McDonald's Slashes Menu in Bid to Turn Around Sales The fast-food chain is finally taking serious action to fix slumping sales, making menu cuts while focusing on fresher, higher-quality food.
By Kate Taylor
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McDonald's executives apparently read Entrepreneur – or just looked at the company's sales figures -- and realized it was time to make some big changes.
The burger chain is cutting eight items from the menu in addition to reducing the number of Extra Value Meals from 16 to 11, the company said on Wednesday, as reported by Reuters. McDonald's hopes that the cuts will speed up service and bolster sales, which, after over a year without positive same-stores sales in the U.S., could use the boost.
Currently, cuts include variations on particular offerings, such as only offering one quarter pounder instead of four or one chicken sandwich instead of three. However, the company says to expect continuing adjustments.
Related: With New Roastery, Starbucks Wants to be the 'Willy Wonka of Coffee'
While McDonald's is cutting the menu, it is simultaneously bringing on more options, with the "Create Your Taste" customized burger and chicken sandwich platform rolling out to 2,000 locations next year. In Wednesday's investors call, CEO Don Thompson noted that at this point, the fast-casual reminiscent platform is no longer simply a test, but a program in the process of being implemented.
Another hint that McDonald's is taking notes from fast-casuals is executives' discussion of simplifying ingredients. While health organizations have petitioned against McDonald's use of preservatives, protesters may finally have their critiques acknowledged: due to the fact that most McDonald's food is not actually in storage for extended periods of time, executives say that the use of unnecessary preservatives is being reconsidered.
Related: What Does McDonald's Have to Do to Stop Its Downward Spiral?
