McDonald's revealed that they will cut down their menu items and ingredients. The move is meant to turn around sales and to compete with fast casual restaurants like Subway and Chipotle.
Mike Andres, McDonald's president in the U.S., said in an analyst meeting on Wednesday that they plan to cut down eight menu item and to offer only 11 Extra Value meals by January 2015. A spokeswoman said that they'll test it out first in six markets, such as Bakersfield, California and Knoxville, Tennessee.
After feedback from customers criticizing slow service due to numerous menu items to prepare, the burger chain is focusing on fewer and healthier options. Fortune reported that the chain has 121 menu items, 75% more than the numbers on the menu a decade ago.
McDonald's suffered its worst decline in 14 years, reporting a 4.6% drop in sales in November. Its global sales last month also decreased by 2.2%. As consumers ask for more natural food choices, the company hasn't experienced an increase in sales since October 2013.
The president said in a conference call for investors that they're not finished with revising their menu. Andres, who has been working with McDonald's for the past 32 years, returned to the Golden Arches in August after his short stint as Logan's Roadhouse CEO.
“We don't need to have a big menu board to offer variety,” said Andres.
The move comes in the middle of McDonald's market testing of “Create Your Taste,” which allows customers to customize their burgers. They plan to roll out the program in 2,000 locations by the end of 2015.
In July, customers ranked McDonald's burgers as the worst in the U.S. CEO Don Thompson and Andres have acknowledged the criticisms on the brand and have further launched campaigns to counter the negative image.
“Our food. Your questions.” campaign was launched in October to address the customers' negative impression on the brand's unhealthy food items.
