McDonald’s strikes national tablet deal with SOTI

McDonald’s UK has struck a national customer technology roll-out deal with SOTI for its restaurants.

As part of McDonald’s’ ambition to provide the “Experience of the Future” for its customers, it commissioned SOTI to supply the software for tablet computers to enable people to play games, use social media or browse the web in its establishments.

Feedback from McDonald’s customers who have visited restaurants fitted with the tablets show the project has been very popular.

The Samsung Galaxy tablets have been fitted in restaurants owned by McDonald’s and franchisees. After a successful trial, which took place in 2015, the company is currently installing tablets in the majority of its UK restaurants.

Doug Baker, head of IT restaurant solutions and service at McDonald’s UK, said: “The tablets form an important part of our new customer experience initiative, which is part of our overall Experience of the Future programme.

“Technology has an important role to play in all walks of life, including our customers’ eating out experience, so the changes we’re making as part of the Experience of the Future programme bring us closer to the way people live their lives today.”

Nassar Hussain, managing director Europe and South Africa at SOTI, said: “This initiative highlights the increasing trend toward retailers like McDonald’s utilising modern technologies to provide differentiated, personalised customer experiences.

“Our partnership with McDonald’s in the UK showcases an innovative, trend-setting approach to engaging customers through connected devices. There is growing praise from customers as the project continues to be rolled out across the country, and we are proud of this global first for McDonald’s and SOTI.”

The McDonald’s Experience of the Future programme is billed as the biggest investment and operational change in the company’s 41 year history in the UK. The changes embrace intuitive digital technology, introduce contemporary interior designs, and enable a “more enjoyable and personalised experience for every customer” said the burger magnate.

@AntonySavvas