What do you think about the question posed at the end of the reading? Make sure you respond to one other posting. BE SURE TO INCLUDE AT LEAST ONE SOURCE YOU USEDIN COMPOSING YOUR INITIAL POSTING.

McDonaldsthe place for cheap, fast food that will fill a stomach but not necessarily please taste buds. Thats long been the massive chains image. And in the past decade, popular media, including Fast Food Nation and Super Size Me, and lawsuits have slammed McDonalds as a health hazard. Yet today, McDonalds share price is more than double what it was five years ago, its customer base has increased by 2 million people, and it employs a gourmet chef to oversee its menu choices. The reason for its resurgence seems to hinge on that last point and the resulting menu improvements. Since 2007, McDonalds has introduced several new products to expand into new markets and compete against more traditional restaurants, rather than just other fast food chains. For example, the Southwest Chicken Salad aims to provide a more classic salad, and with 320 calories and 9 grams of fat, it offers a healthier alternative than similar products at competitor chains. On the other end of the product spectrum, the Angus Third Pounder offers 750 calories and 39 grams of fat, but it competes effectively against higher priced burgers sold by sit-down chain restaurants. Already in 2010, McDonalds has introduced the Mac Snack Wrap, a Big Mac on the go, to appeal to the growing segment of customers who use drive-through services and eat in their cars.

Chef Dan Coudreaut states that his menu goal is to offer a more eclectic, gourmet feel. With a staff of 16, he considers nearly 2,000 new menu ideas annually. Only about 5 actually make it to the menu, and few of those last. Anything the chef and his team develop must be easy to assemble for the teenage workers in the restaurants, and it must avoid overly exotic or scarce ingredients that the chain could not procure easily and reliably for its 26 daily million customers.

McDonalds has built its reputation by providing familiar, American comfort food. Is it wise to tweak this classic menu? What changes would you make, if any? What impact, positive or negative could these changes have on the company's bottom line? Make sure to respond to a classmate's post in order to receive credit for this assignment.