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It took a long time for the far-ranging effects of eating McDonald's food on a steady basis to impart itself upon consumers. To that end, I can say when growing up in the 1970s, McDonald's wasn't something we or any of my friends ate on even a semi-regular basis. Our parents even then realized what that "food" was, and were very conservative in the amount of times they allowed we kids to cajole them into taking us there. Like, literally if I had it more than a few times a year back in the 1970s I'd be surprised.
That stuff just wasn't - and isn't - designed and produced in a manner to be consumed day after day without imparting some pretty disastrous long-term negative health conditions. People are slowly starting to realize there can be a high cost to eating cheap. And you are 100% correct that McDonald's isn't even all that cheap anymore. People are willing to pay a few bucks more for better food at Five Guys.
McDonald's is trying to adjust and make strategic changes in response to the topping out of their financial performance (and, indeed, a slight decline - not a cratering by any means, but for a company that has pretty much experienced growth year after year for decades even a 1% downturn must be sobering) over the last few years. From offering breakfast sandwiches 24 hours to trying to up their game in McCafe drinks to grab some of the Starbucks market to offering some healthier menu items to at least offer a limited choice of selection. I suppose from an executive management POV there is at least the realization that lumbering onward with the traditional menu will probably not portend well down the line.
I don't know if McDonald's can really remake itself or reposition itself in the broad public mind as anything other than the brand it has built over the last half century and the image that brand name conjures up. They can tweak the edges, but in essence it is what it is. And that's fine as far as it goes, as long as people still want that. The problems will come as more and more people don't. And, as you say, the public are now aware of the many other alternatives to the McDonald's menu: McDonald's isn't the juggernaut it was thirty years ago in terms of being the only game in town when it comes to inexpensive food made quickly, and McDonald's certainly isn't the tastiest.
That stuff just wasn't - and isn't - designed and produced in a manner to be consumed day after day without imparting some pretty disastrous long-term negative health conditions. People are slowly starting to realize there can be a high cost to eating cheap. And you are 100% correct that McDonald's isn't even all that cheap anymore. People are willing to pay a few bucks more for better food at Five Guys.
McDonald's is trying to adjust and make strategic changes in response to the topping out of their financial performance (and, indeed, a slight decline - not a cratering by any means, but for a company that has pretty much experienced growth year after year for decades even a 1% downturn must be sobering) over the last few years. From offering breakfast sandwiches 24 hours to trying to up their game in McCafe drinks to grab some of the Starbucks market to offering some healthier menu items to at least offer a limited choice of selection. I suppose from an executive management POV there is at least the realization that lumbering onward with the traditional menu will probably not portend well down the line.
I don't know if McDonald's can really remake itself or reposition itself in the broad public mind as anything other than the brand it has built over the last half century and the image that brand name conjures up. They can tweak the edges, but in essence it is what it is. And that's fine as far as it goes, as long as people still want that. The problems will come as more and more people don't. And, as you say, the public are now aware of the many other alternatives to the McDonald's menu: McDonald's isn't the juggernaut it was thirty years ago in terms of being the only game in town when it comes to inexpensive food made quickly, and McDonald's certainly isn't the tastiest.
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