McDonald’s super-sized order: Get people visiting more

In this Thursday, June 1, 2017, photo, Silvia Ruiz prepares a specialty sandwich at a McDonald's restaurant in Chicago. The company that helped define fast food is making supersized efforts to reverse its fading popularity and catch up to a landscape that has evolved around it. McDonald’s is still trying to shake its image for serving junk food and has made a high-profile pledge to offer healthier options. (AP)
Updated 13 July 2017
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McDonald’s super-sized order: Get people visiting more

ROMEOVILLE, Illinois: McDonald’s is hoping to make a difference in its future seven seconds at a time.
The company that helped define fast food is making supersized efforts to reverse its fading popularity and catch up to a landscape that has evolved around it. That includes expanding delivery, digital ordering kiosks in restaurants, and rolling out an app that saves precious seconds.
Much of the work is on display in an unmarked warehouse near the company’s headquarters in suburban Chicago, where a blowup of a mobile phone screen shows the app launching nationally later this year. McDonald’s estimates it would take 10 seconds for a customer to tell an employee their order number from the app, down from the 17-second average of ordering at the drive-thru, a difference that could help ease pileups. Elsewhere at the Innovation Center, the digital ordering kiosk shows how customers can skip lines at the register.
“Five, 10 years ago, we were the dominant player in convenience, as convenience was defined in those days,” CEO Steve Easterbrook said last month. “But convenience continually gets redefined, and we haven’t modernized.”
The push come as McDonald’s Corp.’s stock has hit all-time highs as investors cheer a turnaround plan that has included slashed costs and expansion overseas. Yet the asterisk on the headlines is the chain’s declining stature in its flagship US market, where it is fighting intensifying competition, fickle tastes and a persistent junk food image.
In an increasingly crowded field of places to eat, the number of McDonald’s locations in the US is set to shrink for the third year in a row. At established locations, the frequency of customer visits has declined for four straight years — even after the launch of a popular “All-Day Breakfast” menu.
The chain that popularized innovations like drive-thrus in the 1970s acknowledges it has been slow to adapt, and is scrambling to better fit into American lifestyles.
RUNNING TO KEEP UP
Lots of once-dominant restaurant chains are feeling the pressure of people having more eating options.
An estimated 613,000 places were selling either food or drink in the US last year, up 17 percent from a decade earlier, according to government figures. Supermarkets and convenience stores are offering more prepared foods, and meal-kit delivery companies have been expanding.
“Better burger” places like Shake Shack and Habit Burger Grill don’t come close to McDonald’s roughly 14,000 US locations, but they’re growing. And even if Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts don’t serve burgers and fries, they are among those promoting food more aggressively.
“They’re still taking customers from the same market pool,” said Nick Karavites, a McDonald’s franchisee with 22 locations in the Chicago area and chairman of a regional leadership committee.
Richard Adams, a former McDonald’s franchisee who is now a consultant to those businesses, has questioned whether the chain can return to the height of its popularity in such a fragmented marketplace. He also noted that many of the new offerings the company is pursuing, such as delivery, are already available at other places.
“They’re following the marketplace,” he said.
Still, McDonald’s needs to make changes to keep customer visits from falling further.
“TURNING A VERY LARGE SHIP“
One main focus is the drive-thru, where McDonald’s gets roughly 70 percent of its business.
Customers who place orders on the mobile app, for instance, could also pull into a designated parking spot where an employee would bring out their order. That would theoretically ease backups at the drive-thru, which in turn might prevent potential customers from driving past without stopping during peak hours.
Then there’s the partnership with UberEats to offer delivery. McDonald’s gives an undisclosed percentage of the sale to UberEats, in addition to a fee of about $5 that customers pay. So a risk is that delivery could draw from in-store sales, eating into profitability.
So far, however, McDonald’s says delivery is bringing in new business during slower times at the roughly 3,500 locations where it has rolled out since the start of the year.
Either way, such changes aren’t likely to transform operations overnight, since most of McDonald’s customers might prefer to order the way they always have.
“That’s like turning a very large ship,” said Karavites, noting the range of company efforts intended to build sales over time. At his remodeled restaurant in Chicago where delivery was recently launched, he said sales are already climbing.
To bring more people in over the short-term, the company is promoting $1 sodas and $2 McCafe drinks. Glass cases displaying baked goods are also popping up in stores. And at about 700 locations, the company is testing “dessert stations” behind the counter where employees can make sundaes topped with cake or brownie chunks.
Those stations could eventually handle an expanded menu of sweets.
JUNK FOOD IMAGE
At the same time, McDonald’s is still trying to shake its image for serving junk food, especially since its appeal to families with children has long helped keep it ahead of rivals like Burger King and Wendy’s.
It’s made changes to its Happy Meal, and made a high-profile pledge to offer healthier options. It plans to start using fresh beef instead of frozen patties in Quarter Pounders. But as other chains emphasizing quality or health keep emerging, it may get harder for McDonald’s to hold onto families or change perceptions.
“The ingredients aren’t fresh or clean,” Mary Beth Holland, who works in sales in the Chicago area, said about McDonald’s.
Larry Light, a former chief marketing officer at McDonald’s, says the company strayed in recent years by chasing customers who may have been going to places like Chipotle, but that it is refocusing on burgers and fries. He thinks that will help get people visiting more often.
“You cannot build an enduring, profitable business on a shrinking customer base,” Light said.
And Bernstein analyst Sara Senatore cited the changes the company is pursuing in raising her rating on McDonald’s to “buy” in April.
“I wouldn’t underestimate the power of scale,” Senatore said.


Where We Are Going Today: ‘Ornj’ in Dhahran

Updated 09 July 2025
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Where We Are Going Today: ‘Ornj’ in Dhahran

Tucked between Tamimi Market and a cluster of other eateries, Ornj in Dhahran has been serving up vibrant, health-focused drinks for the past two years, but it’s easy to miss if you don’t pay attention.

The small space focuses on fresh, made-to-order juicy goodness. 

They specialize in natural juices — no sugar, sweeteners, or artificial flavors — averaging SR17 ($4.53). For group gatherings, there’s the juice bag: a dozen different juices for SR135.

Smoothies are SR23 each, with options like the pink smoothie (banana, strawberry, milk, honey) or the avo smoothie (avocado, milk, honey, dark chocolate shavings).

Dairy-free? They offer the Saudi-made No Moo brand in almond or coconut. 

We sampled the immune booster wellness shot (SR11) — green apple, cucumber, celery, lemon and ginger. It was light, smooth and refreshing.

Other SR11 shots include the flu fighter (orange, lemon, carrot, turmeric, black pepper) and recovery (red apple, ginger, beetroot, lemon).

They also serve freshly made sandwiches, including the intriguing turkey with date combo, which I’d like to try on my next visit. 

The highlight for me was the customizable acai bowl: rich, satisfying and layered with your choice of yogurt or peanut butter. Toppings include fruit, granola, and even tahini halva, for a fun twist I couldn’t resist. I was impressed by the assembly on the spot.

Ornj is a cheerful, orange-tinged spot for nutrient-packed drinks and light bites, perfect for anyone craving flavor without compromise. 

Visit them on Instagram @ornj.sa.


Where We Are Going Today: ‘88 Port’ burger in Al-Khobar

Truffle Burger and the famous Red Bun. (AN photo by Waad Hussain)
Updated 07 July 2025
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Where We Are Going Today: ‘88 Port’ burger in Al-Khobar

  • On the side, the buffalo shrimp were spicy, saucy, and fun to eat, especially paired with the ranch dip

88 Port in Alkhobar is one of those places where visuals and flavors match — bold, indulgent, and a little over the top in the best way. From the red burger buns to the sauce-dripping stacks, the menu doesn’t hold back. 

My favorite item hands down was the truffle burger; juicy angus beef, crispy onion rings, double cheddar, and a rich truffle sauce that takes it to another level. Every bite was exactly what I hoped for. 

On the side, the buffalo shrimp were spicy, saucy, and fun to eat, especially paired with the ranch dip.

The brisket balls were another hit, crispy on the outside, soft and cheesy on the inside. I also really enjoyed the 88 Port salad, which felt fresh, crunchy, and perfectly dressed; a nice balance to all the richness. 

Now for dessert, the chocolate brownie cake was hot, gooey, and topped with vanilla ice cream and chocolate drizzle — the perfect ending. 

The brisket fries were a letdown, a little too oily and overloaded with toppings. A crispier base might have made a big difference. 

For more information, check out their Instagram @88port. 

 


Where We Are Going Today: Freshhouse Kitchen in Riyadh

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Updated 06 July 2025
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Where We Are Going Today: Freshhouse Kitchen in Riyadh

  • Seafood options like the Mediterranean salmon bowl (served with kabsa rice) and the quinoa salmon bowl (topped with mango salsa) are high in protein and offer diverse flavor profiles

Freshhouse Kitchen in Riyadh offers health-conscious meals that balance flavor and nutrition.

Operating with a central kitchen model, Freshhouse serves meals through a flexible subscription service or to walk-in customers at its branches.  

One of the standout dishes is the pesto pasta chicken bowl, which brings a Mediterranean twist with ricotta, pomegranate, za’atar, pecans, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and cilantro. The pasta is light but comforting, all tied together with lemon-based dressing. 

For something more filling, the tenderloin steak potatoes bowl includes mashed potatoes, mixed green leaves, roasted corn, mixed vegetables, muhammara, and beetroot, topped with sunflower seeds and paired with cilantro and ranch yogurt sauces.  

Seafood options like the Mediterranean salmon bowl (served with kabsa rice) and the quinoa salmon bowl (topped with mango salsa) are high in protein and offer diverse flavor profiles.

Breakfast items such as the mango overnight oats and yogurt granola parfaits are light, quick options for those on the go.

While the food is generally satisfying, the temperature and presentation could benefit from more consistency.

 


Registration opens for Bocuse d’Or, Pastry World Cup contests in Riyadh

Participants will undergo a process that includes technical tests, creativity evaluations and interviews. (X @MOCCulinary)
Updated 05 July 2025
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Registration opens for Bocuse d’Or, Pastry World Cup contests in Riyadh

  • The initiative extends the partnership between the commission and Sirha Food, boosting competition in the national culinary sector and helping Saudi chefs make their mark internationally

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Culinary Arts Commission has opened registration for the Bocuse d'Or championship and Pastry World Cup, both taking place during the Sirha Arabia exhibition in Riyadh in October.

The competitions will select top Saudi chefs to compete in the Middle East qualifiers, to be hosted by the Kingdom in 2026 in collaboration with Sirha Food. These in turn lead to the global finals which will take place in France at the Sirha Lyon exhibition in January 2027.

The initiative extends the partnership between the commission and Sirha Food, boosting competition in the national culinary sector and helping Saudi chefs make their mark internationally.

The competitions will discover and develop local talent, providing a platform for Saudi chefs to display their skills and highlight the diversity and creativity of the Kingdom’s cuisine.

Participants will undergo a process that includes technical tests, creativity evaluations and interviews. Finalists will receive tailored support to prepare for the international stage.

For Bocuse d’Or, dishes must exhibit mastery of either the turned vegetable or brunoise technique. Candidates must be Saudi, aged 23 or over and provide proof of identity.

For the Pastry World Cup, entries must creatively reflect the theme of “Elevating Saudi Dessert.” There is no age restriction, but non-Saudi applicants must state how long they have worked in the Kingdom.

Hopeful chefs can register at engage.moc.gov.sa/reg_forms/tracks/40/?lang=ar.

 


Where We Are Going Today: Sofia’s Bistro – Italian dishes

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Updated 05 July 2025
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Where We Are Going Today: Sofia’s Bistro – Italian dishes

  • The pepperoni pizza was topped with thinly sliced Italian beef pepperoni and buffalo mozzarella

Sofia’s Bistro is a cozy Italian-inspired eatery with great options for pizza and pasta lovers.

On a recent visit to the Hayy Jameel branch with friends, we sampled several dishes, starting with the taco de pollo, a grilled chicken taco with pickled cabbage, fresh salsa, jalapenos and guacamole.

There were a variety of salads to choose from including the kale and goat cheese salad, which offered a contrast of creamy goat cheese and crunchy, caramelized pecans. The Thai shrimp salad brought bold flavors but while it seemed promising it did not fully live up to my expectations.

We tried the spaghetti bolognese and truffle fettuccine from the pasta section. The latter was rich and indulgent, though bordering on heavy, while the former was hearty, if slightly under-seasoned.

The pepperoni pizza was topped with thinly sliced Italian beef pepperoni and buffalo mozzarella. The margherita, a classic done right, stood out for its simplicity and balance of sauce and cheese.

The dining space is relaxed and modern, with soft background music. It strikes a middle ground between casual and slightly upscale, making it a good spot for casual lunches.

The menu includes gluten-free options for both pasta and pizza, along with drink and dessert offerings.

Sofia’s Bistro has branches in Hayy Jameel and Al-Hamra. For more details, see Instagram @sofias_bistro.