McDonald’s is bringing back its PlayPlaces, and it is doing so as part of a massive $8.5 billion investment in its restaurants. The fast-food chain announced the move alongside upgrades to dining rooms and more open kitchens, with Jill McDonald, executive vice president, saying the remodeled restaurants will feature “upgraded play places, improved dining rooms and more open kitchens.”
The PlayPlaces have not been entirely gone. Over the years, McDonald’s stores have undergone a host of redesigns, with touchscreens where you can order food, while many restaurants have ditched the children’s areas to add more seating. These zones had slides, ball pits, and gave kids somewhere to play after eating, letting parents sit down for a moment.
Now, McDonald’s is rolling out updated PlayPlaces with a “McMini Crew” board that lets kids pretend to be McDonald’s workers. The company has not confirmed whether these upgrades will be made to existing PlayPlaces or focused on stores that do not currently have a kids zone. It also has not confirmed how many new designs will be rolled out.
The changes will come gradually. Remodeled restaurants will be upgraded over the next decade, so there will be no immediate change to your local store.
The Remodel Details
The $8.5 billion figure covers the entire rollout, including the PlayPlace upgrades, updated dining rooms, and more open kitchens. Jill McDonald’s statement frames the investment as a quality-of-life improvement rather than a radical reinvention. The focus is on upgraded spaces, better dining rooms, and kitchens that are easier to see.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| PlayPlace upgrades | New “McMini Crew” board for kids to pretend to be workers |
| Dining rooms | Improved across remodeled restaurants |
| Kitchen visibility | More open in remodeled locations |
| Rollout timeline | Upgrades over the next decade |
The Ad Test
In some US-based stores, McDonald’s has started testing advertisements on its order touchscreens. The pilot shows ads after you complete an order, and the company describes it as a “limited advertising pilot.” Both the ad test and the PlayPlace rollout are separate initiatives within the broader investment framework.
A Larger Trend
Starbucks is also committing to upgrades, spending $1 billion to improve its coffee shops. That includes buying 25,000 new chairs. The company’s goal is to help people feel less “lonely and disconnected” by building a “community lounge” that customers can spend time in.
Dawn Clark, Starbucks’ senior vice-president of coffee house design and concepts, explained the shift. “The world is coming back to this, being in a place and meeting with humans, not being distant. We’re not focused on changing major functional issues. We’re really focused on creating a warmer and more welcoming experience for customers,” she said.
The comparison is striking. Starbucks is spending $1 billion on chairs and community lounges, while McDonald’s is spending $8.5 billion on PlayPlace upgrades.
Our Take
The investment is real, and the rollout is gradual. Parents who want a quiet seat while their children play will eventually have that option again, at least in some markets.
For now, the PlayPlaces are coming back, and the rest of the package — the touchscreens, the open kitchens, the dining room improvements — will arrive over the next decade.
Source material: “McDonald’s reveals all-new PlayPlaces alongside $8.5 billion in store upgrades,” Dexerto.
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