A McDonald’s outlet in the US state of Virginia has installed a number of iPads in the fast-food restaurant, for customers’ use while they chow down.
Reported in The Virginian-Pilot, the Virginia Beach branch features iPads mounted on white stands, one of which holds two devices, at four tables in the restaurant. Use of the iPads is free to customers in an attempt by a franchise owner to stay relevant to a new generation.
Hugh Fard, the owner of McDonald’s Virginia Beach and other locations, was inspired when he saw the concept at the annual worldwide McDonald’s convention. A French company has installed the iPads in about 20 locations in Europe, including Paris – though we suspect it’s not on Avenue des Champs-Élysées, as we’re already aware of that branch’s seeming aversion to technology.
The iPads are leased from the French company’s local contractor, which maintains the devices and will also replace them if stolen.
At Fard’s request, YouTube has been blocked on the devices in his branch because he believes some of the content hosted there is inappropriate.
As yet there are no plans to introduce iPads to other McDonald’s in the US, but the company will be keeping an eye on how the scheme works out in Virginia Beach for the next six to eight months.
