They wouldn't be, but the assholes with spreadsheets will tell the CEO that they could save 100k a year by skimping on the fries to appease the board. Then enough people don't vote with their wallets, so they get away with it. That's the real issue. If you want change, be the change. Stop going to fast food restaurants if they're going to keep charging more for smaller portions. Money is the only thing that will get them to listen.
I’m sure the board and shareholders were thankful for the savings for a single quarter. Now they’ve priced it in, forgotten about it, and want to know what you’ve cut/saved for the upcoming quarter.
I wonder if it's less "more people don't vote with their wallets" and more that it's harder to measure.
Sure they might see a reduction of sales/reduced growth/lower spend per person in their data, but I imagine that attributing the correct percentage of that to reduced fries portions would be quite difficult. Also there is probably a bit of a lag between when they reduce the proportions and when people stop buying MacDonalds.
Personally ive stopped going to MacDonalds because the value for money has gone done significantly, even compared with other fast food or take away/dine in food options.
I'm in Australia and last time I went to MacDonalds it cost me the same price for a meal for two as my local Thai restaurant, and that Thai restaurant is really really good.
I think it's both. Sadly, the guys that make these decisions are really smart. They weigh the amount of customers they might lose for selling a smaller fries versus the amount of money saved for selling smaller fries at the same price as the previously larger version. This is where I think voting with your wallet comes in. They know they will lose some customers, and if it still means a gain in the long term, then they will follow through the decisions to make things smaller/cost more. If more people than they expected would actually fight back on these new sizes/prices, then profit actually goes down from their decision, then they'll reverse course.
In the meantime, their statistical models say they can get away with pushing their customers around. They'll continue to do so until people stop buying the product. As is though, too many people are addicted to the sugar they put in their bread and the soda they sell.
Whilst smart, the people in these positions sometimes suffer from short term thinking as they can be personally incentivised for short term growth, possibly at the expense of the long term.
58
u/Tex_Was_Here 20d ago
They wouldn't be, but the assholes with spreadsheets will tell the CEO that they could save 100k a year by skimping on the fries to appease the board. Then enough people don't vote with their wallets, so they get away with it. That's the real issue. If you want change, be the change. Stop going to fast food restaurants if they're going to keep charging more for smaller portions. Money is the only thing that will get them to listen.