One of the great Carver family travel stories centers around our first trip to Florida in the early 1980s. From out first view of the “ocean”, okay, “Gulf of Mexico” to Manatees, tornado damage to a K-Mart store and the fascinating Shell Factory, a notable part of the trip also included an experience at a particular McDonald’s near Walt Disney World.
The service was so slow and indifferent and the order so wrongly prepared that we coined a phrase for it: “The Kissimmee Shuffle”. That phrase would become shorthand for any sort of customer service that was not just subpar, but which actually made you feel unwelcome for darkening the door in the first place an establishment that had totally lost its way in its core mission
I think about that experience whenever I see a commercial for a new McDonald’s chicken sandwich. They always look the same. Words like “southern” or “homestyle” will be prominent and the images will look not unlike a chicken sandwich belonging to another fast-food joint of prominence. Right down to the pickles!
I imagine that every year or so, the leaders at McDonalds review some industry reports and realize anew that sales per unit for Chick-Fil-a are out of this world, as well a host of other performance metrics which reveal it is only a matter of time before Chick-fil-A takes over the fast food world
“We Must Do Something!”
That spreadhseet or powerpoint review then leads to a frenzy of development sessions, brainstorming slogs, focus groups and high-level zoom calls where the topic must be, has-to-be: How do we beat these people?
I hate the be the one to say this, but you can’t. Not with the food anyway. It is not fair to expect any fast food chain to gain massive marketshare by adjusting the metrics of sesame seeds to bun or dehydrated onion pieces to burger weight. Fast food has long ago, in my opinion, gone the route of the easiest college classes: pass or fail. Am I going to be okay with the food? Is it ever a hell yes? Probably not. Ever a hell no? For most Americans nope. They are not going to care that much.
However, what do we really want? What can really distinguish a fast food joint to the point of sitting in a fifty car line? Its when the food is a pass (or better) and the experience adds value above and beyond your expectations.
Chick-fil-A is the only fast food chain that has to have a complex multi-line staging area set up for their drive through. That is the first and best clue of what is going on there. What would motivate someone to get INTO the longest drive through lane ever?
They know the wait will be worth it. The smiles and warm greetings will be real. And the feeling of being welcomed will be genuine. And the order will be right Every time
The wait is longer. The prices a bit more expensive. But the experience wins every time. That is the lesson for those trying to beat Chick-Fil-A or any niche competitor taking share out of the consumer pie.
Don’t waste time in the research kitchen. Spend time creating, developing, and supporting a workforce who will be the difference. People who will not shuffle their way to handing you a big mac, but who understand that success and growth come from making the stop for lunch the most exciting part of their day, but something more than a pass fail quiz. Understand what people want and how you can meet those needs in a way that will get people go towards the things they often avoid Teenagers? Fast food? Long lines? How well does your organization do at this? It is bad enough to chase our own tail, even worse to chase someone else’s
Hey- I said no ketchup!
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