While many McDonald’s customers were worrying needlessly that the chain would be cutting the Big Mac and its apple pie from the menu, there are going to be some menu changes coming this year as the chain seeks to simplify its offerings. So what did franchisees say they’d cut when asked?

The items franchisees would like to swing the axe at the most include the McCafe line and complicated Happy Meal options, according to a survey by a Janney Montgomery Scott restaurant analyst reported by BurgerBusiness.com.

The survey of 30 domestic franchises — for a total 198 stores — in December showed that the trimming hasn’t yet begun.

“Eliminate the McCafé line. Downsize Happy Meal choices,” said one.

“Downsized? Happy Meals are a chore to ring up with all the options. Perhaps corporate should make a decision on what a Happy Meal is and stop with complicating the choices,” said another.

Some aren’t quite so quick to burn things to the ground, with one weighing in to say, “Eliminate espresso drinks but keep the rest of McCafé.”

The option for customers to build their own menu items is another way to simplify the menus, said one operator, instead of menu items including complex construction.

“Our build charts in the product area are impossible to follow due to their sheer complexity of the builds. We need to stop creating flavors on the menu boards and just let the customer put whatever they want on the burgers with a few popular builds,” the operator said. “This increase order-taking time but it will increase our order accuracy.”

McD’s Franchisees Target McCafé, Happy Meals for Cuts [BurgerBusiness.com]

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