McDonald’s $300 Million Tech Deal With Dynamic Yield Ltd. Will Personalize Menus And Drive-Thru Experience

The world’s biggest fast-food company is buying a digital startup as completing their largest acquisition in 20 years.

Referring the CEO, Steve Easterbrook of the fast food chain’s growth plan and considering technology as the ‘critical element’, McDonald’s is planning to spend $300 million on Dynamic Yield Ltd. Leading since 2015, Easterbrook pursued technology including digital menus boards and delivery and self-order kiosks, the brand intends to boost sales and help McDonald’s stand out via digital business.

Easterbrook explained the role of technology for the company as below,

Technology is a critical element of our velocity growth plan, and the speed with which we’ll be able to implement our vision of creating more personalized experiences for our customers.

Along with the new technology,the restaurants can diversify their electronic menu boards’ display system, depending on the such as the weather — more coffee on cold days and McFlurries on hot days, for example — and the time of day or regional preferences. The menus will also suggest add-on items to customers.

McDonald’s tested Dynamic Yield’s technology in the U.S. in 2018, and will more widely introduce it this year for drive-thru menus once the deal closes. The company also plans to expand the capability to markets abroad. This is the largest deal for the Chicago-based chain in about 20 years, when it became an investor in Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. It has since divested its stake in the burrito chain.

With the agreement, McDonald’s becomes the sole owner of Dynamic Yield, which is based in New York and Tel Aviv. The 38,000-store burger chain will continue to invest in Dynamic Yield, which will remain a standalone company.

Dynamic Yield’s website says customers have included Urban Outfitters Inc., Ikea and HelloFresh.