Everybody’s lovin’ it

Early last week, as I unfolded my newspaper, a glossy colored leaflet slipped out and fell to the floor. Picking it up, I noticed that it was from McDonald’s. Nothing unusual about that, they often send out discount coupons, enough for a months worth of McMeals, usually. Far more than anyone can use.
But this was different. This was a token for a FREE Sausage McMuffin and a cup of their premium coffee. Wow. 200,000 were to be given away. WOW.
There is a McDonald’s near my office (isn’t there one near everybody’s office?), and so I went in to claim my free breakfast. Served fast, hot and with a friendly smile.
Now, I am just sort-of amazed at this whole thing. I guess you could cynically label it as a carefully-calculated marketing ploy. But that’s not how it tasted.
After work, I walked past the McDonald’s near my home (hasn’t everybody got a McDonald’s near their home?). About a year ago it was given a major face lift. It used to have a pleasant Mexican theme, now it has a hi-tech, lots of back-lit colored glass, open, airy, interesting theme. It is nearly always crowded in contrast to the KFC a few doors away which is always nearly empty and survives, I suspect, on the spill-over from McDonald’s.
So here is a franchise that thrives on re-defining itself, re-positioning, developing new products, new looks.
I don’t know much about McDonald’s, to be honest, but if I were looking for a franchise to buy for myself, McDonald’s would be the model. Not necessarily the choice, but the model.
Things to watch out for in a franchisor: Do they have a lot of creative energy? A willingness to try new things? Do the attributes that enabled their business to become successful enough to franchise in the first place still exist in the company’s culture?
Just some things to consider…

But if only they had fresh milk instead of creamer for the coffee.

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