The PowerPage received a memo outlining MacDonald’s plan to implement high-speed wireless Internet access at many McDonald’s restaurants in the San Francisco area effective today. The McDonald’s S.F. Bay Area “Hot Spots” pilot program is the first of three metropolitan high-speed wireless tests McDonald’s is launching this summer. No word yet on pricing.
The PowerPage received a memo outlining MacDonald’s plan to implement high-speed wireless Internet access at many McDonald’s restaurants in the San Francisco area effective today. The McDonald’s S.F. Bay Area “Hot Spots” pilot program is the first of three metropolitan high-speed wireless tests McDonald’s is launching this summer. No word yet on pricing.
I’m pleased to announce that today we will be expanding our high-speed
wireless Internet access rollout to include approximately 75 restaurants in
the San Francisco Bay Area. As you may recall, we began a small pilot
program in Manhattan last March to test the “Hot Spot” concept in 10
restaurants, and the service has been extremely well received by both our
customers and the media. San Francisco is the first of three major market
pilots we’ll be launching this summer, and will be followed closely by New
York and Chicago. I’m proud that McDonald’s is the first QSR in the U.S. to
offer this customer experience enhancement in a meaningful way, further
differentiating McDonald’s from the competition.
Offering wireless Internet access in our restaurants directly supports our
Plan to Win by helping to create a relevant and modern dining experience
for our customers. It provides a valuable service for today’s busy
consumers who are looking for a convenient way to connect with work, family
and friends while on the go. Furthermore, offering Hot Spots is another
way we are focused on “adding customers to our restaurants” through
contemporary products, services, and experiences that reinforce our brand
as “Forever Young.”
It is important to note that Hot Spots is just the first initiative under
our overall Digital Re-Imaging strategy. It lays the technology foundation
for many additional applications in our restaurants such as cashless, Store
eMail, eLearning, Internet Kiosks, eBillboards and much more.
We’re excited about the progress we’re making with this emerging
mass-market technology service and the interest it’s generating with our
customers around the globe. We currently have Hot Spots pilot programs
being developed or launched in approximately 25 countries. We’re
particularly excited about Taiwan, which recently launched Hot Spots in its
350 restaurants. In the first month of their pilot customers have shown an
overwhelming interest, so they are off to a very impressive start.
We will continue to update you on our progress with Hot Spots as well as
other exciting initiatives in Business Development that make McDonald’s
“our customers’ favorite place and way to eat.”
