McMakeover Deluxe

By Kathleen Kingsbury

McDonald's is getting a makeover. The fast-food force has launched its first restaurant redesign in 30 years; more than 6,000 locations will feature the new look by year's end. Customers will have three zones to choose from, based on their dining needs, says Peter Dixon of Lippincott Mercer, the firm that created the new McD. Counter seating will serve eat-and-run customers. Those looking to linger will find soft lighting and plush chairs. Mingling teens can cram tables together in a flexible seating area. "It's something [McDonald's] should have done years ago," says restaurant analyst Howard Penney of Friedman Billings Ramsey. The design suggests a certain coffee chain, but Penney says it could give McDonald's an edge over fast-food rivals.