Could shaving off seconds from a Big Mac order retain some customers for the fast-food giant? What about ordering while waiting in line at the register?

• Even-though McDonald’s is the world’s largest restaurant chain, it ranks 7th out of the ten top fast-food chains on the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
• In an effort to get more customers through their “golden arches,” McDonald’s will focus on serving burgers faster, fitting more food on every tray and squeezing more cars into the drive-through line.
• The company is experimenting with hand-held ordering devices that would allow workers to come from behind the counter to improve efficiency and shorten long lines.

Facts & Figures

• Sales in the last year at McDonald’s restaurants (open for at least 13 months) climbed 3.8%.
• McDonald’s aims to serve each customer within 90 seconds of their order.
• The company has an “innovation center” 20 miles southwest of their headquarters in Illinois, where they practice new serving techniques and other new ideas.

Best Quote

“The moment of truth comes in the transaction. We have to get better at that moment of truth.” – Jeff Stratton, McDonald’s Chief Restaurant Officer

Tags: American Customer Satisfaction Index, customer service, fast-food, growth, McDonald's, profit