McDonalds is a hamburger company with the concept of quickly serving high-quality food at an affordable price. Recently, McDonald’s has been suffering from handmade, well-being trend, fast food boycott campaigns, and an increase in the strength of other competitors (ex: Mom’s Touch, Burger King). Consumers’ awareness of health and lifestyle has changed and McDonalds began to be recognized as an out of date brand. Currently, more than 700 stores are closed worldwide. In Korea, stores that have served as landmarks for tourist attractions, such as Gangnam and Sinchon, are closing one after another. As a result, McDonalds suggested some solutions, such as not using antibiotics chickens and raising the hourly wage of employees. But they have yet to escape the crisis. McDonalds has made efforts to improve both their product labor quality, but fast food has not changed its perception of junk food.

To change its perception, McDonalds created a Signature Burger. This new burger is customized for modern people who want to enjoy quality ingredients, excellent taste, and new ways. In addition, the Digital Kiosk machine eliminates the need for McDonald’s customers to order via its employees. The Digital Kiosk is an unmanned ordering machine that gives customers the freedom to choose from their own menu and allows them to easily access what they want. With this machine, you can choose more than 20 premium ingredients and easily make-your-own-burger. If it is difficult to make your ‘own burger’, McDonalds has a variety of recommended burgers, including the Golden Egg Cheeseburger, Spicy Avocado Burger and Grilled Mushroom Burger. After ordering, the burgers are delivered to the table, which will give you a different feeling than the traditional fast food store.

McDonalds has achieved the luxury of hamburgers through signature burgers. Thus, they were able to satisfy young customers as well as the customers who come from different age groups. After the launch of the Signature Burger, the company is getting more than 20 percent more than its average monthly income. In 2017, McDonald’s Signature Burger topped the “Handmade Burger, Fast Food Brand” list in the consumer’s Brand Loyalty section. As such, McDonalds continues to dominate the handmade burger market while maintaining the excellence of its fast food system. In recent years, they have seen tremendous advances in marketing. On January 30, 2018, McDonalds sold the ‘Pyeongchang Hanwoo Signature Burger’ in a limited quantity of 10,000 per day to celebrate the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. The burger was sold out in an average of about 400 stores nationwide in less than 30 minutes and the major of stores in downtown Seoul were closed within a minute or two.

The birth of McDonald’s Signature Burger has been a turning point by changing a crisis into an opportunity, while providing a paradigm for fast food to become a luxury food. I’m looking forward to seeing what other changes and innovations McDonalds will bring to the table.

By Seo-Seong ill, cub-reporter

▲McDonald’s Signature Burger

▲Ordering Signature Burgers with a Digital Kiosk

▲McDonald’s three recommended signature burgers

Seo Seong-Il, cub-reporter  qlvmfl99@naver.com

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