I love THIS McDonald’s!! (Yes, I said McDonald’s)…
I know, I know…I am constantly creating appetizers, meals, cocktails, and patisserie using fresh, simple ingredients – BUT, I’m talking about an environment here at this revamped McDonald’s - not food quality.
The McDonald’s on 6th Ave between 14th & 15th streets in Manhattan (Chelsea) is really wonderful!
From the outside, it looks like your average, everyday McDonald’s. But inside, it’s like a trendy Tech-Cafe with no hints of the usual red, orange, and yellow decor. The counters are dimly lit and there are sculptural walls defining certain areas.
It’s like a McDonald’s for grown-ups or a McDonald’s for Today’s Modern Kid. They don’t want Happy Meals (like we use too), they want to plug in their iPods & MacBooks – and here, they can do that while watching cool music videos and movie promos on various HD Flat Screen TVs. There isn’t a “Golden Arch” to be found anywhere inside…not even on the trash receptacles.
The staff wear black (did I just say “staff”?) and they are VERY polite. The bathrooms are also outfitted with a black tile and it looks so modern and smells very clean (a HUGE plus in my book.) The urinals even have a soft spot-light on them, giving them a museum like quality (urinals as “art” if you would) - in a McDonald’s bathroom, could you believe it?
The Laptop Stations at this McDonald’s are sleek and are often filled with teens, students, and business people. They just plug in and and do what they do (there’s free wifi…and by the way, you have to pay nowadays at Starbuck’s for internet connection.) I’ve also seen students doing their homework there (sometimes, I’ll see parents picking their kids up, using the space as a meeting place) and some business owners have been known to hold meetings at the community tables. University sports-teams eat and hang out there too.
You can find me in the lounge-style seating area 4 to 5 times a month, working on “H. Luiz Presents…” or meeting some social-networking colleagues. The chairs are upholstered and so comfortable, the tables are a nice round size (they can fit 2 laptops, 2 mobile phones, 2 blackberrys, open books, plus the food. I like to sit in “this” area, usually by myself with my iPod Touch or even my laptop. I have also witnessed interviews taking place in the same area.
It’s a new look and great place for a young date, socializing with friends, a meeting place, or even a business mini-office where you can hold staff meetings or get a team of creative folks to work on projects.
Now don’t get me wrong. It’s still the same crappy food, filled with who knows what and I don’t really want to promote that aspect of it (although I do LOVE their Sweet Tea.) In a pinch, my family purchases pancakes from the McDonald’s near our home on the weekends when I need to sleep in (can’t they cook me breakfast? Ha!) We like their McCafe coffees too. Of course, our son Jonathan loves their fries (he’s 17.) The McDonald’s near our home has a new “look” too, but it’s more of an updated, sleek look, rather than the lounge look of this one in Chelsea.
Thank goodness that this location in NYC (6th Ave between 14 & 15th streets) is near my health club (work out then eat crappy food? Hmmmmmm.) Right on the corner, I can catch the PATH train home. I can pop in there if an idea hits me for the site, type a few things in, check my emails, drink my Sweet Tea, and update my FaceBook page and Twitter.
Once, when the PATH was delayed (I do believe in email PATHalerts), I popped in this McDonald’s and ”Skyped” with a friend in Australia (we were talking about Serena Williams’ win at the Australian Open…he was actually there in the arena at the Final!) I then received another PATHalert (25 minutes later) stating that the trains were running fine again – I left for home. You see, instead of being stuck in the train station (trapped with hundreds of strangers in a small, confined space) for 25 minutes, I was able to see/hear/communicate with a friend from the “Down Under” and talk about our favorite female athlete. Can you do that at YOUR McDonald’s?? Ha!!
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Tags: 6th Ave., fast food, H. Luiz, lounge, McDonalds, Micky D's, NYC, tech, wifi
As much as I do my best to stay away from “fast food,” I love this McDonalds. The First time my Dad took me there I was pretty impressed by both the decor and the diverse group of people who were present. It’s funny you wrote this post Papi, because I was going to ask if my friends and I could go here this weekend after we would go bowling. I love that even though you despise fast food like much of us do, you still give Micky D’s credit for this decked-out, tech-friendly location in NYC.
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Yes I can do all that at almost every McDonald’s in the area, including the 24 hour ones. It’s not just NYC any more.
I love their burgers but don’t eat them often, I save them as a treat when I am in need of greasy, fatty foods.
And yes, their sweet tea is very good.
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H. Luiz Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
@ev, Most every McDonald’s has wifi, but I was referring to this one’s lounge look and feel…it’s as unlike McDonald’s as you can get (well, in this country anyway.)
Cheers to the Sweet Tea!!
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H. Luiz Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
@ev, What city are you in, anyway?
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ev Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
@H. Luiz,
I’m in the Albany/Troy area Upstate. With all the colleges here, free wi-fi is one of the smartest things they have done. Or they do what my daughter did and get the broadband and whoever wants to hook in pays monthly to her. Works well (she’s in Hollywood tho).
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H. Luiz Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
@ev, Your daughter charges fellow students to hookup to her WIFI?? Now that’s an entrepreneur right there!! Have to tell my son about that one, he’ll be in college this year.
Luv it!!
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ev Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 9:15 pm
@H. Luiz, Yup.It works great for her. I don’t know why others didn’t think of it before, but you do have to be able to trust the others using it or make sure you have your own stuff well protected.
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H. Luiz Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 11:09 pm
@ev, That was a great smart move! Good for her!!
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ev Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 5:09 pm
@H. Luiz, Albany, NY. Since we have so many colleges around all the McD’s have free wi-fi as do the border’s and barnes and noble. Students are always there studying, etc. and buying something to drink is so much cheaper than paying for broadband. Starbucks screwed up on that one!
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H. Luiz Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
@ev, Not big on Starbuck’s…$4 to $5 for a small cup of mediocre coffee (or is that a tall?) I was there to meet a colleague. I got a latte mocha-something-or-another so I can sit and use my iPod Touch before my meeting.
I thought something was wrong with my device. I ask the barista and he was like, “wifi is not free, you can either get a card or an account or…”
I was like what??? I tried to explain that they would not have me as a customer (nor could I ever be a repeat customer) have I known that their connection is no longer free. The mgr was nice enough to give me a code at no cost after I reasoned that I could go elsewhere and pay for a “just as good” cup of coffee (better actually) for a cheaper price with free wifi. Actually, He knew that I would never come back, but I think he was afraid that I would have my colleague leave the establishment for a different place with free wifi (he LOVES Starbuck’s and IS a regular at this specific one.) It’s all about retaining customers you know.
You’re so right…Starbuck’s messed up on that one!
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ev Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 9:18 pm
@H. Luiz, I can not abide StarSucks. Borders finally got smart and gives it away for free now. I used to work there and we even had to pay for it! And Panera Bread, not only free wi-fi but really good food! That’s my fave place to hang out with the netbook
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H. Luiz Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 11:07 pm
@ev, I live in Jersey City, but there’s a Panera in the next town over- Hoboken (5min drive.) We go there for our breads (sourdough, chibalta, etc.). There menu has some tasty foods. No good bakeries in my town tho. If I try to make French toast or steak sandwiches without Panera, my family would revolt. Jajajajajajajaja!
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This brings me back to the McDonald’s of my High School days. Although, back then the decor was as run-of-the-mill as any old McYuck’s (that’s what the inlaws and now the brothers call it).
It sure looks different now. But, everything looks much different than it did back in 1991. Thanks for the memories…
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H. Luiz Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
Yes, everything looks different (compared to 1991) but this McDonald’s is different than ANY McDonald’s today in the U.S.. The look is inspired by the McDonald’s in France that popped-up with the new design about 4 years ago. I heard from the Manager that it has been approved, and they’re going to see how it does before they offer the “look” to other stores in the States. Being a franchise, they have limits to their ownership of the “brand” so things get tricky with McDonald’s Corp (or so he says.) By the way, he was wearing a Brooks Brothers custom suit jingly some keys to a Maybach Benz.
Franchise anyone?
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I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! I SAW YOUR POST (congrats on your mobile app) LAST NIGHT. I WAS HANGING WITH FRIENDS AND JUST BEFORE I BOARDED THE PATH TRAIN, I SAID TO MY GIRLFRIENDS LEts see what all the hoopla H. Luiz Presents is talking about. WOW!!!
I ran into like 3 other friends inside and this was like 11pm on a Thursday. I said, “What are you doing here?” They said “We can no longer afford Broadband Internet Connection but we can afford the food here.” LOL! They’re students on a limited budget.
This place looks like a Starbuck’s. Thanks for letting us know!
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H. Luiz Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
@Cynthia, Anytime!!
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I will need to find that one the next time I am in the city. Hopefully the wi-fi works better there than the hotels!
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Wow, that is a very interesting story. Certainly a bit of an image change going on. I wonder if they will continue the image change in other ways.
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H. Luiz Reply:
February 7th, 2010 at 6:58 pm
@Chris Poorten, It is definetely an image change, but not really a change in food. They’re supplying a great environment for our other needs (none dietery.) But, we just don’t eat anymore, we multi-task.
That may very well be part of a bigger problem in our country.
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Chris Poorten Reply:
February 7th, 2010 at 9:55 pm
@H. Luiz, You are completely right about us not being still and just eating. For good or bad it is definitely happening. There are times when it does feel really good to sit still and enjoy a good meal, or clear our mind through silence.
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ev Reply:
February 7th, 2010 at 10:27 pm
@Chris Poorten, I still prefer to just read when I am alone, especially out eating. Hubby and I both take our ereaders with us even for dinner out, because he is hard of hearing and restaurants are usually too loud to carry on much of a conversation. Unless you want everyone else to hear it! LOL
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H. Luiz Reply:
February 7th, 2010 at 11:17 pm
@ev, Ha!!
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I can’t believe McDonald’s is trying to sell “gourmet” coffee. Who the hell is going to go to a cheap fast food restaruant for a mocha?
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@Angela, Well, they’re making a killing because it tastes as good (some say better) than Starbucks at half the price.
But you’re right, there’s nothing like grinding and pressing your own.
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Evelyn Reply:
March 13th, 2010 at 11:39 pm
@H. Luiz, I don’t care for Starbucks but like the McDonald’s coffee. can’t knock it til you try it!
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H. Luiz Reply:
March 13th, 2010 at 11:42 pm
@Evelyn, The coffee does taste pretty good at McD’s but I have not drunk coffee since the cleanse last month (never went back to it and I no longer “spike” with the caffeine/sugar.) I HATE StarSucks (did I get that name from you, while back??) jajajajaja
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