McDonald’s Next, Hong Kong

Deep in Hong Kong’s busy Admiralty Station, McDonald’s has performed a Madonna, completely reinventing itself without any prior announcement or fanfare.

The new restaurant concept, dubbed McDonald’s Next, offers a dialled back, muted experience that adds a touch of the slow food movement to the Happy Meal experience.

Sydney-based retail design and brand consultancy Landini Associates has transformed a fast food icon into a chic eatery.

Gone are the glossy block colours and the blazing fluorescent lighting – though the iconic M remains as a welcoming splash of colour, and moments of red and yellow occur subtly throughout the design.

Instead, the space is characterised by untreated oak, polished concrete flooring, and understated line drawings of McDonald’s classic menu items. Open ceilings with visible ductwork and walls with obvious studs and join-work lend a warehouse-style aesthetic that takes the emphasis from the setting and shifts it to the food – while still offering a nod to the venue’s urban location.

A new lighting scheme transforms the mood of the space as day shifts into evening, and with it customers’ perceptions around their dining experience. New seating types and arrangements cater to a variety of diners and group types, with table service a new addition suggestive of a restaurant-quality experience. With only a wall of red-tinged glass dividing kitchen and dining area, customers can also follow the preparation of their orders.

Speaking of orders, things here have changed, too – in addition to using the traditional service points, customers can now personalise and purchase their meals using interactive kiosk stations that represent a world-first for the company.

It’s definitely a McSuccess.