You want a frappuccino with that? Asheville-area McDonald's get Mc-Makeover in the form of McCafes

AskAsheville, who has been all over town lately with a camera and video camera, and who has been working with a team to fill the blogosphere with a number of new local blogs, says that five Asheville McDonald's stores are getting renovations that will add the company's McCafe concept in its stores. (AskAsheville has exploded on the scene, and some time soon I need to get up with Ask and find out what he's up to. Ask -- email me?) The concept is also coming to McDonald's across Western North Carolina, he says.

Wikipedia says the McCafe concept is nothing new, but it looks like next year will mark the end of a big push to get stores converted to the concept. Here's part of the Wiki description:

McCafé is a coffee-house-style food and drink chain, owned by and usually located in McDonald's restaurants. Launched in Melbourne, Australia in 1993, the chain reflects a consumer trend toward traditional European coffee. ... McDonald's is currently expanding the McCafé line nation-wide in the US, and expects to have the majority of its 14,000 US stores converted by mid-2009.

The Knoxville News, in a recent story, offers a little more insight on McCafes, which are popping up over yonder:

Restaurant operators have been busy enlarging their drive-through areas and converting a portion of their counter areas to make way for an automatic, custom-made machine that turns out coffee and hot chocolate with a push of a button. Coffee beans are ground fresh with each order.

"The next step in the McDonald's business is the cafe," said franchisee John Faris, who has opened 14 McCafes. "Coffee is already a big part of our business, but we anticipate a big growth with the launch of a national advertising campaign and as more products are added."

Specialty coffee is just the first part of a long-term rollout planned.

Knoxville-area McDonald's restaurants hope to add smoothies and frappuccinos to the menu in 2009. It is already available in some test markets nationwide. There will be about 60 local McCafes by the end of the year.

At $1.99 for a small and $3.39 for a large, prices are cheaper than coffeehouses like Starbucks.

Go here to see the McCafe web site. Click on the video below to watch a funny ad about McCafes.

So what do you think about this new addition to the Asheville coffee scene?

Comments

[Melissa]

I drink coffee from Mickey D's, Dunkin, Starbucks, Malaprop's, City Bakery, Dripolator...you name it. If it's hot, caffeinated and nearby, I'm all about it. But there is nothing like an Egg McMuffin and a large "cafe" after a 5-mile run in the morning. Heeeaaaven!

[JB]

McDonalds is great at the breakfast hours (roughly 40% of their business is done at breakfast). Their new coffee products are excellent and give much better value for money.

I also like the fact that McDonalds is rapidly tearing down many of their older stores and rebuilding shiny new and updated ones on the same spot. This is nothing unique to Western NC,

MickeyDs is on a roll across the US, while Starbucks is seeing huge declines in sales.

[Lauren (Ashe-Villain)]

Dang! I KNEW there was something missing in Asheville---a coffee shop!!
Seriously, why would anyone go to a crappy chain restaurant for coffee when there are so many amazing local cafes all over town (and not just downtown) that need support? it boggles the mind.

[PD]

Bah, I agree whole heartedly with Lauren, but I did enjoy that commercial.

[AskAsheville]

Hey Ash, thanks for the promo. Hit me up on my email AskAsheville@gmail.com. Setting up some other out of town companies the past few days so missed this (lol, 2 days and I am missing stuff already) but still had time to take photos, etc., so yes... about the McCafe... I guess that they have their clientel already and maybe can attract 5% more with this move, equals great business. Make their money back in no time, offer people something better, more committment from their believers. They know better than to stay with the old mentality. People have protested them for years, and they still grow. Sometimes, even when I have something better in mind, that dollar menu at Wendy's and McDonalds is the only thing that stops me from starving to death, haha... but I do not go cow-hunting on the regular. Peace.

[bmwloco]

Saw this in New Zealand about a decade ago. It was interesting to see the store traffic. Youngsters and pudgies went straight to the McFood line, business dress and such went to the coffee corner where fruit and yogurt was easy to grab.

Sea change maybe?

[ncazga]

They did this to a few McD's in the Raleigh area about 4 years ago. I guess they were testing out the McCafe. Seemed to go over well

[Joe]

I've found that the McCafe Latte pairs nicely with the Sausage McMuffin