when the sauces are reduced, but not the price

The news hit the fast food world like a bombshell. McDonald’s, the American burger giant, recently made the decision to reduce the size of its fry sauce packets. This modification, which may seem innocuous at first glance, raises many questions about the company’s motivations and the repercussions on its customers. Let’s take a closer look at the reasons for this change and its potential implications.

The surprise reduction in sauce sachets

The change made by McDonald’s is far from negligible. In fact, the capacity of sachets of fry sauce went from 14 to 10 milliliters, a reduction of 28.6%. This modification specifically concerns apple and chip sauce, a condiment popular with many of the brand’s customers.

It’s important to note that this discount only applies to the fry sauce. McDonald’s confirmed that ” this approach to aligning the range only concerns Pomme-Frite sauce “. The company’s policy remains unchanged regarding the distribution of sachets:

• one free bag per serving of fries;
• additional sachets charged around 20 cents (depending on the establishment).

The move raises questions about the company’s strategy and its impact on customer satisfaction.

Potential reasons for this change

Although McDonald’s has not explicitly justified this decision, several factors may explain this reduction in bag size:

1. Standardization of the range: the company mentioned that the capacity of fry sauce sachets is now aligned with that of ketchup.
2. Cost optimization: in a difficult economic context, this measure could help reduce expenses related to condiments.
3. Management of wastewaste : a reduction in the size of sachets could help reduce the volumevolume of plastic waste.
4. Adaptation to consumption habits: the company might have noticed that the previous quantity was often excessive for customers.

These hypotheses remain to be confirmed, but they offer an interesting insight into the possible motivations of McDonald’s.

A difficult economic context for McDonald’s

This decision comes in a complicated economic context for the fast food giant. The company’s latest financial results reveal a significant decline in its performance:

This drop in sales affects both the United States and internationally, with a particular mention for France. Several factors explain this decline:

• the increase in menu prices, passed on to consumers;
• calls for a boycott in France, following a controversy involving the brand’s Israeli franchise.

Faced with these difficulties, Ian Borden, financial director of McDonald’s, remains optimistic: “ We expect challenges to persist, but believe we are well positioned with the size and scale of McDonald’s operation. ».

Impact on consumers and outlook

Reducing the size of fry sauce packets may impact the customer experience:

• Customer satisfaction: some consumers may feel harmed by this reduction in quantity.
• Consumption habits: Customers may need to adapt to a new way of consuming their sauce.
• Perception of the brand: this decision could be interpreted as a cost-saving measure to the detriment of the quality of service.

However, it is imperative to note that this modification is part of a broader context of transformation of the fast food industry. Companies in the sector are increasingly faced with challenges linked to sustainabilitysustainabilitypublic health and changing consumer expectations.

Time will tell whether this decision by McDonald’s will have a significant impact on its popularity and financial results. One thing is certain: in such a competitive market, every detail counts, even the size of a sachet of sauce.