A Big Change is Coming to All Arizona McDonald's Locations

McDonald's is changing the way they serve certain items

The change is headed to Arizona locations - exactly when is still up in the air

The Era of the Pandemic Revealed Restaurant Shortcomings

It's possible the single most significant force for change in the food service industry was the pandemic. Fast food chains are beginning to reimagine their overhead, their menus, and the way they serve customers.

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During the lockdowns, restaurants moved much of their business away to the drive-thru and order pick-up model.

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With the sudden shift in how consumers interacted with these businesses, shortcomings were quickly revealed. Long drive-thru wait times and incorrect or missing orders caused customer satisfaction to plummet.

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Fast Food Restaurants Making a Change

CNN Business reports that McDonald's plans to downsize or eliminate their dining room facilities in the near future, focusing on a more streamlined drive-thru experience.

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Plans to overhaul - and in some cases - completely rebuild existing restaurants to reflect the new way of doing business are beginning to take shape.

Why McDonald's is Making These Changes

Customers just aren't hanging out in fast-food dining rooms anymore.

CNN Business says, "Digital sales (i.e. orders made on its app or through its partners like Uber) now make up 40% of its total sales, according to its most recent earnings report."

McDonald's has announced plans to eliminate those self-serve soda machines as part of the redesign. The company is making these changes, they say, to create consistency across its brand.

Changes like mobile ordering and ordering via a kiosk have taken shape in many fast-food restaurants. // Canva

With rising costs, factors like cost containment may play a part in the company's decision, as well as cleanliness.

Hypervigilance on sanitation is another artifact of the pandemic. Eliminating self-serve drink machines will also do away with commonly touched surfaces where germs can spread.

The pandemic-era revealed a lot of things in stores and restaurants that were tough to maintain. Canva

When Will Self-Serve Drink Machines Leave Arizona McDonald's?

It's not yet clear when the drink machines will be pulled from Arizona McDonald's locations. USAToday reports that the company will transition away from self-serve beverage stations by 2032.

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See How School Cafeteria Meals Have Changed Over the Past 100 Years

Using government and news reports, Stacker has traced the history of cafeteria meals from their inception to the present day, with data from news and government reports. Read on to see how various legal acts, food trends, and budget cuts have changed what kids are getting on their trays.

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