McDonald's Expanding Table Service Following Successful Test

NEW YORK — McDonald's Corp. plans to expand table service across the country after testing it at approximately 500 restaurants in the United States.

Customers at these locations can order at the counter or a kiosk and then sit down and wait for an employee to bring their food to the table, reported The Associated Press.

According to McDonald's, table service improves customer satisfaction.

The quick-service restaurant chain plans to expand the feature to restaurants in Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C., in early 2017.

Table service and kiosks have also already launched in several other countries, including the United Kingdom.

Although most U.S. McDonald's sales are made at the drive-thru, the fast-food giant is working to improve customers' perceptions of the overall experience. CEO Steve Easterbrook has said that visiting McDonald's is meant to be fun, but "the initial stages of it can be quite stressful."

Easterbrook also noted that customers are growing more demanding, and McDonald's is working to meet those demands by making visits more convenient. The ordering kiosks are intended to provide greater flexibility in customizing orders, while reducing the likelihood of mistakes in fulfilling those orders.

Stores that are remodeled to offer kiosks and table service will also feature McCafé beverages and baked goods more prominently, according to the AP report.