McDonald's just made an unprecedented move that customers are already obsessed with
On Wednesday, McDonald's announced that "McDelivery" with UberEATS is now available from more than 1,000 locations in Los Angeles, Chicago, Columbus, and Phoenix.
"We are bringing a new level of convenience to more of our customers as we continue to transform the McDonald's experience," McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook said in a statement.
McDonald's and UberEATS began testing McDelivery at 200 locations in Florida in January. According to the fast-food giant, the pilot test saw consistent growth and resulted in high levels of customer satisfaction.
Looking at responses on social media, people living in areas that have already had a chance to experience McDelivery are split between two responses - disbelief and delight.
McDonald's isn't the only chain experimenting with delivery. Wendy's recently launched delivery at 135 locations in Ohio. And, Panera Bread is rolling out delivery at 35 to 40% of its locations this year, the company announced in January.
While delivery is clearly a compelling option to offer, it isn't a simple service for restaurants to add. Customers often spend less when ordering delivery, especially at casual dining chains that rely on alcohol orders to drive sales. In-house delivery means added complexities, paying drivers, and additional insurance costs. Using a third-party means losing control over the food's quality.
McDonald's sales have improved recently, with same-store sales at US locations growing 1.7% in the first quarter of 2017. However, despite the sales increase, the company reported that customer visits at the chain have remained flat. Perhaps, with McDelivery, McDonald's can win back the customers who are too lazy to actually visit the chain.