Mcdonald’s Senior Restaurant Case Analysis
Quinn McMahon restaurant case is a good example of how managers ought to analyze their company, their competitor and their customer environment to effectively adapt business strategy in carving out a niche that addresses customer perceived value while allowing the firm to remain relevant, especially in a highly competitive industry such as the fast food. Even without knowing all of the statistical facts involved with this case, once can safely assume that the marketing strategy employed here is an effective one, perhaps one not being offered by rival restaurants. Quinn’s ability to identify a target market with seniors, from what one could perceive as a careful assessment of the market that her McDonalds operates in, and her ability to create a marketing mix such as the $1.99 menu offering and the free coffee perks is certainly an effective differentiation strategy; one which customers have responded to positively as evidenced by the influx of the large crowd that consistently visited the restaurant.
Now whether this is good image issue for McDonald’s depends largely on the company stated objectives. According to the article, a key part of McDonald’s philosophy is what we see playing out at Quinn’s restaurant, so if this is the case, then Quinn’s actions seem to align with key parts of the company philosophies. One can argue that she certainly has achieved some success in adapting those philosophies and combining them with elements of the marketing mix to help fulfill the overall firm objectives and perhaps impacting the firm’s bottom line. In practice, the marketing mix in this example is conveyed by the restaurant’s menu offering, the $1.99 meal, being offered at a price that is reasonably affordable, the free coffee refills take the form of the restaurant promotion and the meal products seem readily available to seniors at a convenience, both in place and time.
The senior citizen market segment signifies the repeat customers that a firm typically
Now whether this is good image issue for McDonald’s depends largely on the company stated objectives. According to the article, a key part of McDonald’s philosophy is what we see playing out at Quinn’s restaurant, so if this is the case, then Quinn’s actions seem to align with key parts of the company philosophies. One can argue that she certainly has achieved some success in adapting those philosophies and combining them with elements of the marketing mix to help fulfill the overall firm objectives and perhaps impacting the firm’s bottom line. In practice, the marketing mix in this example is conveyed by the restaurant’s menu offering, the $1.99 meal, being offered at a price that is reasonably affordable, the free coffee refills take the form of the restaurant promotion and the meal products seem readily available to seniors at a convenience, both in place and time.
The senior citizen market segment signifies the repeat customers that a firm typically
References: Perreault Jr., William D., Cannon, Joseph P., McCarthy, E. Jerome. (2009). Basic Marketing - A Marketing Strategy Planning Approach. Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin