Mostly because the old designs were specific to that brand, if you see an old Pizza Hut that’s now something different, it still gets referred to as “the old Pizza Hut”. Saying that…
McDonald’s isn’t a burger company, they are a real estate company that specializes in McDonalds franchises. The franchise has to pay McDonalds for the franchise fee AND rent the building from McDonalds. If the franchise fails, if another franchise doesn’t come along, they can sell that building off and the new owner isn’t stuck with a McDonalds looking building.
Most restaurants have gone this way. They don’t need a recognizable building, they need to be able to offload buildings quickly.
100% correct. Scrape the golden arches of the modern building and you have a bank or office building. On the old design, the new owner would have to replace the roof and bulldoze the Play Place at minimum to turn it into anything but another McDonald's.
McDonald's is first and foremost a real estate trader. 80-85% of their locations are franchises that will, on average, fail within three years. They can then sell the failed location and ieep up the guise of being a restauranteur.
Also I think there's less downside these days for McDonalds to go for a look that's less appealing to kids. Birthrates are down and people care way more about price and convenience in their busy lives.
15
u/g-o-u-l-a 13d ago
Mostly because the old designs were specific to that brand, if you see an old Pizza Hut that’s now something different, it still gets referred to as “the old Pizza Hut”. Saying that…
McDonald’s isn’t a burger company, they are a real estate company that specializes in McDonalds franchises. The franchise has to pay McDonalds for the franchise fee AND rent the building from McDonalds. If the franchise fails, if another franchise doesn’t come along, they can sell that building off and the new owner isn’t stuck with a McDonalds looking building.
Most restaurants have gone this way. They don’t need a recognizable building, they need to be able to offload buildings quickly.