McDonald’s Case Study Freshest Ideas – Strategic Management, Global Marketing, etc.

Have you ever wondered how McDonald’s became world-famous for selling sandwiches and potatoes?

McDonald’s Corporation is a leader in the fast-food industry, an extremely competitive market. This article will discuss various factors that brought the restaurant chain to success. We will answer all your questions for the McDonald’s case study: strategic management, marketing, competition, crisis management, etc. Let’s start!

🦸 5 Crazy Facts About McDonald’s

We bet you didn’t know most of these facts:

• French fries are the best-selling item on the menu. No, not everyone’s all-time favorite Big Mac. But it is pretty popular too, in second place.
• US military inspired Mcdonald’s to create McDrive. Some of the soldiers on duty were not allowed to leave their cars. That is why a Mcdonald’s restaurant near a military base developed a drive-through system that spread to other branches.
• Mcdonald’s sells around 75 hamburgers in a second. More than 750 hamburgers will be in customers’ hands only before you finish reading this article.
• Some countries banned McDonald’s. Bermuda, Iran, Macedonia, Yemen, Montenegro, North Korea, Zimbabwe, Bolivia, and Iceland don’t have a single Mcdonald’s restaurant on their territories.
• McDonald’s is the biggest toy distributor in the world. The company gives kids more than 1.5 billion toys yearly, thanks to Happy Meal.

🌿 McDonald’s Case Study – Fresh Ideas

McDonald’s is an excellent research field. It’s a big and famous company with many departments and a long history. Don’t know what to begin with? Check McDonald’s case study starters below:

• Advertising campaigns.
• Pricing strategies.
• Human resource management.
• McDonald’s hiring process in 2021.
• Creative marketing campaigns.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities.
• Corporate environment.
• International markets strategies.
• Fast-food industry problem statement.
• McDonald’s financial summary.
• Food shortage in local markets.
• Benefits for employees.
• Supply chain.
• Sustainability.
• Community connection.

🍔 McDonald’s Case Study Marketing – Idea #1

Take a look at key marketing focus areas of McDonald’s:

1. Core product investments
   Mcdonald’s constantly promotes and improves its best-selling menu items. The deals and menus are also based on the core products such as:
   • Big Mac
   • Quarter Pounder
   • Fries
   • Filet O’Fish
   • McNuggets
2. McDonald’s advertising
   The advertising budget is constantly growing and expanding to new markets. The company spent $1.62 billion on ads in 2020.
3. McDonald’s branding
   The fast-food chain developed a string brand using red and yellow colors, “M” golden arches and copywriting. You probably know McDonald’s world-famous slogan, “I’m loving it.”
4. Marketing for children segment
   Happy meals and marketing campaigns targeted at children made McDonald’s No1 fast-food restaurant for families.
5. McDonald’s franchising model
   The company was one of the pioneers in franchising. It also implemented a unique quality control system and adapted menus to regional tastes.

🥤 McDonald’s Case Study Strategic Management – Idea #2

McDonald’s constantly sets new goals and reviews current strategies to maintain its position in the market. Here is what you can research:

1. McDonald’s strategic objectives
   Apart from generating revenue, McDonald’s focuses on its mission and vision. The company aims to become its customer’s favorite restaurant with excellent service.
2. McDonald’s strategic management in HR
   The company devotes much attention to employment and workforce management planning. McDonald’s also implements innovative technologies to automatize HR processes.
3. McDonald’s strategic investments
   McDonald’s continues to invest in core menu positions’ marketing as they make roughly 70% of the sales. They plan to integrate more bestsellers into regional menus.
4. McDonald’s strategic innovations
   The company prioritizes 3Ds (Digital, Delivery, and Drive-Thru) in its current growth strategy. The company works on social and digital client interactions to create a better customer experience.
5. McDonald’s financial strategies
   McDonald’s financial goal is to maximize its revenue by offering more straightforward financial solutions to its partners. The company supports suppliers and franchisees to help local economies recover after the COVID-19 pandemic.

👔 McDonald’s Staffing – Case Study Idea #3

McDonald’s offers various jobs, from the front counter and drive-thru to top management careers. How are employees treated in McDonald’s? Let’s find out:

1. 2021 measures to fight labor shortage
   At the beginning of 2022, McDonald’s announced that in 2021, it had significantly grown its number of employees. The reasons were wage increases, more benefits, and additional bonuses.
2. McDonald’s recruiting
   The company uses various selection, screening, and testing techniques depending on the career a person applies to. Hiring managers have many responsibilities, as McDonald’s employs around 200,000 people yearly.
3. McDonald’s human resource management
   There are more than 1,7 billion McDonald’s crew members around the world. McDonald’s provides training and performance appraisal.
4. Career ladder in McDonald’s
   Based on the results of its employees, there are multiple career growth opportunities at McDonald’s.
5. Diversity and inclusion in McDonald’s
   McDonald’s works on key factors that are equal pay, supplier and franchisee diversity, and other sustainability goals. The company implements its DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) strategy in its departments and supply chains.

🍟 McDonald’s Vs. Burger King Case Study – Idea #4

Burger King is one of McDonald’s main competitors on the market. You can compare these fast-food chains using the following aspects:

1. McDonald’s and Burger King’s customer service
   Burger King greets each customer when they enter its restaurants. In addition, Burger King replies to unsatisfied McDonald’s customers on social media and offers their coupons.
2. McDonald’s and Burger King’s pricing strategy
   In general, McDonald’s prices are a bit lower. But there is no significant difference in their pricing strategies.
3. McDonald’s and Burger King’s menu positions
   Burger King offers more balanced options than McDonald’s. On the contrary, McDonald’s is the leader in the breakfast menu and has many healthy options.
4. McDonald’s and Burger King’s advertising
   McDonald’s implements better branding decisions and consistent advertising. Burger King creates more memorable and witty TV commercials.
5. McDonald’s and Burger King’s coffee
   McDonald’s offers better coffee with a broader menu, especially in McCafe. Burger King’s coffee is not as popular.

🤢 McDonald’s and Obesity Case Study – Idea #5

McDonald’s and other fast food generally contain many calories, leading to weight gain. This problem is especially prominent in the US, where fast food is much more popular than in Europe.

1. McDonald’s responsibilities
   As the most popular fast-food chain, Mcdonald’s can set trends in the industry that other chains will follow.
2. McDonald’s nutritional information presentation
   In 2022, Mcdonald’s changed its calorie legislation. You can see calorie and macronutrient information about all the menu items in all customer touchpoints.
3. McDonald’s and childhood obesity
   The company aims to reduce the amount of sugar, salt, and fat on the Happy Meal menu. McDonald’s also promotes healthy and balanced eating habits in its ads for children.
4. McDonald’s accusations
   Advertisements, loyalty programs, and discounts motivate people to buy more. That is why much of McDonald’s marketing is criticized because it makes people buy bigger portions and more menu items.
5. McDonald’s healthy meals
   The restaurants offer different salads, healthy breakfasts, low-fat milk, apple dippers, and other region-specific options.

🥻 McDonald’s in India Case Study – Idea #6

Indian culture and eating habits were a challenge for McDonald’s. Now we can see that the restaurant has successfully conquered the market.

1. Mcdonald’s expansion to India
   McDonald’s opened its first restaurant in Delhi in 1996. Before McDonald’s entered the market, Indians didn’t even consider a burger as a meal.
2. McDonald’s menu in India
   You can find many spicy burger options, spicy fries, kebabs, pizza, and rice bowls on the menu.
3. Competition in the Indian market
   There are other international and local fast-food brands that operate in India. They include:
   • Domino’s Pizza
   • KFC
   • Dunkin Donuts
   • Burger King
4. Vegetarian market
   Indians don’t eat beef or pork at all. Nearly half of the Indian population is vegetarian. That is why McDonald’s made adjustments to its branding and ingredients.
5. McDonald’s opportunities in India
   Indians’ eating habits have changed over the last few years. More of them choose to eat out and eat western food.

🤠 McDonald’s Crisis Management Case Study – Idea #7

McDonald’s regularly faces controversies and scandals that they have to deal with. Here are some examples of such cases:

1. McDonald’s crisis response in 2020
   During the Covid-19 pandemic, McDonald’s provided financial support to its franchisees and employees. It also continued operating and ensured no delays in the supply chain.
2. Steve Easterbrook lawsuit
   The former McDonald’s CEO was fired because of an affair with an employee. Later, the company discovered he had three other relationships with his employees.
3. McDonald’s discrimination scandals
   Multiple sources alleged that David Fairhurst, former Chief People Officer, sexually harassed female employees. He also was forced to leave his job.
4. McDonald’s transparent investigations
   After the scandals that involved higher management, McDonald’s implemented new policies. They include public and transparent actions and a proactive position in the investigation.
5. Million-dollar nugget lawsuit
   A man from Florida cracked his tooth because of a bone in a nugget. Currently, he is trying to sue McDonald’s for the damage.

🔗 References

1. What is Human Resources
2. McDonald’s Marketing Strategy: The Rise Of The Golden Arches
3. McDonald’s Financial Information
4. McDonald’s Workforce Grew in 2021 Despite the Labor Shortage
5. Commitment to Quality: Our Sustainability Goals | McDonald’s
6. Tom Watson urges McDonald’s to cancel ‘danger to health’ campaign | McDonald’s | The Guardian
7. How McDonald’s conquered India – BBC News
8. McDonald’s vs. Burger King: What’s the Difference?
9. McDonalds Does Crisis Management the Right Way