By Critic

April 16, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this

It looks nice enough, a definite departure from the playground theme that has been so prevalent. But I rarely eat fast food, and my perception of McDonalds advertising campaign that I have seen indicates to me that their target demographic is the hip-hop generation, of which I am not a part of.

By Customer

April 16, 2008 4:01 PM | Link to this

The restaurant is nice. However, the customer service is very poor.

By Customer

April 16, 2008 4:03 PM | Link to this

The restaurant is nice. However, the customer service is very poor.

By amy

April 16, 2008 4:03 PM | Link to this

McDonalds is a very successful company, so they obviously know what they’re doing and have done their research. A lot of people I know (adults) will pick up McDonalds in the Drive Thru but refuse to eat inside because it is not a good experience, so maybe this will draw some more people inside. The outside of this building looks just like the Chipotle on Cumberland Blvd.

By Dell

April 16, 2008 4:18 PM | Link to this

Whoa!!! Wait a minute I thought this was McDonald’s?I don’t care if they had the look of a Steve Wynn Vegas hotel, it’s still mickey D’s. Just give me my number one super sized and don’t screw up my order. Plus I don’t know anyone that goes to an upscale restaurant with a drive thru???Why don’t they keep the look inside the same and use the money to pay their employees a little better than minimum wage???Then the service might be better.

By dougmo

April 16, 2008 4:20 PM | Link to this

Is the Waffle House next?

By Wait

April 16, 2008 4:26 PM | Link to this

Let’s wait until next year to do the “Whatever happened to” story on this place. It will probably look like a dump!!! It takes a lot of work to keep something like that in new condition.

By karin

April 16, 2008 4:27 PM | Link to this

Could they work on their service

By Harumph

April 16, 2008 4:27 PM | Link to this

The building’s aesthetics can’t hide the fact that the Dunwoody McD’s is still ghetto.

By Customer

April 16, 2008 4:27 PM | Link to this

This restaurant looks nice, but everytime I have been there my order is wrong and the customer service leaves a lot to be desired.

By Jessica

April 16, 2008 4:35 PM | Link to this

I think that they are trying to be more like Chick-fil-a. Their restaurants are always nice and clean and the one by my office always has fresh roses on each table.

By Chris

April 16, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this

Its McDonald’s…..there is nothing upscale about a Big Mac, you can put a bow on a pig, but it is still a pig. I think McD needs to focus more on their role of contributing to the obesity problem in this country….oh wait they just want to appear more upscale and adult, so they can make more upscale adults fatter…..sigh

By Eric

April 16, 2008 4:44 PM | Link to this

Customer…I disagree with you 100%…I frequent this McDonalds on a daily basis and the customer service is outstanding. I pride the manager there for his excellent workers every day. This is the BEST McDonalds in metro Atlanta!

By the finger

April 16, 2008 4:55 PM | Link to this

fast food, its fat customers and its culture (up-market or not) is crap. for god’s sakes, its a mcdonalds. you’d think the article is about the next pritzker winner. but it’s a good place to go to talk about american idol and hannah montana.

By Noelle

April 16, 2008 5:01 PM | Link to this

How silly. You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear — it’s still junk food. The restaurants should be clean and serviceable, but pointless “upgrades” like these are a large part of the reason that McD’s prices have doubled in the past 10 years or so. If they must spend the money, they should spend it on better employee training, and maybe on higher pay and benefits to improve retention.

By dave

April 16, 2008 5:02 PM | Link to this

Anyone who eats at McDonalds has NO CLUE as to what the very word “upscale” means… if you sugar coat crap….it’s STILL CRAP! Sad that anyone would even put that into their body…it’s NOT FOOD!

By I could be wrong

April 16, 2008 5:09 PM | Link to this

but that looks like a single tulip in the vase, not a daffodil.

By TNT

April 16, 2008 5:36 PM | Link to this

Considering the rate of obesity tied to the consumption of fast foods such as McDonalds, I think they should have made that bistro style seating bigger. Size 2s are the only ones eating at McDonalds.

By sandra

April 16, 2008 5:39 PM | Link to this

Good, but the only thing is the double takeout lanes. I got the other guys food. Poor him. His was better than mine. There needs to be better way of making sure the right driver gets the right food. I didn’t check mine until back at the office.

By Ron

April 16, 2008 5:39 PM | Link to this

The customer service is horrible….I hope the owner and managers are reading this blog.

I’ve gotten dbl. cheeseburgers w/ no cheese….Check your food thoroughly

By sandra

April 16, 2008 5:41 PM | Link to this

Good, but the only thing is the double takeout lanes. I got the other guys food. Poor him. His was better than mine. There needs to be better way of making sure the right driver gets the right food. I didn’t check mine until back at the office.

By burger

April 16, 2008 5:45 PM | Link to this

Why is the AJC putting a new McDonalds on the front page? Who cares - its garbage fast food that tastes bad and is terrible for you. How is this news worthy?

By burger

April 16, 2008 5:47 PM | Link to this

Why is the AJC putting a new McDonalds on the front page? Who cares - its garbage fast food that tastes bad and is terrible for you. How is this news worthy?

By DJ$$$

April 16, 2008 5:54 PM | Link to this

They would never have a nice Mcd’s like this in the hood where black folk live. Why they only put it up in Dunwoody where wealthy white folk live?

By Laura

April 16, 2008 6:42 PM | Link to this

For all those who state that only “fatties” eat McD’s, that’s actually not true. I grab a salad there pretty much every day. You don’t have to order fries. I agree with most of the posters that this location, although nice to look at, it ugly with it’s service. If it was not so convenient to the office, I would not go. They have the rudest people working there and they look at you like you are stupid if you ask for a straw for your tea or a fork for your salad. I do hope the manager is reading this because they need a serious attitude overhaul at this location. It is bad.

By Laura

April 16, 2008 6:44 PM | Link to this

For all those who state that only “fatties” eat McD’s, that’s actually not true. I grab a salad there pretty much every day. You don’t have to order fries. I agree with most of the posters that this location, although nice to look at, it ugly with it’s service. If it was not so convenient to the office, I would not go. They have the rudest people working there and they look at you like you are stupid if you ask for a straw for your tea or a fork for your salad. I do hope the manager is reading this because they need a serious attitude overhaul at this location. It is bad.

By RT

April 16, 2008 6:59 PM | Link to this

I love McDonalds!! Best food on the planet!

By Keisha

April 16, 2008 7:07 PM | Link to this

Uh DJ, you are stupid. I am black and live across the street along with quite a few black neighbors. What a stupid comment, this has nothing to do with race. You are an embarassment to black people for bringing that up.

By jeed

April 16, 2008 7:50 PM | Link to this

Keisha - speak for yourself. The poster is not an embarrassment to me, nor do I believe s/he is black. You have to take this anonymous blogging for what it is.

Regarding the McDonald’s… like an earlier poster says, it looks a helluva lot like Chipotle. That’s not surprising as I believe they have the same owners.

I don’t eat fast food, but the new look would confuse me if I did. Looks like some sort of “I’m-really-a-glorified-Dairy-Queen- but-wish-I -was-Zaxby’s” thing went on in somebody’s mind.

Like other posters said, it’s STILL a mystery burger and fries.

By lol

April 16, 2008 9:15 PM | Link to this

SERVICE

By CityofDunwoody

April 16, 2008 9:21 PM | Link to this

Keisha, wow, you are so successful you have reached the status of, apartment dweller. Wonderful. That is really what we need is more apartments in Dunwoody.

By yanamom

April 17, 2008 10:04 AM | Link to this

It’s a McD’s. You don’t got McD’s because its upscale. You go because you have children and they want go or you go through the drive-thru because you don’t have time to go anywhere else!

And none of this stuff impresses me. The old ones that I take my children to have free WIFI and an inside playground. I’ve also been to older McD’s that have a fresh flower in a vase on each table and flat screen TV’s. None of which really make a difference. You go to McD’s because the children still want to play on the playground, not to experience the so called ambiance.

And some of us who visit McD’s do know what dining in an upscale resturant is like. Have you ever tried to take a child to an upscale resturant? They don’t want your child there and they let you know it. Just what we need an upscale McD’s. NOT!!!! What next, no children allowed because it is now an upscale resturant?

McD’s has been trying for years to attract the non-parent crowd into their resturants and none of it has worked. As long as the food is chicken nuggets and Big mac’s they are not going to get their target clientel into the resturant. And if they continue to make resturants like this that are non-child friendly, they will loose even more customers.

By FCM

April 17, 2008 2:25 PM | Link to this

The McDonalds on McGinnis Ferry in Alpharetta did this too. The owners are very nice. The food is still pure McDs (though not nearly as good as when I was a kid and you could SEE them fry the burgers) and the fries were not flash frozen first.

McDs is still seen as low income food thing though. Not sure how they can ever shake that image…somehow Wendy’s (also fried and unhealthy) gets a better wrap (pun intended)….I don’t know that McDs should be shaking their image of being a fun fast food. Even the original fast food….as long as they stay connected to Disney I will keep going every few months for the Disney stuff, fries and a shake.

By jb

April 17, 2008 6:41 PM | Link to this

i eat at this McDonalds restaurant on a regular basis because of work and Dunwoody is where I live. I have no complaints about the service except sometimes they get the orders mixed up. Overall, it is a good eating experience inside with the music and big-screen televisions. the only complaint i have is all the managers speak spanish. how do the non-spanish-speaking crew react to that?

By Keisha

April 17, 2008 8:44 PM | Link to this

City of Dunwoody: It seems you don’t know the city well at all. I surely do not live in an apartment. Perhaps I did not provide the exact location of my house but it does not mean I live in an apartment. But hey, for those that do, there is nothing wrong with that. But for purposes of this blog, my stating I live across the street is close enough to where I live. Lose the snobbish attitude. It really is not becoming “city of Dunwoody”

By ss

April 18, 2008 9:53 AM | Link to this

I can’t believe that area (Dunwoody) SOLD OUT and brought in a fast food joint. Just one way to help ruin a nice area. I’m not Lovin’ it.

By ss

April 18, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this

It just helps to bring on the Lenox crowd….. Ruins another great mall. Should have fought against it Perimeter!

By Informed

April 18, 2008 11:27 AM | Link to this

Far be it from me to call anyone ignorant, but perhaps before posting to a forum like this you should do just a bit of homework.

Chris, why not put the owness of the obesity problem on the people who make the concious decision to be fat?? I mean, is it so wrong to insist people stop claiming to be a victim and instead take some responsibility for their own vices? However, a simple search revealed that they are, in fact, attepting to do something about childhood obesity http://www.wickedlocal.com/bellingham/archive/x1181169665

DJ…wander on down to Clevleand Ave where there is another similar, albeit not as nice, new McDonald’s. Then, attempt to build something in an area where the general population live below the poverty line (white, black, race is an inconsequential variable in this little equation). The simple, unfortunate fact is these markekts can’t justify spending the amount of money on these projects that more upscale markets can.

SS, I doubt sincerely Dunwoody went and sought out McDonald’s and asked them to build a restaurant there. As one of the largest land owners in the world, I’m sure McDonald’s has a pretty accurate demographic model that dictates where they can and can’t make money. Just drive by the store at lunch and tell me that people in the area don’t want a McDonald’s there.

By Informed

April 18, 2008 11:31 AM | Link to this

Far be it from me to call anyone ignorant, but perhaps before posting to a forum like this you should do just a bit of homework.

Chris, why not put the owness of the obesity problem on the people who make the conscious decision to be fat?? I mean, is it so wrong to insist people stop claiming to be a victim and instead take some responsibility for their own vices? However, a simple search revealed that they are, in fact, attempting to do something about childhood obesity http://www.wickedlocal.com/bellingham/archive/x1181169665

DJ…wander on down to Clevleand Ave where there is another similar, albeit not as nice, new McDonald’s. Then, attempt to build something in an area where the general population live below the poverty line (white, black, race is an inconsequential variable in this little equation). The simple, unfortunate fact is these markets can’t justify spending the amount of money on these projects that more upscale markets can.

SS, I doubt sincerely Dunwoody went and sought out McDonald’s and asked them to build a restaurant there. As one of the largest land owners in the world, I’m sure McDonald’s has a pretty accurate demographic model that dictates where they can and can’t make money. Just drive by the store at lunch and tell me that people in the area don’t want a McDonald’s there.

By Tony

April 18, 2008 12:36 PM | Link to this

Outstanding! The future is here!

By Monica

April 18, 2008 4:12 PM | Link to this

This is nothing new. I’ve seen several McDonald’s on the south side like this over the past year.

By Monica

April 18, 2008 4:12 PM | Link to this

This is nothing new. I’ve seen several McDonald’s on the south side like this over the past year.

By ss

April 18, 2008 5:02 PM | Link to this

Ms. Informed: Interesting take on the justification. Driving by there at lunch - the people there are NOT from there. They are people pulling off of 285w because it is there now! Those people would have exited a few miles earlier to get their McCrap. Now they are stinking up Dunwoody.

By McATL

April 19, 2008 8:11 AM | Link to this

I have been to this McD many times, and never really cared how much they spent. The food is the same, The service is lousy! The people in the drive-thru get a bout 1/3 of the orders correct, even after they are repeated multiple times! Same as the new one on Cotillion nearby!

By McATL

April 19, 2008 8:12 AM | Link to this

I have been to this McD many times, and never really cared how much they spent on the decor. The food is the same. The service is lousy! The people in the drive-thru get a bout 1/3 of the orders correct, even after they are repeated multiple times! Same as the new one on Cotillion nearby!

By Native

April 19, 2008 3:01 PM | Link to this

As native Atlantas say, you can dress a pig up, but it’s still a pig.

By Scott

April 19, 2008 3:07 PM | Link to this

I went in there twice to reload my arch card. Both times a manager had to come and fix what the cashier messed up.Needless to say I havent been back there. You can put a chandelier and a grand piano in there but bottom line…its still a fast food place

By BugerBoy

April 19, 2008 3:40 PM | Link to this

Mcdonalds hamburgers taste like rubber and are getting tinier and tinier. Food has always been cold there. I even contacting the manager about it and figured it was because they just opened. Went back a couple of months later; same story. Better off grilling a bubba burger.

By Vegan

April 19, 2008 5:07 PM | Link to this

Watch the Movie FASTFOOD NATION and you’ll be a good as Vegan.

By Greg

April 19, 2008 5:14 PM | Link to this

I agree with others here. McDonalds still doesn’t understand that it is the level of service (i.e, Chick-Fil-a) that makes the difference. It’s not just the decor that is going to magically do it.

Service at the restaurant is fair at best. WiFi will cost you as well. Was surprised to see this article that stated this Mcd is any different than the rest….

By Greg

April 19, 2008 5:15 PM | Link to this

I agree with others here. McDonalds still doesn’t understand that it is the level of service (i.e, Chick-Fil-a) that makes the difference. It’s not just the decor that is going to magically do it.

Service at the restaurant is fair at best. WiFi will cost you as well. Was surprised to see this article that stated this Mcd is any different than the rest….

By Bailey

April 19, 2008 5:50 PM | Link to this

I like their asian grilled chicken salads. Yum!

I’m blessed to sit at a table with a fresh cut flower. It’s all about perspective.

At least we can sit and complain about “decor” instead of rioting over the cost of food as many in the world are unfortunately doing currently.

Peace to all fellow Georgian’s, regardless of your skin tone or language you primarily speak. We’re all neighbors.