McDonald’s, the popular American fast food chain, is reportedly testing iPads at a franchise near Virginia Beach. The iPads are seated around the restaurant at tables and can be used by customers while they chow down on some fast food. Customers can surf the web and play games from these iPad; however, some content, like YouTube, is blocked.
So, how are customers liking this idea? According to the Virginian-Pilot, McDonalds customers are loving it. In fact, they interviewed one couple who said the following about the in-table iPads:
”I love it,” said Pritchard, 49, after he and his wife finished their steak bagels. “I’ve been sitting here a little too long.”
He and his wife, Victoria, called up Facebook while eating. She said the iPad at McDonald’s made it easier for them to use together than at home, where it’s not always comfortable to share the screen.“It’s going to keep people here longer,” Victoria Pritchard said. “I can imagine us coming here all the time.”
Since McDonald’s is a franchise, we may not see iPads at every McDonald’s for quite some time. However, McDonald’s corporate offices are apparently watching this location closely while they determine whether or not to bring iPads to more stores. If they do decide to drop iPads at every McDonald’s location, they will definitely keep their edge in the mobile worker crowd, which is currently dominated by Starbucks and Panera Bread.
That said, what ever happened to sharing a meal with people instead of, you know, a computer?
Source: iMore via CNET, The Virginian-Pilot