McDonald’s could be moving into the food truck market

Olivia Lambert & Benedict Brook
APRIL 4, 2017
news.com.au 

FAST food giant McDonald’s could be sneaking its way into the food truck market, but experts say it may struggle.

The global company has already launched food trucks in America and some countries in Europe, but now it looks like McDonald’s could be looking to expand in Australia.

There is a mobile restaurant in Poland that is modelled off a classic American truck, which serves a selection of burgers and fries through a window far from the drive-through.

Last year McDonald’s announced its plans to drive 12-metre long food trucks through America, setting up at sporting games, festivals and suburban cul-de-sacs.

Robbie Yates, from food truck manufacturer Complete Food Vans, revealed to 3AW that McDonald’s would launch its food trucks in Australia next February.

He said the business had been hired to build five trucks for the fast food giant, which will be spread across the country.

However, McDonald’s Australia is denying plans to move into the food truck market.

Senior social scientist at the University of Melbourne, Dr Lauren Rosewarne, told news.com.au fast food giants would find it harder to succeed in the food truck market than smaller eateries.

“Our hyper-individualism — illustrated well with our laundry list of dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo, superfood-fortified personalised food demands — means that buffet style venues and mass-production fast food chains can’t adequately meet our changing needs the way more niche venues can,” she said.

“We’ve become a bit fickle with our tastes. The idea of pop-up restaurants and food trucks thus enables our fetishes for pulled pork or chickpea juice meringues to be exploited at a relatively low cost — small businesses are more nimble and more easily able to adapt their offerings to meet trends. Fast food chains can’t do this. It is difficult and costly for them to adapt their offerings to meet flash-in-the-pan culinary trends.”

Francis Loughran, managing director at food and hospitality consultancy company Future Food, said it would be a smart business move for McDonald’s.

“McDonald’s will follow the trend. In the late 80s we saw McDonald’s gravitating towards cafes as it saw people were moving towards coffee and baked items like muffins and sandwiches,” he said.

“McDonald’s introduced McCafe and what they were doing was following the world trend of cafe latte society. It’s the same now with food trucks. They have credibility and McDonald’s is seeing a trend, not a fad, that is both credible, profitable, social and has wide market appeal.

“McDonald’s will know what its 10 bestsellers are and will reduce the menu down to what they can to put in a food truck.”

Mr Loughran was not surprised McDonald’s was moving into the food truck market as it was keeping up with modern day trends and habits to remain competitive.

“Before it moved to food trucks McDonald’s was waiting for the market to confirm and stabilise. It’s now a trend with financial profitability, is accepted and is a trusted part of the celebration of eating.”

Mr Loughran does not think the fast food giant moving into the mobile market will kill the charm of food trucks, which has predominantly been taken up by small eateries with unique dishes.

“It will just be an extension of McDonald’s and will pop up at events. McCafe didn’t affect the cafe market,” he said.

“This is just another avenue to serving their customers.

“It’s a good business decision for them, it gives them exposure, for example, at a football stadium or at parks in Melbourne and Sydney as is becomes part of the mobile world.

“Food trucks add a new dimension to food and comes to you when you want to enjoy it at entertainment or sporting events, and food trucks have aligned themselves very well with technology.”