After the success of its upgraded drip coffee -- which even managed to snag a thumbs-up from testers at Consumer Reports earlier this year -- McDonald's is gearing up for a massive expansion into the world of lattes.
"We want to move from beverages as an accompaniment to being a beverage destination,"Don Thompson, president of McDonald's USA, said in a meeting with analysts Tuesday. "Our speed, our convenience, the value that we can afford to customers without quality comprise will make us a formidable player."
"We want to move from beverages as an accompaniment to being a beverage destination,"Don Thompson, president of McDonald's USA, said in a meeting with analysts Tuesday. "Our speed, our convenience, the value that we can afford to customers without quality comprise will make us a formidable player."
But as it tries to cash in on the fast-growing specialty coffee market, the world's largest restaurant chain already is finding itself at odds with the unlikeliest of groups: its own franchise owners.