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Message: <blockquote data-quote="faulkton" data-source="post: 2277127" data-attributes="member: 561910">A comfortable armchair. Cool hanging lights. Funky graphics and photos on the walls. Wi-Fi access. Premium coffee. Isn't Starbucks great? Except...this is McDonald's. McDonald's (MCD )? That's right. After 30 years without a major design overhaul, the 51-year-old fast-food giant is adopting a hip new look. The world's largest hamburger chain is redesigning its 30,000 eateries around the globe in a 21st century makeover of unprecedented scale.What will the new McDonald's look like? "Think iPod: clean lines, simplicity," says Miologos. The signature mansard roof? History. "The big red roof looks too dated today," says John Bricker, creative director at design firm Gensler's brand-strategy arm, Studio 585. It's being replaced by a flat roof topped by a newly designed, contemporary, golden sloping curve. Ronald McDonald appears safe: The mascot was given a leaner, sportier look just last year. And the iconic twin golden arches will still play a big role in the branding.The dining area will be separated into three sections with distinct personalities. The "linger" zone will offer comfortable armchairs, sofas, and Wi-Fi connections. "The focus is on young adults who want to socialize, hang out, and linger," says Dixon. Brand consultant Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys, a brand consulting firm, says that Starbucks has raised the bar: "A level has been set by Starbucks, which offers the experience of relaxed chairs and a clean environment where people feel comfortable hanging out even if it's just over a cup of coffee."The "grab and go" zone will feature tall counters with bar stools for customers who eat alone; plasma TVs will offer them news and weather reports. And in the "flexible" zone, families will have booths featuring fabric cushions with colorful patterns and flexible seating. The new design allows different music to be targeted to each zone.RESISTANCEMcDonald's won't confirm the cost of a redesign. Richard Adams, a former franchisee and consultant to current owners, estimates they will have to pay $300,000 to $400,000 to renovate an existing outlet -- an amount roughly equal to a restaurant's annual profit. Tearing down a store and rebuilding from scratch could cost $1 million, Adams says. The franchisees will have to pay for the renovations themselves, which has some of them seething. "Many franchisees are dead set against this change, especially because they already spent millions remodeling their restaurants in the past four years," says Adams. In 2002, when McDonald's introduced premium salads, it did ask a number of franchisees to spruce up their dining rooms, but it wasn't a major redesign project. McDonald's says it worked collaboratively with franchisees to jointly develop a strategy for the current "re-imaging" of its restaurants.Right now, only 20 recently opened restaurants in the U.S. sport the makeover in its entirety. Another 20, primarily in Tulsa and Columbus, Ohio, have been completely remodeled. All brand-new restaurants will have to hew to the redesign blueprints, and by the end of 2006, more than half of the 13,720 U.S. restaurants will feature some element of the design. Says Gensler's Bricker: "It's something that McDonald's has to do if it wants to be part of the 21st century."<a href="http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_20/b3984065.htm" target="_blank">http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_20/b3984065.htm</a></blockquote>

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