• Chicago Tribune, Monday, May 17, 2010 10:34 AM

Melissa Harris talks to Max Carmona, the man who is overseeing the overhauling of 400 to 500 McDonald's restaurants this year. The senior director for U.S. restaurant design, who started at the company as an intern 22 years ago, says he's not necessarily aiming for a coffee-shop feel, a la Starbucks. The re-designed eateries have a "zone-seating" scheme that can be many things to all people.

"So if a customer is coming in [alone], who wants to flip open a laptop and have a cup of coffee, great," he says. "If it's a quick lunch with a couple of friends, and they have to get back to work in an hour, we have an area more conducive to getting in and out quick."

Some of the new features can be localized; play areas will remain in outlets where it makes sense and the most obvious changes will be the disappearance of the red mansard roof and cafeteria-style lighting and the addition of a stone or brick exterior and more modern furniture.

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