THE ACADEMY OF ECONOMIC STUDIES

FACULTY OF MARKETING

MARKETING RESEARCH:
-McDonalds Experience-

STUDENTS:

SPIRIDON MIHAELA

ERBAN CRISTIAN

BUCHAREST,

2016
 About McDonalds

McDonald's is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving
around 68 million customers daily in 119 countries across 36,535 outlets. Founded in
the United States in 1940, the company began as a barbecue restaurant operated by Richard
and Maurice McDonald. In 1948, they reorganized their business as a hamburger stand using
production line principles. Businessman Ray Kroc joined the company as a franchise agent in
1955. He subsequently purchased the chain from the McDonald brothers and oversaw its
worldwide growth.

McDonald's is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving
around 68 million customers daily in 119 countries across 36,535 outlets. Founded in
the United States in 1940, the company began as a barbecue restaurant operated by Richard
and Maurice McDonald. In 1948, they reorganized their business as a hamburger stand using
production line principles. Businessman Ray Kroc joined the company as a franchise agent in
1955. He subsequently purchased the chain from the McDonald brothers and oversaw its
worldwide growth.

Why did we choose McDonalds?

Because of Ronald.

Actually we chose McDonalds because everyone had eaten at least once from them and
the experience was either a good one or a bad one. Thats why we want to know who likes
them and what improvements should be made. Our group of respondents mainly consisted in
students because they eat very often from cheap fast foods. Also we noticed a pretty big
competition for McDonalds in Romania: KFC.

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 Observation Sheet

The first step we made for our project is the observational research. So because nothing goes ok
when you dont have a plan we made one. We established to go to a McDonalds near ASE so we chose
McDonalds from Romana, there we observed not just college students but high school students also. So
after finding the place, we thought that is it the best to go there in two stages: in the morning to see
how the clients react to their breakfast menu and during lunch time, when it is crowded.

11 May 2016, 1:06 AM.

When we entered in McDonalds weve noticed that only three persons, all between the age of
18-25. Weve analyzed the staff behavior, and they all greeted the customers with a smile on their faces.
Next we observed what products the customers chose, all of them chose to buy a McToast (a simple
ham sandwich) and a coffee. All of the customers seemed to already know what they wanted to buy,
none of them wavered when it came to choosing their food.

We ourselves bought the same products and sat on a table. For the next 45 minutes, only 10
people came into the restaurant and only two bought something different, which was the large
Breakfast menu, and they were over the age of 25. None of the clients had a problem in choosing their
food nor did the staff acted inappropriate.

11 May 2016, 1:06 PM.

We came back at the busiest hour of the day and first thing we remarked is that we dont have
where to eat. Every table is busy, and we observe what food their clients preferred: the cheapest the
1+1 Combo menu, which costs only 5 RON. Most of them did not choose the food by its quality but by its
price, as low as they can possibly buy.

The next move we make is to stay in line and wait, another bad thing at McDonalds during that
hour is the overwhelming amount of customers. The employees are moving quickly but the people are
flocking and the line is unsupportable. We saw a lot of expressions staying in line, some people were
impatient, other were irritated. So we are in front, we order two of the cheapest menu at 5 lei, the boy
behind the counter is asking us if we want desert or to try their special their limited edition McMici,
trying to get us to buy something else, but as most of the people we refused. Only one person from that
line chose to buy a dessert.

The food comes after 2-3 minutes of waiting, since there was more demand than supply. Now
we have to find a place where to stay and observe the people. We had the luck that a table near the
lines for ordering and with a good view to the door was free.

We stayed there and like we said earlier the impressive thing we saw is that people are buying a
very limited amount of products, most of the teens are choosing the cheapest food. The more expensive

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menus being bought only by people over 25 years old. None of the people seemed discontent with the
food, their main concern being the lack of free tables.

We observed kids coming to the restaurants with their grandparents, it was pretty awkward
because the kid ordered a menu and the grandmother we saw didnt buy something, she just sat next to
his nephew and watched him eat.

Another thing we observed is that people chose McDonalds as a meeting place, to stay and
socialize for long periods of time.

We left after 2 hours of observation, and we came to the conclusion that people were going
there mainly for the low prices, not necessarily for the quality of food, so we tried to discover with the
survey, if our conclusion was true or false, if they had other reason for choosing McDonalds or not.

About the survey

Our survey is short, with a maximum time of 5 minutes for completion, and 14 different
questions about the fast food market and McDonalds especially. We preferred a short survey
because people get bored quickly and we wanted to have more respondents for an accurate
analysis. The first three questions are general, about the profile of the respondent (gender, age
and current activity); after these, we have 5 questions about fast food in general. The survey
continues with 6 questions about McDonalds restaurants and products. At the end, the
respondent is asked for suggestions for the improvement of McDonalds quality.

Below you will be able to see the surveys questions and answers with the results from
our respondents and a short analysis at the end.

Q1: What is your gender?

Male (26%)
Female (74%)

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 Q1: What is your gender?

Male
Female

Q2: What is your age?

Under 18 (26%)
Between 18 and 25(68%)
Between 25 and 35 (0%)
Over 35 (6%)

Q2: What is your age?

Between 18 and 25
Under 18
Over 35
Between 25 and 35

Q3:What is your current activity?

Part-time job (5%)

Full-time job (9%)
Student (83%)
Unemployed (3%)

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 Q3:What is your current activity?

Student
Full-time job
Part-time job
Unemployed

Q4: How often do you eat fast-food?

Everyday (0%)
At least once a week (44%)
At least once a month (44%)
At least once a year (7%)
Never (5%)

Q4: How often do you eat fast-food?

At least once a month

At least once a week
Never
Everyday

Q5:When do you prefer to go to a fast-food restaurant?

In the morning (5%)

At lunch (46%)
In the afternoon (44%)

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 In the evening (5%)

Q5:When do you prefer to go to a fast-food

restaurant?

At lunch
In the afternoon
In the morning
In the evening

Q6:Why do you choose to eat fast-food?

There are many restaurants to choose from (14%)

Large variety (13%)
It tastes good (20%)
It is cheap (40%)
Others. (13%)

Q6:Why do you choose to eat fast-food?

It is cheap

It tastes good

There are many restaurants to

choose from
Large variety

Others

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 Q7: How much do you spend, on average, on one meal at a fast-food?

Less than 10 RON (18%)

Between 10-25 RON (77%)
Between 25-50 RON (5 %)
More than 50 RON (0%)

Q7: How much do you spend, on average,

on one meal at a fast-food?

Between 10-25 RON

Less than 10 RON
Between 25-50 RON

Q8: Which fast-food restaurant do you prefer? *

McDonald's (63%)
KFC (25%)
None of these. (12%)

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 Q8: Which fast-food restaurant do
you prefer? *

McDonald's
KFC
None of these

After the 8th question, we took an in-depth look at the consumers preferences for
McDonalds, starting with an accommodation question:

Q9: From 1 to 5, how would you evaluate McDonald's products?

1 (2%)
2 (13%)
3 (43%)
4 (19%)
5 (23%)
Most respondents have a neutral opinion.

Q9: From 1 to 5, how would you

evaluate McDonald's products?

3
5
4
2
1

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 Q10: What do you like the most at McDonald's?

The ambient in the restaurant. (16%)

The variety of products. (34%)
The affordable prices. (18%)
The fast serving. (22%)
The McDrive option. (7%)
Others. (3%)

Q10: What do you like the most at

McDonald's?
The variety of products.

The fast serving.

The affordable prices.

The ambient in the

restaurant.
The McDrive option.

Q11: What do you think about the breakfast menus served at McDonald's?

I like them. (46%)

I dislike them. (19%)
Never tried. (35%)

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 Q11: What do you think about the
breakfast menus served at McDonald's?

I like them.
Never tried.
I dislike them.

Q12: How often do you try limited edition products at McDonald's?

Every campaign. (6%)

Sometimes. (67%)
Never. (27%)

Q12: How often do you try limited

edition products at McDonald's?

Sometimes.
Never.
Every campaign.

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 Q13: Overall how do you perceive the McDonald's price/quality ratio?

1 (2%)
2 (12%)
3 (36%)
4 (36%)
5 (14%)

Q13: Overall how do you perceive the

McDonald's price/quality ratio?

3
4
5
2
1

Q14: Do you have any suggestions for the improvement of McDonald's quality?

People suggested to have a special day/hour with free samples according to a certain
age (e.g.: kids, rookies), profession, gender etc. so that they can try more products. There
was also a suggestion about personalizing McDonalds in Romania by making an organic
menu or burger from romanian natural ingredients. Further more, people said that
McDonalds should decrease some of their prices and have a higher variety of products
for small budgets.

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 Results

Taking into consideration all the answers, we may say that fast food is appealing
especially to young people, mostly students, that have a limited budget and choose to eat
cheap and tasty food.

Almost all of our respondents eat from fast foods at least once a month. Around 80% of
them spend about 10-25 RON for each meal, which means that a lot of money goes into this
industry.

The most preferred times to eat in a fast food restaurant are at lunch and in the
afternoon, the main reasons for the big variety of products that is offered at these times of the
day.

The best two qualities of McDonalds are the variety of products and the fast serving.
The breakfast menus are not very popular, but at least 46% of our respondents like them. Even
so, the limited edition products are often tried.

Overall, McDonalds price/quality ratio is good.

To resume our presentation we can say that McDonalds should work on attracting
people by having special offers at lunch and in the afternoon. Also, they should offer free
samples for their limited edition products, in order to promote them and get a fast feedback.

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