McDeli? Think it will work?

[Gifted Gourmet]

from Fox News

McDonald's is expanding its test of five varieties of deli-style sandwiches,

The suggested retail price for each sandwich is $4. A side of French fries or coleslaw or a medium-sized drink can be added for an additional $1.50.  The sandwiches, which come on either toasted rye bread or a toasted French roll, come in five varieties -- Turkey BLT, Buffalo Chicken, Beef n' Provolone, Leaning Tower Italian, and New York Reuben.

Think it will be successful at a place so well-loved for its hamburgers?

[Holly Moore]

Where will it end?

Each broadening of the menu dilutes the image and complicates production. As production becomes more complicated quality suffers especially the freshness of product. Everything is precooked and held - only way to handle such a varied menu at such high volume.

I wonder when someone will open up a fast food restaurant chain that sells just hamburgers, fries, a token fish sandwich, shakes and soda. The wheel of retailing. As McDonald's matures and has to pull all sorts of complications out of the hat, the door is wide open for some young upstart to come in and kick their ass with McD's original concept.

My strategy for McDonald's. Open up Mini-Macs that just sell the 1970 menu and that return the focus to quality, service and cleanliness.

Edited August 19, 2004 by Holly Moore (log)

[cakewalk]

I wonder if that will be any sort of a threat to Subway. I can imagine a group of people undecided about where to eat, because half want burgers and half want subs. Now they can get everything at McDonald's. So it can be successful, because it gives the customer more choices. Whether or not it will be good is another question altogether. I'll find out on eGullet! (I can't remember the last time I was in a McDonald's.)

[Gifted Gourmet]

A threat not only to Subway but to Quiznos and pretty much every fast food doing "deli sandwiches" like Arby's has just done last year .. clearly the newest modus operandi of the industry ...

but nothing lasts very long, so, this too, will be lost in the fog that is "fast food history" ... The Rise and Fall of the Sandwich Empire ... available soon at amazon.com ...

[fiftydollars]

Does anyone else remember when they tried to sell pizza?

[FL Heat]

I offered to pick up fast food for a friend a few months ago, she asked for something or another from Arby's. Seeing that HUGE drive-thru menu with what seemed like 8,000,000,000 different deli sandwiches/salads/roast beef sandwiches killed any desire I had to grab myself something to eat. I mean, I understand the theory behind trying to expand and offer new things. . .but when is enough ENOUGH? Then they start selling tacos, bring back pizza, offer fried rice? Soon the country will be one big Wal-Mart with a McDonald's drive-thru attached!

Or not, and I'm overreacting.

Diana

[FistFullaRoux]

The market is only going to hold what it can handle. If they start diluting the core business enough, they will find out the hard way. Quiznos and Subway have shown that you can do deli sandwiches in a fast food setting. The prep is a little different, but the construction of a deli sandwich vs a hamburger is close enough to fit into their business model.

The main thing about McDonald's is, as long as they can keep their edge with kids, and keep the drive thru moving faster than anyone else, they can pretty much do whatever they want.

Edited for a tipeu

Edited August 19, 2004 by FistFullaRoux (log)

[Toliver]

Jack-in-the-Box has already dipped their toe into that deli-market. They've been doing a hard sell on the Pannido Sandwiches for a while.

Frankly, if I go to a fast food burger joint, I want a burger. If I'd wanted a deli sandwich, I would have gone to a deli. I agree with some of what's already been said....why dilute the product?

[joiei]

in a desparate dash for more cash, all of these places seem to of forgotten about the bread and butter of their business. I have a feeling it will go the way of the McRib sandwich, remember that mistake. Kind of like the New Coke.

[fresco]

Where will it end?

Each broadening of the menu dilutes the image and complicates production. As production becomes more complicated quality suffers especially the freshness of product. Everything is precooked and held - only way to handle such a varied menu at such high volume.

I wonder when someone will open up a fast food restaurant chain that sells just hamburgers, fries, a token fish sandwich, shakes and soda. The wheel of retailing. As McDonald's matures and has to pull all sorts of complications out of the hat, the door is wide open for some young upstart to come in and kick their ass with McD's original concept.

My strategy for McDonald's. Open up Mini-Macs that just sell the 1970 menu and that return the focus to quality, service and cleanliness.

That sounds very smart. But remind us -- what exactly was on the 1970 menu? Burger, cheeseburger, Big Mac, quarter pounder, fries done in suet, milk shakes, soft drinks? Am I missing anything?

[Holly Moore]

Where will it end?

Each broadening of the menu dilutes the image and complicates production.  As production becomes more complicated quality suffers especially the freshness of product.  Everything is precooked and held - only way to handle such a varied menu at such high volume.

I wonder when someone will open up a fast food restaurant chain that sells just hamburgers, fries, a token fish sandwich, shakes and soda.  The wheel of retailing.  As McDonald's matures and has to pull all sorts of complications out of the hat, the door is wide open for some young upstart to come in and kick their ass with McD's original concept.

My strategy for McDonald's: Open up Mini-Macs that just sell the 1970 menu and that return the focus to quality, service and cleanliness. *

That sounds very smart. But remind us -- what exactly was on the 1970 menu? Burger, cheeseburger, Big Mac, quarter pounder, fries done in suet, milk shakes, soft drinks? Am I missing anything?

* Bring back Ray Kroc and Rod Polley too.

Burn-through-your-tongue Hot Apple Pie

Burn-through-your-pants hot coffee

Double burger and cheeseburger

Don't think the Quarter Pounder was on the menu then, but I'd serve them at MiniMac, keeps with the contact.

Fries were done in a blended shortening. 75/25

[Andrew Fenton]

I wonder when someone will open up a fast food restaurant chain that sells just hamburgers, fries, a token fish sandwich, shakes and soda. The wheel of retailing. As McDonald's matures and has to pull all sorts of complications out of the hat, the door is wide open for some young upstart to come in and kick their ass with McD's original concept.

Isn't this exactly what In-N-Out and Fatburger are doing? To a casual observer, they seem to be kicking a lot of ass indeed.

(Though to the best of my knowledge, they haven't gotten the kinks out of the zombie Ray Kroc yet.)

[pyrguy]

Where will it end?

Each broadening of the menu dilutes the image and complicates production.  As production becomes more complicated quality suffers especially the freshness of product.  Everything is precooked and held - only way to handle such a varied menu at such high volume.

I wonder when someone will open up a fast food restaurant chain that sells just hamburgers, fries, a token fish sandwich, shakes and soda.  The wheel of retailing.  As McDonald's matures and has to pull all sorts of complications out of the hat, the door is wide open for some young upstart to come in and kick their ass with McD's original concept.

My strategy for McDonald's: Open up Mini-Macs that just sell the 1970 menu and that return the focus to quality, service and cleanliness. *

That sounds very smart. But remind us -- what exactly was on the 1970 menu? Burger, cheeseburger, Big Mac, quarter pounder, fries done in suet, milk shakes, soft drinks? Am I missing anything?

* Bring back Ray Kroc and Rod Polley too.

Burn-through-your-tongue Hot Apple Pie

Burn-through-your-pants hot coffee

Double burger and cheeseburger

Don't think the Quarter Pounder was on the menu then, but I'd serve them at MiniMac, keeps with the contact.

Fries were done in a blended shortening. 75/25

Don't forget the "Egg McPlastic" as we used to call it.

The Egg McMuffin came out in '72 or so. Served them all day. At least they cooked the food shortly before you got it. Rather than the nuked "food" you get today.

[andiesenji]

I wonder when someone will open up a fast food restaurant chain that sells just hamburgers, fries, shakes and soda.

In and Out Burger does this and does it well.

[Gifted Gourmet]

In and Out Burger does this and does it well.

and in an interview with Larry King, Julia Child said she enjoyed these the most of all fast food!

[andiesenji]

The Egg McMuffin came out in '72 or so. Served them all day. At least they cooked the food shortly before you got it. Rather than the nuked "food" you get today.

I know when they came out. The Santa Barbara store(whose manager developed the idea) introduced them the weekend of the Santa Barbara Kennel Club show at the Polo Grounds in Montecito (just south of SB).

They were a big hit at this show that was a very big show in those days, (over 4000 dogs entered) it was the last of the "benched" shows in southern California. (All the dogs were assigned a benching area and had to be on display all day except when in the ring or being walked).

They had two stands, one at each end of the grounds and did a huge amount of business all day.

They served them in flat styro containers and the top muffin was not on top of the egg as butter was included so you could butter the muffin half if you wished. They were served with tater tots, on the side, it was some time later that McDs came out with their own version of hash browns.

[Andrew Fenton]

While I agree with Holly's point about McD's dilution of their core mission, I'm willing to make an exception for the Egg McMuffin. I really love those things. Other fast food breakfast sandwiches don't do anything for me, but I'm a sucker for that McMuffiny goodness.

Come to think of it, I haven't had an Egg McMuffin for years. I could go for one right now.

Is it breakfast time yet?

[wilewil]

McRib was "sponsored" by some pork association. It is still available at some locations, particularly in the south where you would think better pork with BBQ sauce can be had. McD of Canada, always more innovative, still serves pizza (and Poutine too in Quebec and the east).

[Carolyn Tillie]

McRib was "sponsored" by some pork association. It is still available at some locations, particularly in the south where you would think better pork with BBQ sauce can be had. McD of Canada, always more innovative, still serves pizza (and Poutine too in Quebec and the east).

I think it is season for it shows up here in California for a few months every year.

Here is a very funny McRib site.

[jhlurie]

There's already a place equipped to do this. It's called McArby's. Or maybe it's McSubway or McBlimpie, I don't know.

[herbacidal]

Isn't this exactly what In-N-Out and Fatburger are doing? To a casual observer, they seem to be kicking a lot of ass indeed.

(Though to the best of my knowledge, they haven't gotten the kinks out of the zombie Ray Kroc yet.)

Yea, and I think there's so many other smaller regional burger chains.

Steak and Shake, to some extent.

Backyard Burger. Carl's.

There's others I can't remember.

[stovetop]

Throw the drowning man a life preserver!!

They tried pizza, I found it better then their burgers, but it is no longer, they are trying to get back market share, why do not do what your good at McDonald’s, you make burgers do you not?? Why not improve your burger.

Leave sandwiches to people who make sandwiches.

steve

[FistFullaRoux]

Part of it is, McDonald's seems to be trying to become the Wal Mart of food. You can get whatever you want from one drive thru window. Even if the product isn't the absolute greatest, it's only one stop to make. They probably have that aspect of it built in to the plans, so they can cut a corner or two, knowing that a person with a mini-van full of kids is willing to stop just to shut the kids up. So what if the burger is only passable? They will sell, and the quicker they can make them, the happier those kinds of customers are.

It all started when they began selling USA Today directly from the dining rooms. I'm kind of surprised they haven't come up with some basic office supply things like pens and note pads, branded of course, for the businessperson or student to get some work done while they eat.

And just like Wal Mart hasn't closed down every little Mom and Pop (Though they can be directly linked to the demise of quite a few) some specialty stores still flourish. When and if the country starts swinging back to enjoying food vs one-stop-shopping, the smaller stores will once agin thrive, and the big guys go looking to tweak or update the business model.

[dillybravo]

McRib was "sponsored" by some pork association.  It is still available at some locations, particularly in the south where you would think better pork with BBQ sauce can be had.  McD of Canada, always more innovative, still serves pizza (and Poutine too in Quebec and the east).

The first McRib I ever ate was in Europe, at least 1994 if not earlier. They still have it today and I don't think it's ever left the menu, at least in Germany. Not sure about the rest of the continent. Much tastier than any NA version I've had, too.

As for the Canadian pizza...they do seem more innovative here (the veggie/healthful menu ran for a year or so before the US, I think), but I haven't seen pizza in Alberta or BC in years. I kind of liked it; better than most pizza chains. Where was the last sighting?

[FistFullaRoux]

McRib was "sponsored" by some pork association.  It is still available at some locations, particularly in the south where you would think better pork with BBQ sauce can be had.  McD of Canada, always more innovative, still serves pizza (and Poutine too in Quebec and the east).

The first McRib I ever ate was in Europe, at least 1994 if not earlier. They still have it today and I don't think it's ever left the menu, at least in Germany. Not sure about the rest of the continent. Much tastier than any NA version I've had, too.

As for the Canadian pizza...they do seem more innovative here (the veggie/healthful menu ran for a year or so before the US, I think), but I haven't seen pizza in Alberta or BC in years. I kind of liked it; better than most pizza chains. Where was the last sighting?

The McRib is not a permanent fixture in most US stores. It is brought back occasionally for a limited run, maybe once every year or two.

They do some regional things in the US too.