Charles Bernstein -- editor at large, Chain Leader magazine:
McDonald's already uses mystery shoppers to check up on cleanliness and service, and they should use even more. And they should close down the bad stores and weed out the weak franchisees.
But they should then try to please their efficient franchisees as much as possible. If the good franchisees want to open more stores, let them open a Chipotle or Donatos or other noncompeting McDonald's brand. I don't like the idea of co-branding, of opening a pizza place inside a McDonald's, but they could open the other types of stores at other locations. McDonald's owns a lot of real estate, and if they give their best franchisees a break on land to open a new store, it would build morale.
They could also make their franchisees happy by admitting that the made-to-order kitchens have been a disaster, and letting them switch back.
They also have one of the best records on diversity of any chain, yet they don't get credit for that. If they publicized that more, it might help their image with consumers.
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