A DIGITAL revolution will bring a meaning to a burger and fries – silicon chips are going to help a fast food restaurant enter the space age when it reopens in September.
On Sunday, July 22 at 6pm, the branch of McDonald’s in Lower Earley will close the summer to allow the transformation to take place.
Franchisee owner Richard Forte said that the summer break will be worth as when the popular branch re-opens, it will be able to offer a new click and collect service, allowing customers to order via a mobile phone and collect when in the branch.
The store is the final one of his seven restaurants to be given the digital makeover which the company said will improve and enhance the restaurant experience for customers.
Mr Forte, who employs 625 staff across the Reading area, says of the planned changes: “I’m looking forward to being able to bring my new restaurant to Lower Earley and would like to thank our local customers for bearing with us while the transformation is taking place.
“I’m confident the new store will offer visitors to the restaurant more choice as to how to they order and am particularly excited to introduce the ‘click and collect’ app to my customers.”
Other changes will include self-service kiosks so customers can order at a speed that suits them, while easily accessing nutritional information about the menu items, making informed food choices.
And the digitalisation of the restaurants will also make table service possible – a first for McDonalds.
The introduction of this service will provide the crew with more opportunities to interact with customers and build valuable soft skills from working front of house.
And, as any parent who picks up their children from football practice knows, space can often be at a premium: Mr Forte is adding 60 seats to the new-look restaurant and a new Tandem ordering system being added to the Drive-thru.
More than 80% of McDonald’s restaurants across the country have been digitally transformed in the past three years, and by the end of the year, McDonald’s said that all of its restaurants in the UK will offer customers an enhanced digital experience.
Other digital features in the restaurants include free-to-use tablets, interactive magic tables for children and mobile phone charging points.
The store will reopen on Wednesday, September 5.
