McDONALDS

Introduction

McDonald's is one of the best-known brands worldwide. This case study shows how McDonald's

continually aims to build its brand by listening to its customers. It also identifies the various

stages in the marketing process. Branding develops a personality for an organisation, product or

service. The brand image represents how consumers view the organisation.

Branding only works when an organisation behaves and presents itself in a consistent way.

Marketing communication methods, such as advertising and promotion, are used to create the

colours, designs and images, which give the brand its recognisable face. At McDonald's this is

represented by its familiar logo - the Golden Arches.Marketing involves identifying customer

needs and requirements, and meeting these needs in a better way than competitors. In this way a

company creates loyal customers. The starting point is to find out who potential customers are -

not everyone will want what McDonald's has to offer. The people McDonald's identifies as likely

customers are known as key audiences.

The McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants,

serving around 68 million customers daily in 119 countries across 35,000 outlets. Headquartered

in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated byRichard

and Maurice McDonald; in 1948 they reorganized their business as a hamburger stand using

production line principles. BusinessmanRay Kroc joined the company as a franchise agent in

1955. He subsequently purchased the chain from the McDonald brothers and oversaw its

worldwide growth A McDonald's restaurant is operated by either a franchisee, an affiliate, or the

corporation itself. McDonald's Corporation revenues come from the rent, royalties, and fees paid

by the franchisees, as well as sales in company-operated restaurants. In 2012, McDonald's

Corporation had annual revenues of $27.5 billion, and profits of $5.5 billion. McDonald's

primarily sells hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken, french fries, breakfast items, soft

drinks, milkshakes, and desserts. In response to changing consumer tastes, the company has

expanded its menu to include salads, fish, wraps, smoothies, fruit, and seasoned fries.

History:

The business began in 1940, with a restaurant opened by brothers Richard and Maurice

McDonald at 1398 North E Street at West 14th Street in San Bernardino, California (at 34.1255°N

117.2946°W). Their introduction of the "Speedee Service System" in 1948 furthered the principles of

the modern fast-food restaurant that the White Castle hamburger chain had already put into practice

more than two decades earlier. The original mascot of McDonald's was a man with a chef's hat on

top of a hamburger shaped head whose name was "Speedee". Speedee was eventually replaced

with Ronald McDonald by 1967 when the company first filed a U.S. trademark on a clown shaped

man having puffed out costume legs.

McDonald's first filed for a U.S. trademark on the name "McDonald's" on May 4, 1961, with the

description "Drive-In Restaurant Services", which continues to be renewed through the end of

December 2009. In the same year, on September 13, 1961, the company filed a logo trademark on

an overlapping, double arched "M" symbol. The overlapping double arched "M" symbol logo was

temporarily disfavored by September 6, 1962, when a trademark was filed for a single arch, shaped

over many of the early McDonald's restaurants in the early years. Although the "Golden Arches"

appeared in various forms, the present form as a letter "M" did not appear until November 18, 1968,

when the company applied for a U.S. trademark.

The present corporation dates its founding to the opening of a franchised restaurant by Czech

American businessman Ray Kroc, in Des Plaines, Illinois, on April 15, 1955, the ninth McDonald's

restaurant overall. Kroc later purchased the McDonald brothers' equity in the company and led its

worldwide expansion, and the company became listed on the public stock markets in 1965. Kroc

was also noted for aggressive business practices, compelling the McDonald brothers to leave the

fast food industry. The McDonald brothers and Kroc feuded over control of the business, as

documented in both Kroc's autobiography and in the McDonald brothers' autobiography. The San

Bernardino store was demolished in 1976 (or 1971, according to Juan Pollo) and the site was sold to

the Juan Pollo restaurant chain. It now serves as headquarters for the Juan Pollo chain, as well as a

McDonald's and Route 66 museum.[12] With the expansion of McDonald's into many international

markets, the company has become a symbol of globalization and the spread of the American way of

life. Its prominence has also made it a frequent topic of public debates about obesity, corporate

ethics and consumer responsibility.

Strategies of McDonalds :

Quicker service

Quicker delivery

More beverages and change in menu

More outlets

Target 2 -3 tier cities

Objectives of McDonald :

Profitability

McDonald's is a large corporation , and, therefore, must remain profitable to stay in business.

To remain profitable, McDonald's offers quality products at a price that meets its consumers'

demands. Ironically, McDonald's has remained profitable, even during global recessions, by

offering a cheap alternative to sit-down meals.

Quality Service

McDonald's aims to offer quick, efficient products at a reasonable price. McDonald's strives to

expand and increase awareness of nutritious menu items. For example, McDonald's has

expanded food and beverages containing fruit and vegetables across the menu, and has increased

awareness of fruit, vegetable and dairy options available for children on the menu. Their fast,

convenient meals won't result in an unsatisfactory product.

Customer Satisfaction

Customer loyalty is an important objective of McDonald's. Without customer loyalty, there

would be a decrease in customers meaning less positive word of mouth from customers to

friends and family members. Customer satisfaction involves marketing, as McDonald's identifies

the needs and requirements of its consumers in a better way than its competitors. Many

consumers choose McDonald's because of its friendly, inviting atmosphere. Restaurants offer

comfortable seating, televisions and playgrounds for children. Convenience is also important, as

customers want their food produced in a fast, efficient manner.

Reputable Image

McDonald's opened its first restaurant in 1954. As of 2011, McDonald's operates more than

32,000 restaurants serving more than 60 million people in more than 100 countries every day.

McDonald's strives for uniformity. If you are in Paris, you can find many similar products on

the menu as you would in New York City. McDonald's seeks to continually

improve its image as a pathway to a career, rather than a provider of "minimum-wage, dead-

end, burger flipping jobs."

Community Outreach

McDonald's strives to increase its financial and volunteer support to Ronald McDonald House

Charities through communication outreach. It is involved in many schools,

community organizations  and nonprofit organizations that benefit citizen in communities all

over the world.

Company Profile

McDonald's is the world's leading global foodservice retailer with over

35,000 locations serving approximately 70 million customers in over 100

countries each day.  More than 80% of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are

owned and operated by independent local business men and women.Our goal

is to become customers' favorite place and way to eat and drink by serving

core favorites such as our World Famous Fries, Big Mac, Quarter Pounder

and Chicken McNuggets.

Our Strategic Direction

The strength of the alignment among the Company, its franchisees and

suppliers (collectively referred to as the "System") has been key to

McDonald's success. By leveraging our System, we are able to identify,

implement and scale ideas that meet customers' changing needs and

preferences. In addition, our business model enables McDonald's to

consistently deliver locally-relevant restaurant experiences to customers and

be an integral part of the communities we serve.

McDonald's customer-focused Plan to Win ("Plan") provides a common

framework that aligns our global business and allows for local adaptation. We

continue to focus on our three global growth priorities of optimizing our

menu, modernizing the customer experience, and broadening accessibility to

Brand McDonald's within the framework of our Plan. Our initiatives support

these priorities, and are executed with a focus on the Plan's five pillars -

People, Products, Place, Price and Promotion - to enhance our customers'

experience and build shareholder value over the long term. We believe these

priorities align with our customers' evolving needs, and - combined with our

competitive advantages of convenience, menu variety, geographic

diversification and System alignment - will drive long-term sustainable

growth.

Reporting Segments

The business is managed as distinct geographic segments that include:

U.S.

Europe

Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA)

Other Countries & Corporate(OCC) including Canada, Latin America and

Corporate

Restaurant Ownership

We view ourselves primarily as a franchisor and believe franchising is

important to delivering great customer experiences and driving profitability.

At year end 2013, more than 80% of McDonald’s restaurants were franchised.

Of the total McDonald’s restaurants worldwide:

Over 57% are conventional franchiseesNearly 24% are licensed to foreign

affiliates or developmental licensees 19% are Company-operated

Segmentation, Targeting and positioning Model of McDonalds:

In order to develop a marketing strategy, it is very important for company to understand its target

customers. If the company can understand its customer then only it can communicate itself to

their consumer Market. Better you know about your consumers, more effectively you could

communicate and market them.

McDonalds has segmented their products according to bases of Demographic, Psychographic

and Behavioral. They have segmented their products and positioned their products according to

kids, students and family. But they haven’t segmented their products according to the Adult

target group. Also they haven’t started segment related to breakfast in every outlet.

Segmentation:

Market segmentation is defined as dividing a single market into smaller segments. The basic

reason for dividing the market into small segments is to make it simple to address the needs of

smaller groups of customers and try to manufacture different products according to their

consuming habits. Particularly it is done according to the people who have similar

characteristics. It can be done on the basis of age, gender, lifestyle, region, etc.

McDonalds in India segmentation it has done is on three different bases:

1) Demographic Segmentation: Kids, Family and Students

McDonalds offers different products like Happy Meal which includes a free toy for kids. For

families it has made different outlets and meals which are suitable for takeaways and drive-thru.

McDonalds has made its environment which is suitable for students of school to hang out with

their friends and can get their lunch at McDonalds.

2) Psychographic segmentation:  Convenience and lifestyle

McDonalds has adopted itself according to the convenience and lifestyle of the Indian

consumers, as India has a huge vegetarian population so McDonalds came up with a different

and new product line which includes items like Mc Veggie burger and Mc Aloo tikki Burger.

They also made McDonalds as a place to relax and even for entertainment.

3) Behavioral segmentation: Occasions, for e.g. Birthday Parties of kids

McDonalds can get more customers by whom they can get most of the share of India Fast Food

Industry but they should emphasis on their Targeting technique.

To Get a Sustainable Advantage over their competitors McDonalds should introduce new as well

as modified products which contains low cholesterol content in it. McDonalds has so much

upcoming competition in Indian market that it should concentrate on Differentiation of its

products increase its market size by implementing penetration pricing technique in which they

should introduce the product with a lower price even lower than the market substitute’s price. By

this they can they can associate with their marketing objectives and can increase their sales and

total revenue even in future.

They should apply new positioning technique to create a new image in the minds of consumer

about McDonald a place with healthy variants. McDonalds should observe present approach

which they are following and subsequent the current advertising with healthy messages. This can

be done by adding a more organized and expertise team which can work on healthy mindful

advertisement. There advertising should contain all the benefits and healthy qualities about the

products McDonalds is offering.

Positioning is a process of creating an image in the mind of consumers by which consumers can

understand the uniqueness about your product when compared to competitor’s product. In India

positioning of McDonalds has been directed as a Family restaurant. Then they started positioning

according to the kids as well by introducing new advertising of toys with their products such as

“Happy Meal”. In the start they made certain special efforts to not allow it to convert into a

teenage and adults (20 to 24 years of age) hangout place. Now youngster and adults has became

so use to fast foods that McDonalds should also target them and try to position McDonalds as a

place for all. They should target adults also because they can pay for quality and variety of

products. This will help McDonalds to be most recognizable brand in India for people of all ages.

Or we can say that they should follow concept of undifferentiated marketing in which they

should offer same marketing mix to mass audiences. This is due to the fact that in India has

second largest population in the world and if they adopt this approach and try to do positioning

according to this approach then they will be benefitted and their sales and revenue will surely

increase.

McDonald’s Values

They place the customer experience at the core of all we do. Our customers are the reason for our

existence. We demonstrate our appreciation by providing them with high quality food and superior

service in a clean, welcoming environment, at a great value. Our goal is quality, service, cleanliness and

value (QSC&V) for each and every customer, each and every time.

They are committed to our people. We provide opportunity, nurture talent, develop leaders and reward

achievement. We believe that a team of well-trained individuals with diverse backgrounds and

experiences, working together in an environment that fosters respect and drives high levels of

engagement, is essential to our continued success.

They believe in the McDonald’s System. McDonald’s business model, depicted by our “three-legged

stool” of owner/operators, suppliers, and company employees, is our foundation, and balancing the

interests of all three groups is key.

They operate our business ethically. Sound ethics is good business. At McDonald’s, we hold ourselves

and conduct our business to high standards of fairness, honesty, and integrity. We are individually

accountable and collectively responsible.

They give back to our communities. We take seriously the responsibilities that come with being a leader.

We help our customers build better communities, support Ronald McDonald House Charities, and

leverage our size, scope and resources to help make the world a better place.

They grow our business profitably. McDonald’s is a publicly traded company. As such, we work to

provide sustained profitable growth for our shareholders. This requires a continuous focus on our

customers and the health of our system.

They strive continually to improve. We are a learning organization that aims to anticipate and respond to

changing customer, employee and system needs through constant evolution and innovation.

Types of restaurant :

Most standalone McDonald's restaurants offer both counter service and drive-through service,

with indoor and sometimes outdoor seating. Drive-Thru, Auto-Mac, Pay and Drive, or

"McDrive" as it is known in many countries, often has separate stations for placing, paying for,

and picking up orders, though the latter two steps are frequently combined; it was first

introduced in Arizona in 1975, following the lead of other fast-food chains. The first such

restaurant in Britain opened at Fallowfield, Manchester in 1986.

In some countries, "McDrive" locations near highways offer no counter service or seating. In

contrast, locations in high-density city neighborhoods often omit drive-through service. There

are also a few locations, located mostly in downtown districts, that offer Walk-Thru service in

place of Drive-Thru.

To accommodate the current trend for high quality coffee and the popularity of coffee shops in

general, McDonald's introduced McCafé, a café-style accompaniment to McDonald's restaurants

in the style of Starbucks. McCafé is a concept created by McDonald's Australia, starting with

Melbourne in 1993. Today, most McDonald's in Australia have McCafés located within the

existing McDonald's restaurant. In Tasmania, there are McCafés in every store, with the rest of

the states quickly following suit. After upgrading to the new McCafé look and feel, some

Australian stores have noticed up to a 60% increase in sales. As of the end of 2003 there were

over 600 McCafés worldwide.

Some locations are connected to gas stations/convenience stores, while others

calledMcExpress have limited seating and/or menu or may be located in a shopping mall. Other

McDonald's are located in Walmart stores. McStop is a location targeted at truckers and travelers

which may have services found at truck stops.

Since 1997, in addition to many in Israel, one kosher McDonald's is located in the Abasto mall,

in Buenos Aires,Argentina.

Market research of McDonalds :

Market research is the format which enables McDonald's to identify this key information.

Accurate research is essential in creating the right mix to win customer loyalty.

In all its markets McDonald's faces competition from other businesses. Additionally,

economic, legal and technological changes, social factors, the retail environmentand

many other elements affect McDonald's success in the market.

Market research identifies these factors and anticipates how they will affect people's

willingness to buy. As the economy and social attitudes change, so do buying patterns.

McDonald's needs to identify whether the number of target customers is growing or

shrinking and whether their buying habits will change in the future.

Market research considers everything that affects buying decisions. These buying

decisions can often be affected by wider factors than just the product itself.

Psychological factors are important, e.g. what image does the product give or how the

consumer feels when purchasing it. These additional psychological factors are

significantly important to the customer. They can be even more important than the

products' physical benefits. Through marketing, McDonald's establishes a prominent

position in the minds of customers. This is known as branding.

Meeting the needs of key audiences

There are a limited number of customers in the market. To build long-term business it is

essential to retain people once they have become customers. Customers are not all the

same. Market research identifies different types of customers. These examples

represent just a few of McDonald's possible customer profiles. Each has different

reasons for coming to McDonald's.

Identifying customers

Using this type of information McDonald's can tailor communication to the needs of

specific groups. It is their needs that determine the type of products and

servicesoffered, prices charged, promotions created and where restaurants are located.

To meet the needs of the key market it is important to analyse the internal

marketingstrengths of the organisation. Strengths and weaknesses must be identified,

so that a marketing strategywhich is right for the business can be decided upon.

The 4 P’s followed by McDonalds :

Product

The important thing to remember when offering menu items to customers is that they have a

choice. They have a huge number of ways of spending their money and places to spend it.

Therefore, McDonald's places considerable emphasis on developing a menu which customers

want. Market research establishes exactly what this is. However, customers' requirements change

over time. What is fashionable and attractive today may be discarded tomorrow. Marketing

continuously monitors customers' preferences.

In order to meet these changes, McDonald's has introduced new products and phased out old

ones, and will continue to do so. Care is taken not to adversely affect the sales of one choice by

introducing a new choice, which will cannibalise sales from the existing one (trade off).

McDonald's knows that items on its menu will vary in popularity. Their ability to generate

profits will vary at different points in their life cycle. Products go through a life cycle, which is

illustrated below:

The type of marketing undertaken and the amount invested will be different, depending on the

stage a product has reached. For example, the launch of a new product will typically involve

television and other advertising support. At any time a company will have a portfolio of products

each in a different stage of its lifecycle. Some of McDonald's options are growing in popularity

while arguably the Big Mac is at the 'maturity' stage.

Price

The customer's perception of value is an important determinant of the price charged. Customers

draw their own mental picture of what a product is worth. A product is more than a physical

item, it also has psychological connotations for the customer. The danger of using low price as a

marketing tool is that the customer may feel that quality is being compromised. It is important

when deciding on price to be fully aware of the brand and its integrity. A further consequence of

price reduction is that competitors match prices resulting in no extra demand. This means the

profit margin has been reduced without increasing sales.

Promotions

The promotions aspect of the marketing mix covers all types of marketing communications. The

methods include advertising, sometimes known as 'above the line' activity. Advertising is

conducted on TV, radio, cinema, online, poster sites and in the press (newspapers, magazines).

What distinguishes advertising from other marketing communications is that media owners are

paid before the advertiser can take space in the medium. Other promotional methods include

sales promotions, point of sale display, merchandising, direct mail, telemarketing, exhibitions,

seminars, loyalty schemes, door drops, demonstrations, etc.

The skill in marketing communications is to develop a campaign which uses several of these

methods in a way that provides the most effective results. For example, TV advertising makes

people aware of a food item and press advertising provides more detail. This may be supported

by in store promotions to get people to try the product and a collectable promotional device to

encourage them to keep buying the item. It is imperative that the messages communicated

support each other and do not confuse customers. A thorough understanding of what the brand

represents is the key to a consistent message.

The purpose of most marketing communications is to move the target audience to some type of

action. This may be to: buy the product, visit a restaurant, recommend the choice to a friend or

increase purchase of the menu item. Key objectives of advertising are to make people aware of

an item, feel positive about it and remember it. The more McDonald's knows about the people it

is serving the more it is able to communicate messages which appeal to them. Messages should

gain customers' attention and keep their interest. The next stage is to get them to want what is

offered. Showing the benefits which they will obtain by taking action, is usually sufficient. The

right messages must be targeted at the right audience, using the right media. For example, to

reach a single professional woman with income above a certain level, it may be better to take an

advertisement in Cosmopolitan than Woman's Own. To advertise to mothers with children, it

may be more effective to take advertising space in cinemas during Disney films. The right media

depends on who the viewers, readers or listeners are and how closely they resemble the target

audience.

Place

Place in the marketing mix, is not just about the physical location or distribution points for

products. It encompasses the management of a range of processes involved in bringing products

to the end consumer.

Types of stock used by McDonalds

Stock is the physical product a company buys, creates or sells. Every business has three main

types of stock:

Raw materials

The raw materials are the ingredients that will go into producing the finished product. For

McDonald's, these will include the buns, beef patties, paper cups, salad ingredients and

packaging. These are delivered to the restaurants between 3 and 5 times a week. The raw

materials arrive together on one lorry with three sections so that each product can be stored at a

suitable temperature.

The three sections are:

frozen

chilled

ambientwhich means foods that can be stored at room temperature. This applies to items such as

coffee or sugar sachets.

Work-in-progress (WIP)

Work-in-progress refers to stocks that are in the process of being made into finished product. A

Big Mac consists of a bun, two beef patties, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, sauce and a small

amount of seasoning. The restaurant will only combine these items just before the customer

orders them so the Big Macs are hot and fresh when served.

Finished products

Finished products are goods that are ready for immediate sale to a customer. At any one time, a

restaurant will have a range of products ready for sale. Many of these will include finished

products like Filet-o-Fish, Big Macs and side salads.

Using stock

At McDonald's, all raw materials, work-in-progress and finished products are handled on a First

In, First Out (FIFO) basis. This means raw materials are used in the order they are received.

Therefore stock is always fresh because products are sold in the order they are made. If the

process First In, Last Out (FILO) was used, then the finished product would be dry and

unappealing because the first one prepared is the last one sold.

Products of McDonalds:

1 Big mac

2 Fries

3 Mc Chicken

4 Chicken Mcnuggets

5 Quarter Pounder With Cheese

6 McFlurry

7 Double Cheeseburger (Mc Double)

8 Filet-O-Fish

9 Cheeseburger

10 McGriddles

How do McDonalds manage their stock ?

Holding too much stock carries costs, so McDonald's runs a lean stock control to save money.

Stock management is the process of making sure there is enough stock at all times to meet

customer demands whilst minimising expensive waste.

Planning and managing supply

Ongoing communication between the central Restaurant Supply Planning team and individual

restaurants helps to manage the stock more effectively. A mixture of specialist stock controllers

and employees who previously worked in the restaurants makes up the central team. This team of

14 regional planners works with around 80 restaurants each and communicates on a regular basis

with them via email/telephone. Anything that would affect the number of customers visiting their

restaurant needs to be logged with the team. This is taken into account in the calculating of the

forecasts.

Supply Planners work with the new stock control system, Manugistics, to ensure enough raw

materials, e.g. beef, tomatoes, lettuce, etc., leave the McDonald's distribution centres, such as

Basingstoke. This ensures restaurants can produce the meals required for the level of demand

forecasted.

Forecasting

A forecast is an estimate of future sales of finished products. Forecasts are calculated using:

store-specific historic product mix data from the last two years

store-specific and national causal factors. These specify dates for events such as national

promotions and school holidays

information from store managers about factors that might affect emand, e.g. road closures or

local events and promotions.

Causal factors

Supply Planners working for McDonald's include a range of causal factors in the calculation of

the forecasts, so that based on past performance they can predict future demand for each

restaurant. For example, Big Mac sales increase during a 'Buy One Get One Free (BOGOF)'

promotion. The planners use this data in the forecasts for all stores that took part in that

promotion. Analysing how weather affects demand for particular products, such as McFlurrys

and salads, can also be built into the model. The forecasts then become more accurate,

decreasing costs and improving customer satisfaction.

Criticism of McDonald

McDonald's spend over $1.8 billion every year worldwide on advertising and promotions, trying

to cultivate an image of being a 'caring' and 'green' company that is also a fun place to eat.

Children are lured in (dragging their parents behind them) with the promise of toys and other

gimmicks. But behind the smiling face of Ronald McDonald lies the reality - McDonald's only

interest is money, making profits from whoever and whatever they can, just like all multinational

companies. McDonald's Annual Reports talk of 'Global Domination' - they aim to open more and

more stores across the globe - but their continual worldwide expansion means more uniformity,

less choice and the undermining of local communities.

PROMOTING UNHEALTHY FOOD

McDonald's promote their food as 'nutritious', but the reality is that it is junk food - high

in fat, sugar and salt, and low in fibre and vitamins. A diet of this type is linked with a

greater risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other diseases. Their food also contains

many chemical additives, some of which may cause ill-health, and hyperactivity in

children. Don't forget too that meat is the cause of the majority of food poisoning

incidents. In 1991 McDonald's were responsible for an outbreak of food poisoning in the

UK, in which people suffered serious kidney failure. With modern intensive farming

methods, other diseases - linked to chemical residues or unnatural practices - have

become a danger to people too (such as BSE).

EXPLOITING WORKERS

Workers in the fast food industry are paid low wages. McDonald's do not pay overtime

rates even when employees work very long hours. Pressure to keep profits high and wage

costs low results in understaffing, so staff have to work harder and faster. As a

consequence, accidents (particularly burns) are common. The majority of employees are

people who have few job options and so are forced to accept this exploitation, and they're

compelled to 'smile' too! Not surprisingly staff turnover at McDonald's is high, making it

virtually impossible to unionise and fight for a better deal, which suits McDonald's who

have always been opposed to Unions.

ROBBING THE POOR

Vast areas of land in poor countries are used for cash crops or for cattle ranching, or to

grow grain to feed animals to be eaten in the West. This is at the expense of local food

needs. McDonald's continually promote meat products, encouraging people to eat meat

more often, which wastes more and more food resources. 7 million tons of grain fed to

livestock produces only 1 million tons of meat and by-products. On a plant-based diet

and with land shared fairly, almost every region could be self-sufficient in food.

DAMAGING THE ENVIRONMENT

Forests throughout the world - vital for all life - are being destroyed at an appalling rate

by multinational companies. McDonald's have at last been forced to admit to using beef

reared on ex-rainforest land, preventing its regeneration. Also, the use of farmland by

multinationals and their suppliers forces local people to move on to other areas and cut

down further trees.

McDonald's are the world's largest user of beef. Methane emitted by cattle reared for the

beef industry is a major contributor to the 'global warming' crisis. Modern intensive

agriculture is based on the heavy use of chemicals which are damaging to the

environment.

Every year McDonald's use thousands of tons of unnecessary packaging, most of which

ends up littering our streets or polluting the land buried in landfill sites.

MURDERING ANIMALS

The menus of the burger chains are based on the torture and murder of millions of

animals. Most are intensively farmed, with no access to fresh air and sunshine, and no

freedom of movement. Their deaths are barbaric - 'humane slaughter' is a myth. We have

the choice to eat meat or not, but the billions of animals massacred for food each year

have no choice at all.

CENSORSHIP and McLIBEL

Criticism of McDonald's has come from a huge number of people and organisations over

a wide range of issues. In the mid-1980's, London Greenpeace drew together many of

those strands of criticism and called for an annual World Day of Action against

McDonald's. This takes place every year on 16th October, with pickets and

demonstrations all over the world. McDonald's, who spend a fortune every year on

advertising, are trying to silence world-wide criticism by threatening legal action against

those who speak out. Many have been forced to back down because they lacked the

money to fight a case. But Helen Steel and Dave Morris, two supporters of London

Greenpeace, defended themselves in a major UK High Court libel trial. No legal aid is

available so they represented themselves. McDonald's engaged in a huge cover up,

refusing to disclose masses of relevant documents. Also, the defendants were denied their

right to a jury. Despite all the cards being stacked against them, Helen and Dave turned

the tables and exposed the truth by putting McDonald's business practices on trial.

Protests against the $30 billion a year fast-food giant continue to grow. It's vital to stand

up to intimidation and to defend free speech.

How McDonald’s Improves Customer Satisfaction

McDonald’s recognized a growing trend in the Quick Service Restaurant industry

toward accurate and timely customer service. Choosing the right technology solutions

was key to helping them meet their goals. With Astute Solutions, they found a partner

that was able to provide the innovation and technology they required as well as the

service and support they demanded.