McDonald’s success is because its customers love its products. That is true for any successful company. What are the reasons for the success of the company despite bad press? If you enter any McDonald’s outlet anywhere in the world, the food will taste the same, the pricing is consistent, and the service is quick. It serves no-frills instant ‘junk food’.
Children love the food, and parents are dragged grudgingly to its outlet. In many of its outlets, you have a venerable chubby figurine of the gentleman perched on a chair. Many kids want to take pictures sitting on their lap or posing with the image. It is a classic example of branding consistent with the ethos of the product.
The company understands that those who categorize its products as junk food are not the customer segment that it wishes to target. It is not to say that the company does not hear or understand that it too has to change with time. You would observe that its menu is also now containing some healthy food options. But the fries continue to sell like hot cakes.
The company understood the need to expand its customer base and moved to international markets much earlier than its competitors. The closure of McDonald’s in Russia post the Ukrainian invasion was global news. Please note the power and reach of the brand.
McDonald’s is a classic case of a company where strategy, business model, and marketing are all perfectly aligned. As long as it continues to produce and service products that its customer segment appreciates, it will thrive.
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