Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

latimes.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

171–180 of 611 posts

Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#171

Post by silisili »

fellowniusmonk wrote: post #167
FerretFred wrote: post #21

I can only speak for the UK but for quite a while now, McD's has become an uninviting experience, with miserable staff, menu screens that visibly tell you to hurry the f*k up and choose the product. Not to mention customers vying with delivery drivers for orders. I think the problem applies to all-income customers.

"They're poor, they don't care a about basic human dignity." - McDonald's CEO probably. It truly is the most "Shove this in your slop hole you wretch" experience in all of fast food.

It's pretty hilarious because your comment is exactly their goal.

McDonald's is laser focused on low income customers. They do not want to compete in the middle income space, as they don't visit as often and there's ton more(and better) competition.

Their CEO has been blunt about this recently, and trying to find ways to get low-income customers back. Dire straits ahead for them, they've priced themselves into a place they don't want to be nor will they be able to succeed in.

Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#172

Post by ta9000 »

silisili wrote: post #162
FerretFred wrote: post #21

I can only speak for the UK but for quite a while now, McD's has become an uninviting experience, with miserable staff, menu screens that visibly tell you to hurry the f*k up and choose the product. Not to mention customers vying with delivery drivers for orders. I think the problem applies to all-income customers.

At least from my perspective, COVID broke everything. People are more awful, quality is more awful, and prices are way up. I dread even eating out anymore as I fully expect to overpay for bad food and service. There's an argument to be made that inflation is ultimately the driver of all three complaints, but boy did that all happen seemingly overnight.

The secret is to eat out less often and spend more when you do. Service is fantastic still at higher end restaurants.

Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#173

Post by fellowniusmonk »

silisili wrote: post #171
fellowniusmonk wrote: post #167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"They're poor, they don't care a about basic human dignity." - McDonald's CEO probably. It truly is the most "Shove this in your slop hole you wretch" experience in all of fast food.

It's pretty hilarious because your comment is exactly their goal. McDonald's is laser focused on low income customers. They do not want to compete in the middle income space, as they don't visit as often and there's ton more(and better) competition. Their CEO has been blunt about this recently, and trying to find ways to get low-income customers back. Dire straits ahead for them, they've priced themselves into a plac…

I used to eat there when I was young and poor.

I used to stop at ones off the highway if I was taking a road trip.

I used to grab the occasional soft serve just for nostalgia sake.

Now I'll hit the gas stations deli sandwiches or roller dogs before setting foot in the attached McDonalds.

Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#174

Post by pjmlp »

FerretFred wrote: post #21

I can only speak for the UK but for quite a while now, McD's has become an uninviting experience, with miserable staff, menu screens that visibly tell you to hurry the f*k up and choose the product. Not to mention customers vying with delivery drivers for orders. I think the problem applies to all-income customers.

I only used McDonald's in an emergency, if there is no where else to eat, and having to now use those screens, I must be really desperate.

Better replace the kitchen with cooking robots as well then.

Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#175

Post by DANmode »

lisbbb wrote: post #154
anonymouskimmer wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Value menus still exist: https://www.eatthis.com/restaurant-chains-with-most-affordab... But meat is more expensive than beans and rice.

The problem for me is that I can't eat a lot of rice due to digestive issues with it--it just backs me up like glue even when I drink tons of water. I don't think rice is a very good type of food, honestly. Beans are fine, good fiber and protein. Rice, nah.

Does this happen with Jasmine rice?

If no: check for MTHFR gene mutation.

American rice is often washed in folic acid - don’t ask me why - and that’s toxic to MTHFR mutated individuals.

Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#176

Post by ta12653421 »

detritus wrote: post #42
FerretFred wrote: post #21

I can only speak for the UK but for quite a while now, McD's has become an uninviting experience, with miserable staff, menu screens that visibly tell you to hurry the f*k up and choose the product. Not to mention customers vying with delivery drivers for orders. I think the problem applies to all-income customers.

Also, £4.20 for a Double Bacon & Egg McMuffin is just ... no. Why? I could swear it wasn't that long ago it was under £3. For a fiver I can get a better 'real' Bacon & Egg bap from an independent.

...well, wait: At McDonalds this is a high price for bad quality - in a good restaurant it may be cheap :-)

Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#177

Post by ta12653421 »

dole wrote: post #122

You eat at McD's or most fast food places these days, you need the app to get reasonable prices, usually at a 15-20% discount. The app really does enhance the experience, order exactly what you want without human error, roll up to the drive-thru, give them the code, and they begin making the order at that point. They've been pushing $5 value meals recently because the dollar menu's just not fiscally feasible anymore…

mahahahaaaaaa..... any restaurant that requires an App to access it, completely insane.

Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#178

Post by ta12653421 »

doubled112 wrote: post #159
badc0ffee wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with most of what you're saying, but here in Canada, chicken breast is so not cheap.

About $5 bucks per skinless boneless chicken breast where I'm at in Canada. That's $20 in just the chicken for a meal if you happen to have a family of four. I swear my growing boys have hollow legs. How do you eat more than I do?

Thas fucking cheap! LOL

Chicken well raised and fed, is usually good starting at around 30-40 EUR / kg. I supermarkets selling 1kg of chicken for 4-5 EUR / kg - I would not touch this.

Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#179

Post by skinnymuch »

anonymouskimmer wrote: post #93
trentnix wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Taco Bell's prices are absolutely through the roof, too. I'm not seeing the "decent price" at my local TB that you're seeing.

Thanks, it's actually been a few years since I've been to one.

I don’t think that person is right. If you’re price sensitive and don’t just look at the default [combo] prices then Taco Bell is still elite and known for giving you cheap ways to get calories.

They always have a combo that’s cheap and rotates monthly. And like you said they have a few cheap value food like Bean and rice burrito which is also one of my staples.

Also you’re supposed to use the apps if you’re price sensitive. I work outside all day and couch surf without access to a kitchen. I never look at the actual menu of any place if there’s an app available. Apps also let you see prices between different locations.

However almost everyone I see go to any place in the real world is always buying stuff just looking at the default menu prices.

Re: McDonald's is losing its low-income customers

#180

Post by ta12653421 »

twoodfin wrote: post #34
partiallypro wrote: post #9

In 2005 McDonald's net profit margin was ~12%, today it's ~30+%. Obviously that doesn't account for the entire price increase and wouldn't make that much of a difference...but worth noting.

Yes, they have progressively become a higher-margin business, which necessitates moving up market to consumers who will pay those margins.

10 USD is still the magic barrier, Id say?
Post reply on HN