Is McDonald’s New Facelift a Waste?

 Let's face it—McDonald's isn’t the crème de crème of restaurants. We go there for cheap eats and speedy service, not ambience. But all that may change as the McDonald's franchise seeks to update it’s classic look with a more modern, fashionable image.

McDonald's executives hope to remodel 400 to 500 locations across the country in 2010. And the corporation recently pledged $1 billion to this initiative.

Richard Bechguenturian Jr. is a franchiser who recently re-modeled his store to reflect the trendy, new image of his North Hollywood, Los Angeles, store. Local designer Ed Webb helped create a contemporary space with wall murals and a central lounge area in the 88-seat dining room. "We're going to send a strong signal that McDonald's is relevant," says McDonald's chief executive Jim Skinner in a statement.

Photos of the space, however, show a restaurant that looks surprisingly like… a McDonald's (gasp!). Sorry, Mickey D's, but it’s going to take more than a make-over to change the public perception of you as a greasy burger and fries joint.

What do you think? Can the right design (and a total make-over) make it possible for McDonald's to change its image, or will consumers continue to see it as just a cheap chain?

–Lillian Civantos