Why Folks May Now Feel Like Royalty at McDonald's

You deserve a break today. No, really, don't get up—a McDonald's server will bring your Big Mac right to you. That was the Thursday announcement from the company's execs, who said the new table-service option they're offering will help transform Mickey Dee's into a "modern, progressive burger company," BuzzFeed reports. How it will work: Diners who want to eat in will place their order with a regular cashier or via a touchscreen kiosk, then take their numbered Bluetooth-enabled locator to a table of their choice, which a server will track down when their meal is ready. About 500 restaurants already offer the service in Florida, New York, and Southern California, with other locations in San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, Chicago, and DC getting the upgrade early next year, per CNNMoney. It's not clear when the changes would be rolled out to all 14,000 US stores.

A McDonald's "Just for You" page explains how else the chain is enhancing the customer experience, including mobile payment options, digital drive-thru boards with current deals, and a "fresh, new decor." Not that table service will help McDonald's biggest demographic: customers who pick up their McNuggets via the drive-thru, a segment making up about 70% of US sales. And the addition of the kiosks won't be cheap for franchisees, running $56,000 for a location needing eight units. But one thing CEO Steve Easterbrook says employees shouldn't fret about is a downsizing of the workforce. "[We're] not cutting crew; we're redeploying them," he said at an NYC event on Thursday, per the New York Times. (One city has declared war on McDonald's.)