McDonald’s seeks to open a new station at Tecoma Victoria, which is a green village setting that attracts tourists who visit the Dandenong Ranges where Tecoma station is to be located. Tecoma residents, who are about 2085 in number, are opposed to McDonald’s idea out of the fear that the business setup will increase pollution and interfere with tourism.
McDonald’s already has a sour relationship with the local residents, yet it needs them as employees and consumers for its successful establishment and survival.
The residents of Tecoma have expressed fears of McDonald’s littering the clean environment with its packaging upon establishing in the locality. The proposed location is also raising concern since it is opposite a kindergarten, thus residents fear that McDonald’s establishment will promote junk food and unhealthy feeding among the kindergarten children.
Several suggestions have been formulated to help tackle the challenges and help McDonald’s gain acceptability among the residents of Tecoma. Tecoma’s unit should adopt green packaging to maintain a clean environment. McDonald’s should start charity programs at Tecoma as a corporate social responsibility initiative to assuage the locals. There should be open and constant communication between McDonald’s and the local community.
McDonald’s should introduce a menu that is compatible with the culture of the people of Tecoma. The new establishment should also employ local residents in most of positions. Foreign workers should be taught the culture of the people of Tecoma. Tecoma’s establishment should be structurally designed to look less urban and more conservative to appeal to the local residents.
McDonald’s should also design a healthy menu, especially for the kindergarten children located opposite the proposed establishment. Involving the residents of Tecoma as the primary stakeholders before establishing at Tecoma is one sure way of gaining acceptability from the residents.