Black Friday Sale! 50% Off All Access

McDonald's Boosts McNuggets Sales With iBeacon Test If you're near a McDonald's in Columbus, Ga., get ready for coupons to start popping up on your iPhone.

By Kate Taylor

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

McDonald's is going high-tech in Georgia.

Fast-food franchisees in Columbus, Ga. are using iBeacons to provide customers with coupons, alerts and even employment opportunities when they near a McDonald's.

"Everyone is looking at their phones, millennials especially, and that's where we've decided to engage," Jack Pezold, a McDonald's franchisee of 40 years, said in a statement.

Related: How to List Your Business on Apple's New 'Maps Connect' Portal

McDonald's partnered with Piper, a beacon solutions company, to create an app that sends offers to nearby potential customers who opt in on their smartphones. Customers have the ability to customize what type of messages and deals they want to receive from the fast-food chain, and can opt out from receiving any messages at all.

During the app's initial four-week launch, Piper reports that there were more than 18,000 offer redemptions for the promoted items. Due to the iBeacon boost, McChicken sales reportedly increased 8 percent and McNuggets increased 7.5 percent from the previous month.

Pezold says that he plans to expand the coupon efforts across multiple dayparts, as well as add additional beacons to push employment offers and customer satisfaction surveys. If the franchisee success with beacons continues, it might be time for corporate to take a look at iBeacons as a potential high-tech fix for the struggling fast-food chain.

Related: No, McDonald's Won't 'Ruin' Cuba

Kate Taylor

Reporter

Kate Taylor is a reporter at Business Insider. She was previously a reporter at Entrepreneur. Get in touch with tips and feedback on Twitter at @Kate_H_Taylor. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Making a Change

This All-Access Pass to Learning Is Now $20 for Black Friday

Unlock more than 1,000 courses to fit your schedule.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Health & Wellness

How to Improve Your Daily Routine to Strike a Balance Between Rest and Business Success

Here's how entrepreneurs can balance their time and energy to prevent burnout.

Business News

Barbara Corcoran Says This Is the Interest Rate Magic Number That Will Make the Market 'Go Ballistic'

Corcoran said she praying for lower interest rates and people are "tired of waiting."

Business News

The Two Richest People in the World Are Fighting on Social Media Again

Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk had a new, contentious exchange on X.

Science & Technology

I've Spent 20 Years Studying Focus. Here's How I Use AI to Multiply My Time and Save 21 Weeks of Work a Year

AI is supposed to save time, but 77% of employees say it often costs more time due to all the editing it requires. Instead of helping, it can become a distraction. But don't worry — there's a better way.