Business & Tech
McDonald's Sales Down: Is Martha's Vineyard to Blame?
Intense competition, a poor economy and consumers' switch to healthier eating have all hurt the fast-food giant, but Martha's Vineyard got there first with strict zoning laws prohibiting chain businesses.
It's been more than 32 years since McDonald's tried to open a restaurant on Martha's Vineyard, an effort that rallied year-round residents and summer celebrities alike to mount a successful "No Mac" campaign.
Not everyone applauded. A New York Times report from January, 1979 sniffed,
"Martha's Vineyard beat back its first Big Mac attack this month, but how long this island of passionate resistance to the last half of the 20th century can hold out is anyone's guess."
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Well, guess what: Mac never came back. And just to make sure, the six towns passed zoning laws so strict you won't find a Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts or CVS here either.
Fast-forward to 2013:
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The only chain retailers on the Vineyard remain the Edgartown Dairy Queen, which was already in business in the 1970s, and the two Stop & Shops, which were A&Ps at the time of the zoning law changes.
As the Island's popularity and population has increased over the years, fast-food eateries like McDonald's are missing out on ever more business here, especially in the red-hot summer season.
Could our Island-wide boycott be taking its toll on the industry?
The chain burger-flippers' competitiveness level is at an all-time high, with McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's, the three largest networks, experimenting with menu changes to try to appeal to the masses. McDonald's is dropping at least two of its current menu items, with more possibly being taken off the menu as well, Reuters reported.
Shares for McDonald's were down last week, and in October, global restaurant sales fell for the first time in nine years.
The economy has also hurt the industry, with fewer people spending money at restaurants because they have less money to spend overall.
And as more people look to eat healthier, they're eating less and less fast food. The obesity epidemic is an often-talked-about problem in America, and an increased number of people are becoming more concerned with what they eat.
Perhaps Martha's Vineyard was ahead of the curve in keeping McDonald's out. What do you think? Tell us in the comments.
Patch staffer Robert Rosen contributed to this report.
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