McDonalds to go Wireless?

crayongod writes "The AP, by way of AOL *yipe*, is reporting a pilot program by McDonalds to provide inhouse WiFi with the purchase of a combo meal. This sure will make roadtrips a lot easier." An hour of access per combo meal. Additional hours can be purchased for $3... or another zillion calorie combo meal. Mmmm. Healthy.

Comments

Would you like...

[accident]

a port scan with that?

FP?

[Anonymous Coward]

WiFi and calories: talk about "the Cowboy Neal option!"

Sweet!

[rice_web]

Now I can get fat twice over.

Wireless @ McDonalds

[Silwenae]

I think a wireless experience at a McDonalds is very different from a Starbucks or a Borders. At McDonalds, my goal is to eat and get out, where at a Starbucks or Borders they encourage you to stay and socialize much more than McD's does.

I can see where it would be nice to have WiFi for your PDA to check email, but lugging my notebook in and getting my greasy fingers from my french fries on my laptop keyboard doesn't seem right.

I understand McDonald's business is hurting, but getting the tech crowd in isn't going to solve their revenue shortfalls.

Re:Wireless @ McDonalds

[kryonD]

Here's the real kicker....McD's in Tokyo has already been providing WiFi. Except not with the retarded marketing scheme being pushed in the US. In Tokyo, you have an account with a major provider and McD's just provides the connection. The provider kicks back a percentage to McD's who now can compete directly with starbucks as a place where people can go for a coffee break and take work with them. No one really stays all that long; just long enough to tweak a spreadsheet while sipping a cup of coffee in a less crowded and possibly more convenient place than the local starbucks. I've noticed a lot of people coming in around the 9 to 11 mark when business is traditionally slow to read email and watch news on the 42in Plasma TV's thay have.

The idea works in Tokyo because McD's is really not doing anything outside of their core business. Network support is contracted out, so they just have to keep making cofee and food. The US side is trying to add sysadmin tasks to the McDonald's worker as well as bank on folks using a computer while they eat a big mac. The only reason why I go to McD's over here is because they still have the fried apple pies, not that baked crap the US stores have served for the last 10 years. I'm not going to buy a value meal just to get on the net when I can do it at work for free, or home for what I'm already paying my ISP.

MAC?

[janap]

Renders new meaning to the term MAC-address.

Finally, something for adults!

[CTD]

I've got kids.

It sometimes snows in Chicago, or gets darn cold. Especially in the winter.

At which point I am quite happy that there is a McDonalds down the street with a playland. I can take the kids there and cut them loose for an hour or so to burn off their energy. It's a great thing.

McD has been very family orientated for quite some time now, giving us a place to let our brats romp about, while we eat a McCoronary and pass the time. Having the ability to hook up to the net while my kids are going down the static electricity slide is a great thing. I'll be able to do something that entertains me, if I can ignore the screaming of the kids.

Live at McDonalds

[BinBoy]

Technically there is now no reason to ever leave McDonalds.

*whiny simpsons teenager voice*

[Rosonowski]

Sir, would you like an IP with that order?
Should I super-size your bandwidth?

Honestly, I'm wondering what the training implications of this will be.

Sounds

[Timesprout]

like an opportunity for a lot of sacked dot commers to say they work in IT again

Its a microsoft plot, of course

[JeanBaptiste]

They want to silence the slashdot crowd. So, free internet access with a big mac, who does that target? people like us... make us get fat and die, no more MS bashing.

Next they will announce 'free' broadband for a week with the purchase of a carton of smokes.

Re:Right.

[IIRCAFAIKIANAL]

Heh, I'm eating fat free yogurt and a granola bar (outta milk, no raisin bran for me) while I'm web surfing. And sometimes I use my stationary bike while I surf.

Who says a geek can't be healthy? :P

In any case, WiFi in a fast food restaurant? Doesn't make sense. Airport - sure. Coffee Shop - cool. McDonalds - uh, why would I be stupid enough to pull my laptop out there and watch some kid spill ice-cream or coke on it? And since when did a fast food restaurant want you to hang around?

It's a publicity gimmick, and a stupid one at that.

Anything to avoid improving the food

[bill_mcgonigle]

I just hope the girl who can't figure out why I gave her $12.05 for a $6.55 lunch order isn't going to be responsible for getting the MAC of my Airport Card into the access control system.

What billing mechanism?

[stroudie]

I just wonder what the billing mechanism will be for this service.

The article seems to suggest that the billing will be done on a per-burger basis i.e. you buy your burger, you get a little card with a pin# on it, and you then connect to the LAN.

This seems to suggest an anonymous means of surfing (all for the cost of a burger) - an approach that would land McD's in difficulties within hours of launching the service.

The other approach is a 'customer-registration' service, and I for one am not sure I need McD's to know where I (burger-swilling-geek that I am) live.

Re:Mechanism?

[syle]

I think a more likely approach is a custom forwarding setup, like cablemodems do today. When I attach any new computer into the hub for cable access, I get a valid DHCP address right off the bat, but it won't forward any non-web packets, and all websites lead me to a page asking for a login and password.

I've seen variations on this theme at the university I attended and apartments I've stayed at. (1) It's a lot easier once the infrastructure is in place, and (2) McDonald's does NOT want to deal with 1000 customers who have no clue about how to type in their IP address, and (3) It would stay compatible with the other types of WiFi networks you commonly see (ie, no manually switching your settings as you enter or leave McD's).

or another zillion calorie combo meal?

[ctimes2]

Would that be a peta-bite? ...oh... oh... I'm so sorry, I couldn't stop myself...