Does the Future of McDonald’s Involve Quinoa?

When you think of McDonald’s, greasy French fries and saturated fat-laden Big Mac’s usually come to mind, right? Chances are you’re not envisioning salad bars stocked with fresh ingredients, burgers served on cutting boards and cutesy latte art—because, let’s be honest, that’s not what McDonald’s is. But take a trip over to Hong Kong, and that’s exactly what you’ll find once you step foot in its new McDonald’s Next restaurant.

Billed by Marketwatch as “one for the hipsters,” this new McDonald’s may be the next source for your hip, high-class hamburger needs. The restaurant has an open central kitchen where customers order food from behind a glass counter. And on the menu? Customizable burgers with toppings like asparagus, salads that come with options like quinoa or couscous, sweets like berry sundaes, and lattes with “Peanuts”-themed latte foam art.

According to an article published in Forbes, last year was marked by McDonald’s suffering from reputation issues and the brunt of shifting consumer preferences towards healthier menu items. Now, McDonald’s is focusing on adapting itself to changing consumer needs. While in September 2015 the company announced that its 16,000 restaurants will fully transition to cage free eggs in the next 10 years, it’s now experimenting with different menu items and an alternate dining experience with its newest venture—McDonald’s Next.

In an industry that’s constantly ushering in new trends, tastes and concepts, is it really as cutthroat as “adapt or die?” Rather than getting their feet wet in unknown waters, it’s best to instead evolve within their space.

“Unless the chain steps up the quality of its subpar beef patties, no amount of upmarket toppings or fancy presentations can save McDonalds and make them relevant again. You can’t jump on board with new trends unless you’ve strengthened the core of your business first,” said Whitney Filloon in an article published on Eater.

Restaurants like Checkers*/Rally’s do this well. Rather than taking on health trends or diving into the “better burger” segment, they’ve instead focused on mastering their role in the QSR industry by consistently offering the best food possible at an unbeatable value. The company continues to revamp their menu to better align with what guests want without having to veer off course from their iconic drive-thru core. As the brand closed out 2015 with record-breaking store openings, one thing is clear—their method works. And they didn’t even have to offer a side of quinoa and kale to get there.