You may have noticed that McDonald’s has launched a new menu. In the last couple of months, they have added the “Create Your Taste” options. At first glance, I was excited to see a fresh look. However, as I looked deeper, I found some major UX issues. Ultimately I think this change will prove to be a UX Fail of ‘super-size’ proportions.
The menu image above might be different from what you have seen in your local Micky D's. My guess is that they are testing different menu’s around the nation to see how people respond. So my critique might not be consistent with all readers. In any case, let's dig in…
…oh, before I start…
I’m working on a UX Framework/Standard/Guideline/Thing I call BASIC UX. It can be used to test the Beauty, Accessibility, Simplicity, Intuitiveness, and Consistency of a product’s user experience. I am going to use this standard when evaluating UXs.
UX Wins
Beautiful— I think the menu ‘looks’ nice and has high-quality images/graphics. The options make me feel a sense of delight — like I am going to be in for a real treat. I can see why McDonald’s may have thought this new menu would bring additional value. Unfortunately, the positive part of the menu’s experience stops at the surface. You will see why as you read below.
UX Fails
People like to repeat what’s on the menu to feel in control, but these tongue twisters are going to make people feel dumb.
Accessible — I get a headache looking at the menu and I wasn’t initially sure why. Then I realized that they are using a weird font that ‘looks’ nice but is actually quite hard to read/visually scan. Also, lots of ‘big’ words in there and marketing speak that makes it really hard to read (‘Crisp green leaf lettuce’, ‘Caramelized grilled onions’). People like to repeat what’s on the menu to feel in control, but these tongue twisters are going to make people feel dumb. I can understand a little fluff here and there, but ‘Caramelized grilled onions’ and ’Crisp green leaf lettuce’ — really? Is there any other kind of lettuce we should expect? They should have just put ‘Grilled Onions” and “Lettuce”. Keep in mind, that these are the topping options not the name of the burger itself.
…it escapes me why more restaurants don’t embrace simplicity in their menus.
Simplicity — Nope! You wonder why In & Out Burger does so well with only 4 menu items. The key here is simplicity (and great execution). There is a direct relationship between the number of options presented and the amount of cognitive load required to make a choice (Hick’s Law). McDonald’s isn’t the only ‘burglar’ to break this law, but it escapes me why more restaurants don’t embrace simplicity in their menus.
The new menu takes complexity to a new level. People go to McDonald’s for a Quarter Pounder; now they have to take up everyone’s precious time as they contemplate thousands of combination possibilities. And the pricing is no longer straightforward either. Which is a problem for families on a budget (i.e. most of their customers).
‘Ba-da-ba-ba-ba, I don’t get it’.
Intuitive — Not even close. I asked an employee if people seem to understand the new menu, and they said ‘no, people are really confused. Most people just want a Big Mac or a Quarter Pounder’ — their words not mine. Customers have goals in mind — “quench thirst and feed the stomach.” The new menu is so confusing. It does not list the old options, however, they still mysteriously exist. And the options they do list are in meals instead of individual items. What was wrong with the way it use to be? They use to have both mental models represented — itemized and ‘mealized.’ Now everything is ‘mealized’, but not in the straightforward way it use to be (#1, #2, etc..)
Consistency — Just looking at the menu image above, you can see that each panel has a different model representing the options. It’s like you’re at 4 different restaurants at the same time. It’s a mess and frankly the “Create Your Taste” addition is nowhere near consistent with McDonald’s menu for the last 40+ years. I think McDonald’s has gone out of their depth here. You can’t just take one aspect of a counter service burger joint like 5 Guys, Little Big Burger, or Habit and expect to have any margin of success. In those restaurants, consistency is what they live and die by. They would never dream of throwing a random item on their menu like the McRib just to make a few bucks because their customers would smell inconsistency. The same is true for McDonald’s in the other direction, they need to find consistency and evolve over time — resisting the impulse of faking it through a popular trend.
Conclusion
My advice would be to cut losses while you can McDonald’s. Combine excellence with an accessible, simple, intuitive, and consistent menu and I promise you will have people ‘lovin it’ like never before!
