Don’t expect Starbucks-like (1)______ like this one at the 13,600 U.S. McDonald’ s,(1)______
or 30,000-plus worldwide; the Oak Brook restaurant, which opened late last month, doubles as public restaurant and test site. But the world’s largest restaurant chain is tinkering with various possibilities in technology and design to try to ensure it is a (2)______ of choice in the future. (2)______
McDonald’s has undergone an (3)______ change in more ways (3)______
than one since a time (4)______ years ago when its sales and reputation were sagging amid complaints about its service and food. (4)______
The Company reported first-quarter (5)______ income was up (5)______
6 percent to (6)______ million and revenue rose 9 percent to $4.8 billion over the same time last year. (6)______
Its stock price nearly tripled over a two-year period, hitting a four-year high of $34.56 per share in March, but has since settled around $29.
Snazzier new restaurants are part of the makeover; about 1,000, mostly older U.S. McDonald’s have been either (7)______ or rebuilt since 2002. (7)______
Some of the additions, such as salads, white-meat chicken nuggets and fruit options with Happy Meals, have served the (8)______ purpose of enabling the company to state a commitment to a healthier, (8)______
balanced menu while bringing in new customers who aren’t there for the hamburgers.
McDonald’s now hopes to attract more (9)______ with amenities that might entice them to come in and stay awhile. (9)______
Analyst Peter Jankovskis thinks the extra investments to try to make McDonald’s restaurants hangouts are (10) ______, noting that they have worked not only at Starbucks but at Panera Bread and other chains. (10)______