McDonald’s CEO says the franchise is doubling down on effort to adopt technology

From installing tablets at its British restaurants in 2016 to launching a trial home-delivery service with UberEATS in the UK last month, it’s hardly a secret that McDonald’s is embracing new tech. And now the mega-franchise’s CEO Steve Easterbrook has revealed that the fast-food giant is doubling down on its efforts to adopt even more technology as part of an effort to cement its position as a disrupter in the sector.

Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk on the Street TV programme on Wednesday, the business leader said that the restaurant sector is ripe for disruption and that the fast-food company is leading the charge. “What you’re seeing is a lot of traditional industries are getting disrupted by technology and I have absolutely no doubt that our industry will get disrupted by technology,” Easterbrook said. “You have a choice to either be the disrupter or the disrupted.”

And it’s clear which role Easterbrook, who stepped up as CEO in 2015, thinks McDonald’s should have. Over the past 12 months, the fast-food chain has added more ordering kiosks and table services to 2,500 of its US restaurants and has launched a digital ordering service at more than 3,500 locations. Easterbrook’s commitment for McDonald’s to become a disrupter has clearly already paid off with its market share rising steadily over the last year. “We know we’re winning share against the [nearest] competition, so that’s our confidence that we’re getting our base right and winning customers’ hearts and minds,” Easterbrook said.

It certainly seems that embracing new technology is a winning strategy for restaurant franchises.