麦当劳是不是已经日落西山

服务业是美国经济发展和繁荣的重要支柱之一，而其中的餐饮业的经营状况，则一直是个特别重要的风向标。最近的财务报表似乎没有给我们带来多少好的消息。最近在餐饮业战无不胜的几大玩家，似乎也是好日子不再。在Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.的股价大跌之后，这不，大名鼎鼎的麦当劳，也已经开始过的不怎么利索了。

昔日的麦当劳，靠打败自己“同宗同门”的对手，Burger King 和 Wendy's之类，靠更高的经营效率，更好的服务，一再占有优势，势如破竹。今天的麦当劳，面对的已经不再是同宗同门，而是在技术和战术上占有优势的对手。Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. 和Panera Bread Co.这样公司的崛起，似乎有可能成为麦当劳这类公司的克星。

在此之后，麦当劳这样的快餐食品店，是不是也该寿终正寝了？

美国人对于快餐的概念，已经不再仅仅只是局限于速度了。在追求速度上的快速的同时，对于食品的质量和健康，不仅要求越来越高，而且，一再推高的要求，还被一个个的后来者证明是可以做到的。

看来，食品业的时代变迁已经悄悄的来临。

一直以来，司空见惯的餐饮业，好像很难有巨大的创新存在空间。在慢慢的变化之中，在不知不觉之间，巨大的变化实际上早已经发生，而且还会继续发生。

你有没有注意到，过去你喜爱的自助餐，你已经去的越来越少了，为什么？是因为那里的食品不好吗？恐怕不是。

在经济变好之后，你还每天吃那么多干什么？有必要吗？

自助餐业务的没落，是迟早的事情。麦当劳这样的快餐店的没落，也是迟早的事情，除非，它们也能够做到与时俱进，跟进时代变迁的脚步来创新和进步，否则，被淘汰，只是时间的问题。

中国人喜欢说“富不过三代”，太过於关注“换代”这码子事对“财富和勤劳的感觉”带来的影响，却忽视了企业经营的生命周期的存在，和对于这种周期变化的普遍难以适应性的人类本性，所带来的必然“摧残”。

风水轮流转，三十年河东三十年河西，你不变你就会被淘汰，时代就是这么的冷酷无情，时代就是因为这样的不善解人意，才给人类带来了进步和不断的繁荣。

就此想想，中国的领导者，还在抱着老一套来对抗时代的进步，是不是有点“被慢火煮青蛙”而不自知呢？很多时候，被淘汰的结果，需要很长时间才能真正的体现出来，而到了那个时候，却是一切都晚了。

美国零售业的Best Buy，日本大量的电器制造商，能够列出的名单太长太长。企业如此，国家也是如此。

人无远虑必有近忧，古人的教导，我们是不是真的记住了？！

McDonald's sales drop for first time since 2003

Associated Press，7:50 a.m. CST, November 8, 2012

McDonald's Corp. says a key sales figure fell in October, marking the first monthly drop in nearly a decade for the world's biggest hamburger chain. 

The company, based in Oak Brook, says global revenue at restaurants open at least 13 months fell 1.8 percent for the month. The last time it dropped was in 2003. 

The figure is a key metric because it strips out the impact of newly opened and closed locations. The figures are a snapshot of money spent on food at both company-owned and franchised restaurants. They do not reflect corporate revenue. 

The fast-food chain says the figure fell 2.2 percent in both the U.S. and Europe. In the region encompassing Asia, the Middle East and Africa, it dropped 2.4 percent. 

After years of outperforming its rivals, McDonald's has seen sales slow recently amid intensifying competition and a persistently weak economy. To rev up sales, the company has been working to emphasize value in markets around the world. 

In the U.S., for example, McDonald's is stepping up advertising for its Dollar Menu after its attempt to market an "Extra Value Menu" for slightly higher prices fell flat. But the company said Thursday that the efforts were offset by "modest consumer demand" and competition. 

In particular, McDonald's is facing stiffer competition from longtime rivals Burger King and Wendy's, which are both in the midst of reviving their brands with new ad campaigns and improved menus. Taco Bell, owned by Yum Brands Inc., is also enjoying growth with the help of new offerings such as it Doritos Locos Tacos and higher-end Cantina Bell bowls and burritos. 

Additionally, people are increasingly flocking to restaurants such as Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. and Panera Bread Co., which offer better quality food for a little more money. Still, McDonald's said it would remain focused on underscoring its value message in the U.S. 

The same was true for Europe, where McDonald's gets 40 percent of its business. Amid the region's ongoing economic uncertainty, McDonald's said it would offer new meal combinations at various price ranges and continue remodeling restaurants. 

In the Asia, the company said it plans to differentiate itself with menu offerings tailored to local tastes. 

McDonald's shares were down 61 cents at $86.23 in premarket trading. CEO Don Thompson had warned last month that sales were trending negative for the month.