I. Case: McDonald’s “Fast-Food” Restaurant - 35% - discuss thoroughly. Mary Marino manages a McDonald’s restaurant. She has noticed that senior citizens have become not just regular patrons – but patrons who come for breakfast and stay on until 3:00 p.m. Many of these older customers were attracted initially by a monthly breakfast special for people aged 55 and older. The meal costs $.99 and refills of coffee are free. Every fourth Monday, 100 to 150 seniors jam Mary’s McDonald for the special offer. But now almost as many of them are coming every day – turning the fastfood restaurant into a meeting place. They sit for hours with a cup of coffee, chatting with friends. On most days, as many as 100 will stay from one to five hours. About a year ago, as a goodwill gesture, Mary brought in a team from the American Red Cross to check her regular customers’ blood pressure – free of charge. Mary’s employees have been very friendly to the seniors, calling them by their first names and visiting with them each day. In fact, Mary’s McDonald’s is a “happy place” – and her employees develop close relationships with the seniors. Some employees have even visited customers who have been hospitalized. “You know,” Mary says, “I really get attached to the customers. They’re like my family. I really care about these people.” They are all “friends” and being friendly with the customers is part of McDonald’s corporate philosophy. These older customers are an orderly group – and very friendly to anyone who comes in. Further, they are neater than most customers, and carefully clean up their tables before they leave. Nevertheless, Mary is beginning to wonder if anything should be done about her growing “non-fast-food” clientele. There’s no crowding problem yet during the time when the seniors like to come. But if the size of the senior citizens group continues to grow, crowding could become a problem. Further, Mary is concerned that her restaurant might come to be known as an
