News

Virginia McDonald's installs iPads for customer use

October 8, 2012

A new McDonald's restaurant in the Norfolk–Virginia Beach, Va., area features iPads mounted on tables inside the dining room for customer use. According to The Virginian-Pilot, this is the only McDonald's in the country that includes the free use of iPads.

The Apple tablets are mounted on four tables at the restaurant. Hugh Fard, the restaurant's operator, told the Virginian-Pilot that the idea to include iPads was a way to connect to a "new generation" of customers who like to multitask.

At the annual McDonald's convention in April, Fard met with some operators from Europe who passed along the name of a French company that developed an iPad feature for multiunit use. He then solicited approval from corporate to deploy the devices at his restaurant.

Fard now leases five iPads from the French company's contractor, which maintains the devices. He also had to block some sites, such as YouTube, for allowing questionable content.

McDonald's has no plans to add iPads to other locations, but will pay attention to consumer response from Fard's location.

Reaction to the story shows some apprehension. One reader said this is "a communal germ pad to play with while you're eating."

Another reader expressed concern about guests lingering too long just to use the iPads.

Read more about customer experience.