BusinessWeek: McDonald's wants a digital-age makeover

This is wild. McDonald's is redesigning its restaurants to update them, giving them a more Starbucks-like look. Judging from these pictures (see slide show), it looks like the new design is a complete departure from the McDonald's that we're used to. The question is, will it work?

The old design seems particularly suited to a fast food restaurant, where people can grab a quick bite in clean, simple surroundings and run out the door. But the new design seems geared toward encouraging people to stay and linger in the restaurant. That completely goes against what a fast food restaurant is all about. It might actually reduce sales volume if people end up staying put in their seats for a long time, monopolizing the space and preventing others from sitting down. Will this redesign work out for McDonald's? We'll have to see.