When the news first broke about McDonald’s providing free Wi-Fi in an attempt to become more of a community “hang out”, the commentator I was listening to referenced the head to head competition between McDonald’s and Starbucks. Huh? What head-to-head competition between McDonald’s and Starbucks? Seriously? In my model of the world, that’s like saying Target competes head to head with Barnes and Noble. Besides clean bathrooms, I was hard-pressed to see how the two were even a comparison. Apples and oranges in my book.
But this McDonald’s Wi-Fi thing has stuck with me over the past several days. I mean…think about it. No offense to McDonald’s, but besides the occasional road-trip or Red Box stop, I don’t spend a lot of time there. And, come to think of it, the times I have stopped, the place seems incredibly…empty. Making Wi-Fi free…do they really think it would encourage people to “hang out” there? But wait, come to think of it…I have a McDonald’s less than a half mile from my house. And I hate, hate, hate that Starbucks charges $10 to jump onto their Wi-Fi. Maybe I WOULD hang out there with the carrot of free Wi-Fi. Could this free Wi-Fi be a good thing?
Then I started thinking about the aforementioned road trip. How many times have I been out of town, in a desperate search for a coffee shop with Wi-Fi? Too many to count. But surely there’s a McDonald’s in even the smallest town. Score! This free Wi-Fi thing might actually be a good thing. It aligns perfectly with McDonald’s reputation for providing consistency. You know exactly what to expect at any McDonald’s you venture into. Adding free Wi-Fi as one of those expectations…brilliant!
And then I started thinking about how McDonald’s exists in even the smallest towns where other franchises don’t dare step foot. And I started wondering what the “McDonald’s Factor” might be in these more rural locations with the addition of free Wi-Fi. I started thinking about small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs and students who need online access to learn, to research, to apply, to thrive in the 21st century. This free Wi-Fi thing might actually be a really, really good thing. The internet opens the door to opportunity, even in the smallest locations. But not everyone can afford it. Most people CAN afford a cup of coffee at McDonald’s, however.
It’s a smart business move on the part of McDonald’s. Implemented correctly, it has the potential to have some pretty interesting social impacts as well.
Clean bathrooms? In McDonalds? Where did you find that?! (he he he)
Actually, this is a great post. Really gets me thinking about why McDonalds is doing this. I live downtown and I have seen a growth in mcDonald’s patronage lately. I wonder if it’s the free wifi.
Sean
Ok, well, they USED to be clean-ish. Still better than the gas stations, though. Interesting observations about a downtown McDonald’s. I’d wager that they get less of an increase than the suburbs, though. Or more “small town” locations. Should be interesting. Apparently McDonald’s has provided free Wi-Fi in most international cities for years. Go figure!
Heavy sigh. I’d like to agree that good for business equates to good for the community. In most cases that that’s very true. But the larger picture for me is how McDonalds contributes to the health and nutrition of our community. Which they don’t. How they influence food production, what food they serve, and their “consistency” has lead to a nation that equates fast with good and obesity with normal. Yes, a phenomenal business move. Disappointing however, that we’re excited to serve another blow to our community’s health in the name of access.