McDonalds to launch table service and gourmet burgers at 400 UK restaurants

The fast food giant will expand table service from 14 to 400 restaurants in 2016 following a successful trial last year.

It will also double the number of locations selling its Signature Collection premium burger range​ from 30 to 60 restaurants over the next six weeks.

Sales at UK McDonalds have grown for 39 consecutive quarters, with the company reporting a ‘mid-single-digit’ rise year-on-year for the final three months of 2015.

However the chain has struggled in the USA​ and worldwide due to increased competition from ‘better burger’ rivals such as Shake Shack, Five Guys and Smashburger.

It has attempted to reverse its fortunes with the launch of table service and digital ordering trials as part of the company's 'Experience of the Future' programme.

Happier meal?​

Paul Pomroy, the chief executive of McDonald’s UK, said: “It’s important that we continue to listen to the 3.7m people who visit us every day and respond with even more reasons for them to come to our restaurants.

“The trial of table service in 14 restaurants in England, where customers place their order via our new digital kiosks and have their food brought to them, has proved so successful I’m delighted to announce that we will be accelerating its roll out across all our newly transformed restaurants from February onwards.

“In 2016 we will continue to focus on providing great value and variety, as well as invest in our restaurants, our people and our menu, to ensure customers enjoy a great experience every time they visit us.”

In December the world’s first McDonald’s Next opened in Hong Kong offering a 19-choice salad bar and the option for diners to customise their burgers via a touch screen.

Plans are also in place to offer interactive table-top games and wireless smartphone chargers at selected restaurants.