McDonald’s looks to technology and modernization to deliver better customer experience in 2021

New Delhi, February 09, 2021: In its 25th year of operation in the country, McDonald's India - North & East, owned and operated by Connaught Plaza Restaurants (CRPL), is setting the stage for strategic business growth under the leadership of its new Developmental Licensee, Sanjeev Agrawal. The company is looking at technology, restaurant reimaging and menu innovation to drive better customer experience and engagement in 2021 and beyond.

Speaking on the company’s strategy, Mr. Sanjeev Agrawal, Chairman and Developmental Licensee, Connaught Plaza Restaurants, said, “The Indian QSR segment is a very exciting and dynamic space offering huge opportunities for growth. We are very optimistic about 2021, and have aggressive investment plans with exciting projects in the pipeline in the North and East region this year.”

McDonald’s has revolutionized the restaurant experience for Indian customers and paved the way for the QSR industry with Global best practices for the last 25 years in the market. The brand opened its first restaurant in Basant Lok, New Delhi in 1996 and has remained committed to delivering great tasting, quality food at a great value to the Indian customers.

Post the COVID-19 induced lockdowns, the company has performed strongly on the back of its convenience channels of McDelivery, Drive-thru and best in class hygiene and safety measures.

The company has introduced several technology initiatives such as 100% contactless ordering and WhatsApp based delivery service in 2020 to promote safe food consumption which was well received by customers. The company has also seen significant increased restaurant visitors at most of its drive-thru restaurants and McDelivery channel, which exceeds the pre-COVID level. McDonald’s is optimistic that the country’s mass vaccination drive will play a pivotal role in more customers returning to dine-in visits at its restaurants.

“Digital technology was already transforming the industry before COVID-19, and now it has turbo-charged the penetration of technology. At a time when customers are cautious about their safety, our focus on providing convenience with technology, best in class safety measures and value-for-money proposition offers an optimistic growth trajectory for the brand in the region”, Agrawal further added.

India's QSR segment accounts for about 5% of the overall INR4.23 lakh crore food services business*. With plans to accelerate its transformation journey, the brand will continue to infuse more tech-based innovations and its globally successful digital assets in 2021 along with reimaging plans for restaurants to drive growth and deeper customer engagement. Additionally, the company will continue enhancing its menu with new menu items as per the Indian taste palate, as it has been doing with some of its recent launches such as Double Patty Burgers, Dosa Masala Burger, Chicken McGrill, Piri-Piri Fries among others.

Furthermore, as a commitment to quality and safety in the current times, McDonald’s India – North and East has introduced the Global ‘Safety+’ program that includes nearly 50-plus process changes in the restaurant operations. Safety+ is a Global system of enhanced hygiene and safety practices that help ensure that every part of the McDonald’s experience is safe for its customers and employees. It builds on more than six decades of safety-first leadership in McDonald’s restaurants.