McDonald’s Opens Corporate Store In LA That Has No Lobby Or, By The Looks Of It, Drive-Thru Displays

December 17, 2024 by Dave Haynes

QSR giant McDonald’s is testing a store format in LA that has no dine-in area but also appears, at least, to not rely on outdoor drive-thru displays for taking orders.

The trade publication QSR picked up on a social media post from a McDonald’s franchisee that points out a new-build prototype format that uses a mobile pickup window and pick-up lockers for delivery guys.

So … no digital menuboards at an order counter, because there isn’t one, no interior self-service ordering kiosks because there is no customer space inside the building, and based on the overhead shot of the store, no pre-sell or drive-thru menu displays (though they may be there, just out of view … but order displays are usually early in the lanes and they’re not evident in the photo below).

The store reflects at least a couple of things, like an effort to get customers using their smartphones as the ordering interface, and a tactic to reduce the capital and operating costs associated with having and maintaining a staffed dining space and order counters. Nothing here is unique, but it is interesting to see one of the biggest QSR players trying this out.

The location is in the Bellflower area, near-ish to Long Beach and Orange County.

Here’s the post on X (aka Twitter).

Photos: Anthony Owen