Carmona described McDonald’s new aesthetic as “comfortable modern” (as opposed to a minimalistic “ultra-modern” design, or the kind of “traditional modern” aesthetic one might associate with The Pottery Barn).
“In a lot of our older restaurants, you’ll see anything from a gazillion framed pictures to tchotchkes,” he said. “Our lighting typically has been a ceiling full of 2×4 fluorescent light fixtures.” The switch to LED lighting means greater energy efficiency, plus “due to the color temperature on the lighting, the food looks better, the people look better. People feel more comfortable.”
The new stores don’t feel much like McDonald’s of days past at all, but perhaps that’s precisely the goal.