Article published November 20, 2009
McDonald's gets a makeover
N.Y. outlet given features already introduced in Europe
Customers at a renovated McDonald's in Manhattan find a European look, free Wi-Fi, upholstered vinyl chairs, and employees in all-black uniforms. 'It's so different from all the other McDonald's,' said one patron. 'It's beautiful.' The franchise owner says clients now relax there.
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ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK - Danish Modern furniture. Flat-screen TVs. Free Wi-Fi.
You want fries with that?
A McDonald's in Manhattan's Chelsea section became the first in the U.S. this fall to undergo a sleek, European-style makeover similar to what McDonald's has done at thousands of outlets in France and the United Kingdom.
The eatery is outfitted with outlets for plugging in laptops, upholstered vinyl chairs instead of fiber-glass seats bolted to the floor, subdued lighting, and employees whose all-black uniforms suggest a hip boutique.
"It's like a lounge," said Kimberly Burgess, one of many patrons who did a double take. "It's so different from all the other McDonald's. It's beautiful."
Franchise owner Paul Hendel said customers have settled down in a restaurant not known for patrons lingering over lunch."We're becoming a more relevant type of restaurant for the younger crowd," he said. "They don't feel rushed. They're reading the newspaper, relaxed."
McDonald's Corp. spokesman Danya Proud said, "People are using our restaurants differently today than they did five, 10, 20 years ago. People are multitasking, doing more on a given day. … You want to be able to open your laptop, log on, and get some work done while you're eating."
Ms. Proud said the redesigned European restaurants - along with menu items geared toward different countries - have been responsible for McDonald's growth in Europe.
McDonald's has experienced strong sales in the U.S. during the recession, though the chain said this week that its monthly U.S. sales growth edged down in October.
European sales were up 6.4 percent for the month.
The menu at the 186-seat Chelsea outlet is the same as any other McDonald's. But the differences are stark. The walls are decorated with bold vertical stripes or with what looks like a zebra design but is actually French architect Philippe Avanzi's magnified thumbprint.
Tables are of different sizes to accommodate small groups or an informal business meeting.
There are reproductions of Danish designer Arne Jacobsen's chairs, including the Egg chair, a classic of midcentury functionality that would look right at home on The Jetsons television show.
At another New York McDonald's, a grand piano is visible through a second-floor window.
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