r/interestingasfuck • u/Charming_History7423 • 12d ago

/r/all McDonald's in the 80s compared to today

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u/oojacoboo 12d ago

No, parents just took their kids to McDonalds back then. There were probably more birthday parties at McDonalds than anywhere else. They had the playground too. It was a family establishment.

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u/Pogeos 12d ago

It was like that just about 15 years ago and suddenly everything started changing to this unappealing style. Wtf they are thinking?

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u/blyan 12d ago

They’re thinking about maximizing profits and who their actual target demographic is

I’m not saying corporations don’t sometimes make mistakes but do you really think they made all those changes on a whim? Or do you think maybe there were countless focus groups and research projects going into how to get the most people consistently buying food there?

Yeah, back when we were little kids, going to McDonald’s was an exciting experience… but if a company like that wants to remain at the top, their target demographic can’t be children with no disposable income

No one nowadays is going to McDonald’s for “the experience”. People want some mediocre, predictable, semi-affordable fast food that they know exactly how it’ll taste. If anything, it’s shocking that it took them so long to realize that.

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u/Pogeos 12d ago

I'm sure they did have focus groups... in the same way as all the current Disney movies are based on what focus groups recommend. Nah I don't believe in "boring & bland" being a successful business strategy for the long term.

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u/Baerog 12d ago

Nah I don't believe in "boring & bland" being a successful business strategy for the long term.

As opposed to "extremely dated 80s decor"?

Modernization is an important part of business, without it, people associate you with their parents/grandparents, even if subconsciously. There are lots of "boring and bland" businesses that are extremely successful. Arguably, Apple is "boring and bland" in the same way as modern McDonalds.

Realistically, no one even eats inside McDonalds anyways nowadays, and they certainly wouldn't be more likely to if it looked like the image from the 80s.

It's also wild to say that any decision McDonalds makes won't be a successful business strategy long term. They're possibly one of the best marketing companies in the world besides Coca Cola.

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u/Status_History_874 12d ago

As opposed to "extremely dated 80s decor"?

That's so weird to me. Why would you think they should stick with the same 80s/90s decor? Like, why wouldn't you consider they could have modernized in a family friendly way?

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u/MeanMusterMistard 11d ago

I guess the "family friendly way" you're thinking of is a thing of the past. Places aren't really like that anymore (in my country anyways) unless it's specifically and only designed for children. McDonalds needed to move on with it's growing list of competitors or it would have fallen to the way side if it remained as child appealing as it was in the 80s/90s