McDonald’s to begin Free WiFi access, service starts mid January 2010

McDonald’s will begin offering free WiFi access in nearly all of their restaurants. McDonald’s may be aiming to becoming more like Starbucks and less like fast food. The move aims to gain the lucrative “between meals” crowd, the people between lunch and dinner, who are crucial to keeping a restaurant busy. Many restaurants often experience a major slow down “between meals” and McDonald’s wants to target potential customers for that time period.

Dave Grooms, chief information officer for McDonald’s USA, gave a statement to the AP:

“We’re not just about hamburgers. We are about convenience and all kinds of value.”

The free WiFi service should prove to be a popular move. Beginning in mid January 2010, the free service will be rolled out all across the United States, and should help the fast food chain compete with Starbucks and other businesses that offer free WiFi access. The company has offered internet access for five years, but it had charged for the service (which would be unpopular with poorer customers).