Read and Discuss Text 2 Take a Break at a World Famous Restaurant - “McDonald’s”

Thinking about shopping and preparing food for the family is about the last thing mothers want to do on holidays and particularly on motoring holidays. Holidays should mean holidays from the kitchen, too. But mothers are always concerned that their family is eating the right food. McDonald’s shares that view. “Our menu is based on the selections from four to five basic food groups recommended to maintain good health” says Peter Riechie, chairman and managing director of Mc Donald’s Australia. McDonald’s doesn’t claim that its menu provides every single nutrient needed for a healthy diet. However, a sample meal of a Big Mac, French Fries and a Shake contains foods sources of riboflavin, calcium, thiamine, niacin, zinc, vitamins A, B12, C, D and protein.

The company puts a lot of work, research, money and top-level planning into producing good tasting food that is also nutritious. Its claims are backed up by research carried out at the University of New South Wales which reveals that McDonald’s menu contains an important range of nutrients at levels which make significant contributions to daily dietary requirements.

Peter Ritchie says: “Only 100 per cent pure Australian beef is used in our beef patties. They contain no additives or extenders, no preservatives and no flavor enhancers. Unlike many hamburger shops, no oil or fat is added to the grill to cook the patties and the grill is scraped clean after each batch of patties is cooked. Our Filet-O-Fish is made from whole fillets of premium fish, not shredded or minced. McDonald’s orange juice has no preservatives and no added sugar and our lettuce is farm grown and freshly chopped. We use Australian –grown wheat flavor in our buns, which are baked locally and delivered fresh several times a week.”

McDonald’s recommends variety and moderation to keep fit and healthy. It’s not only food quality about which McDonald’s has a ‘no shortcuts’ policy. Cleanliness features prominently in the company’s operations.

Surveys show that Cleanliness is the first thing customers notice when they enter a restaurant. That’s why the customers and travelers especially, can count on clean restrooms, often with nappy-changing and disabled facilities.

McDonald’s also emphasizes that its family restaurants are designed for family budgets. A family of four can eat well at less than $20. And that’s particularly important when on holiday budget.

Service is another key to the Company’s success. Friendly and fast is what everyone is all about in the Service stakes. No one wants to wait for ages to be served, particularly when they are road weary and have more kilometers to cover.

While McDonald’s places great importance on quality, service, cleanliness and value, the overall aim is to make sure the customers relax and enjoy their McDonald’s experience. For the holiday motorists McDonald’s restaurants provide many components of what might be regarded as an enjoyable experience. Many of the restaurants provide playgrounds or play areas with special safety surfaces that enable children to expend a lot of energy they’d otherwise save up until their parents were mobile again. Parking is also a plus at McDonald’s with many restaurants situated on major highways featuring coach parking and parking spaces for cars towing caravans or trailers. Its drive-through service means motorists in a hurry can simply choose order and then pick up their meal without leaving their car.

McDonald’s operates 260 stores Australia-wide with each restaurant offering the same consistent Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value.

Notes

1. nutrient – питательное вещество

2. riboflavin – витамин B2

3. be backed up by – поддерживаться, финансироваться

4. contribution – вклад

5. extenders – начинка

6. preservatives – консерванты

7. flavour enhancers – усилители цвета

8. shred – шинковать, измельчать

9. moderation – умеренность, сдержанность

10. count on – полагаться

11. service stake – сервисная стойка

12. value – ценность, стоимость

Task 1. Answer the following questions

1. What is meant by “the right food”?

2. Can McDonald’s food be recommended to maintain good health? Why?

3. What does McDonald’s place great importance on?

4. What are those enjoyable experiences provided by McDonald’s?

5. What does Peter Ritchie say about the ingredients and methods of cooking at their McDonald’s?

6. What do surveys show?

7. What can the customers and the travelers especially count on?

Task 2. Think and express your opinion

What does credit for McDonalds commercial success belong to? Points to consider:

• master the art of serving the customers;

• improve production methods in order to simplify operations;

• bring down costs;

• carefully customize its menu and service to local tastes and eating habits;

• monitor product and service quality through continuous surveys;

• educate suppliers, employees and even customers;

• give service with a smile.