Retail Watchers

Around 10-15 years ago I noticed many restaurants had added one or two televisions to their dining rooms.

McDonald’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut. Arbys, Dairy Queen, some Wendy’s… all locations I saw TVs in.

Then it seemed maybe 4 years ago many if these were non functional, and now I notice most all of them have been removed.

I wonder what was behind this trend? Did they not want to pay satellite/cable while dining rooms were reduced/closed?

It seemed to start well before that though.

TVs still seem to be present in new build and recent remodel Wendy's locations, usually over a fake fireplace of some sort. Typically at the locations I go to these are tuned to a local station which they can presumably use an antenna for. They do seem to have disappeared from more recent McDonald's remodels/rebuilds though. Not that it's much of a loss anyway, pretty much all they ever showed was CNN, which probably drives off more customers than it attracts.

TVs in fast food dining rooms seemed to coincide with the "Starbucks Clone" era of restaurant interiors when they were trying to turn them into hangout spots. That was an era that didn't last long...

Brian Lutz wrote:TVs still seem to be present in new build and recent remodel Wendy's locations, usually over a fake fireplace of some sort. Typically at the locations I go to these are tuned to a local station which they can presumably use an antenna for. They do seem to have disappeared from more recent McDonald's remodels/rebuilds though. Not that it's much of a loss anyway, pretty much all they ever showed was CNN, which probably drives off more customers than it attracts.

TVs in fast food dining rooms seemed to coincide with the "Starbucks Clone" era of restaurant interiors when they were trying to turn them into hangout spots. That was an era that didn't last long...

Actually in past times I ate there,the MCD opposite Sunrise Village actually had their tubes on mnn (Murdoch News Network). Mercifully it's been over three years since I last ate there...and that was mainly because of local bus route changes(I do occasionally shop at he Smart and final in that center on lunch break).

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I know recently they had TVs at Carls Jr, but those have gone away(this was way before COVID)

Kinda off topic, they have TVs near the coffee section at Raleys/Bel Air stores. They are always on the Food Network it seems. The Bel Air near me had one, but after the renovation, it was moved to the new meeting room.

The local Burger King had a flat screen TV playing local ABC news a few years ago. Could be gone now.

One McDonalds I used to stop at in the morning between about 2013-2018 somewhat often had a TV and it was always playing Fox News, but only in the morning. I think it was a tube also, but may be wrong there. The TV was positioned in a way that you had to sit at one of about four tables to see it, and it was not visible from behind the employee counter but since it was up high suspended, the only way to control it would have been with a remote. Also a customer who was there for a to go order only and filling a soda up self serve would not have seen what was playing on this TV. By lunch the TV was just shut off entirely. In the remodel a few years ago, they removed the TV in question.

This McDonalds also had signs posted that said 30 minute time limit and limit one coffee refill per customer. But there were a few customers who these policies did not apply to.

The Wendys remodels in my area, some have TVs and some don't. Their TVs when on seem to usually be playing sports and sound is muted.

I have seen some of the earlier Wendy’s remodels having the TVs (primarily those with the fireplace and small area with couches).

Mine was remodeled late this year but it does not have a TV, fireplace or sitting area.

I remember McDonald’s having the TV in ge back area circa 2014-15, but it’s not there anymore.

I went to a newer Burger King this morning (about 5 years old) this morning. It had two televisions, one facing the lineup area at the front, and one facing the dining area. Neither were turned on.

Maybe the cable bill is too much for the restaurant. The television might not even have an antenna to pick up broadcast TV. Perhaps some restaurants used to pay for cable news channels. Fox News isn't free.

Alpha8472 wrote: ↑December 28th, 2022, 5:18 pm Maybe the cable bill is too much for the restaurant. The television might not even have an antenna to pick up broadcast TV. Perhaps some restaurants used to pay for cable news channels. Fox News isn't free.

They might not, but they could certainly purchase one from any store for less than most cable companies charge for one month, and then they can use it indefinitely at no further cost. These days, there is always something available on "regular" TV, either the network channels or one of the many that show up on subchannels.