oil in Europe to 2%. The chain has not said whether or not it plans to use the same oil stateside.
(Crain’s Chicago Business 11/13/06 p18)
McDonald’s plans to double the number of units offering automated DVD rental kiosks to about 1,600 outlets. The vending
machines, operated by Redbox Automated Retail LLC, are currently available in 800 restaurants in Baltimore, Denver,
Houston, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City and St. Louis. The kiosks allow customers ages 18 and over to rent a DVD from about
70 current releases for $1 per night. They can rent the DVDs using a credit or debit card and may return them to any of the
kiosks. (Nation’s Restaurant News Online 12/05/06)
McDonald’s will convert restaurants in the Houston area as part of its “Forever Young” campaign. Changes include softer
lighting, classical music, plasma-screen televisions Wi-Fi and updated restrooms. In addition to the changes, the location will
be divided into “zones”: “Fast Zone” where customers in a hurry can order fast and eat on bar stools, “Family Zone” featuring
larger tables to accommodate groups and “Casual Zone” featuring comfortable, oversized seating. Some of the units will
include a fireplace and couches. (Bizjournals.com 12/22/06)
McDonald’s reported for the fourth quarter same-store sales increased 6.3%. (Company Release 1/17/07)
McDonald’s has added stationery exercise bikes to its new children’s play areas. The stationary bikes are a part of the
company’s re-imaging campaign throughout the Valley. (Company Release 1/29/07)
McDonald’s reported January same-store sales rose 3.6% in the U.S. and 6.8% in Europe. (Company Release 2/8/07)
McDonald’s franchisee will give up ownership of the restaurants after a rare bankruptcy. Federal court-supervised bids ranged
from $600,000 to $1.6 million for the units. (NRN Daily NewsFax 2/20/07)
McDonald’s will sponsor Ohio State University athletics beginning in July. McDonald’s is replacing Wendy’s International Inc.
Wendy’s had a 20+ sponsorship with the university. (Bizjournals.com 3/13/07)
McDonald’s reported February same-store sales increased 5.7% globally. (Company Release 3/8/07)
McDonald’s Corp. is revamping its kitchens to better accommodate its breakfast service. Many franchisees are speculating
that these moves are a precursor to all-day breakfast. The company’s “breakfast optimization” program aims to bring greater
efficiency to the production of Egg McMuffins, McGriddles and other morning fare. (Crain’s Chicago Business 2/20/07)
Ohio State University in Columbus, OH, has inked a deal with McDonald’s which will replace Wendy’s as the university’s
sports sponsor. Under the deal, the football and basketball arenas will feature the McDonald’s name and logo. The deal will
also allow for cross-promotional opportunities such as selling tickets to the Buckeyes spring football game at central Ohio
McDonald’s outlets. (AFX International Focus 3/14/07)
McDonald’s protested recent remarks that by Prince Charles the UK should ban the chain in an effort to help kids create
healthier diets. Prince Charles made the remark after he visited a diabetes center in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
McDonald’s said that he must not have been aware of recent menu changes to improve the choice and variety on its menu.
(The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 3/06/07; UPI.com 2/27/07)
McDonald’s franchisee GLC Restaurants has agreed to pay $550,000 to eight female employees who claimed they were
sexually harassed by a male supervisor at two Arizona locations. (NRN Daily NewsFax 3/23/07)
McDonald’s will pay a penny per pound more to field workers in Florida who pick the company’s tomatoes. The deal between
McDonald’s and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers was brokered byformer President Jimmy Carter. McDonald’s has overall
standards for its suppliers in place for the past 15 years, and last year added stipulations for field workers. In addition to the
raise in pay, the new code includes other regulations for farm workers, such as worker monitoring and inspection and outside
compliance checks. McDonald’s and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers are working together to expand the new code to
include oranges and lettuce picked by immigrant workers in other parts of the country, including Arizona and California.
Activists are expected to use the agreement as a template for future negotiations between worker groups and other restaurant
and grocery chains to selecting improved working conditions in agricultural fields across the country. (Chicago Tribune
4/10/07; Company Release 4/09/07)
McDonald’s reported for the first quarter 2007 global same-store sales increased 6.3%, domestic same-store sales rose 4.4%
and Europe’s same-store sales grew 8%. For the month of March, global same-store sales rose 8.2%, domestic same-store
sales grew 6.2% and Europe’s same-store sales increased 11.2%. (Company Release 4/13/07)
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