NEW YORK — Hold the pickles, onions and special sauce. The Big Mac is becoming a victim of finicky tastes.
As sales continue to slide in the U.S., McDonald’s plans to expand a test that lets people build their own burgers by tapping on a touchscreen to pick the bread, cheese and toppings they want.
The company says it will bring the option to 2,000 of its more than 14,000 U.S. locations next year.
The “Create Your Taste” program is a departure for McDonald’s, which was built to deliver food consistently, quickly and affordably. That model has come under pressure as people gravitate toward places like Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill, which lets people pick what goes on their bowls and burritos as they walk down a line.
According to industry executives and analysts, the ability to customize food orders is becoming more important, particularly among people in their 20s and 30s. McDonald’s has already been trying to adjust by installing new kitchen prep tables that can hold more toppings and sauces.
The plans to offer greater customization come as McDonald’s fights to boost declining sales and customer traffic. On Monday, it reported a decline of 4.6 percent in U.S. sales in November at established locations.
