Case: Fast Food Feast

Chapter 1 - Case: Fast Food Feast

For this case, I will be comparing McDonald's and Jack-in-the-Box.

1. How are in-store orders taken?

Both restaurants have a counter that the customer walks up to in order to place their orders.

2. Are the hamburgers prepared to order, or are they prepared ahead of time and delivered from a storage bin?

McDonald's prepares hamburgers ahead of time and warms them up when they are ordered. Jack-in-the-Box doesn't start preparing a hamburger until the order has been placed.

3. How are special orders handled?

The special orders are given preference in the both the restaurants. The production process is modified according to the order placed by the customers.

4. How are the hamburgers cooked?

McDonald's hamburgers are fried and then placed in a holding cabinet for up to 20 minutes. If the hamburger is not used within 20 minutes, it is discarded. Jack-in-the-Box hamburgers are grilled when the customer places their order.

5. How are the hamburgers assembled?

The hamburger is assembled by putting the cooked beef patty in the bun. Then ingredients like ketchup, mustard, iceberg lettuce, mayonnaise, tomatoes, white onions and pickles are placed over it.

6. Is a microwave oven used in the process?

Neither company claims to use a microwave.

7. How are other common items, such as french fries and drinks, handled?

Both restaurants handle these items in an efficient and effective manner. The services attached to these items are fast to facilitate the customers. The Cold drinks are served through special vending machines which are provided in attractive containers.

8. Which process is the most efficient and why?

McDonald's is the most efficient process because they get the food to the customer much faster than Jack-in-the-Box does.

9. Which competitive dimensions has each firm selected for their process and which focus dimensions have they traded-off?

McDonald's has chosen to focus on offering the lowest price at the fastest delivery speed. However, they are sacrificing food quality as well as their ability to cope with changes in demand and flexibility towards custom orders. Jack-in-the-Box has chosen to focus on food quality and flexibility. In doing so, they are unable to offer the lowest priced hamburger on the block and they will not deliver it to your plate as quickly as McDonald's does.

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