Region's remodelings called a 'win-win'

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Customers after Happy Meals or Chicken McNuggets in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area may already have noticed the new, "cafe-like style" that McDonald's is implementing across the country.

At least 12 restaurants in Nebraska and western Iowa have been remodeled, rebuilt or newly opened with the new interior features such as moon-shaped booths, pendant lights and flat-screen TVs.

The affected restaurants in the metro area include those at 13th Street near Interstate 80; 42nd and D Streets; 132nd Street and West Maple Road; 13708 Q St.; 10777 Q St.; 168th Street and West Maple Road; and 1607 West Broadway in Council Bluffs.

Outside of the metro area: 6500 O St. in Lincoln and in York, Grand Island and Beatrice, as well as Missouri Valley, Iowa.

And both employees and customers seem to be loving the new look.

"It's a win-win for both employees and customers," said Omahan Jim Darmody, who owns and operates eight stores in Omaha and one in Gretna. "The kitchens are better laid out, making them more efficient and more productive for employees. I love the moon-shaped booths. I put at least one or two in every store. I think they are great for families."

Darmody also likes that the new layouts have divider walls, booths and tables at different angles to offer a more quiet and private dining experience.

"It's a more cafe-like style," he said. "It's classier."

And McDonald's isn't finished yet. Though he said he couldn't be specific, a spokesman for the chain said several similar projects are planned this year in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area.

Darmody's next project will be to rebuild his store near 77th and Dodge Streets from the ground up. He said that project is expected to start soon, although he didn't have a set time frame.

And not every McDonald's will look exactly alike. Each owner and operator can decide on some of the decor and whether or not to have flat-screen TVs, Darmody said.

The store at 42nd and D Streets, which is company-owned, was one of the first to undergo renovations and was complete about a year ago. That store has new flooring, brightly painted walls, contemporary wall decor, pendant lights, booths and a flat- screen TV.

It's a frequent stop for Omahan Rosemary Salcedo and her husband. They have coffee and breakfast at least once a week before they go grocery shopping.

Salcedo said the new look is inviting and comfortable. "There are new floors, new furniture and it's more modern," she said. "It's always nice to come to a clean, refurbished place."

Contact the writer:

402-444-1336, leia.mendoza@owh.com

twitter.com/LeiaMendoza

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