Last Saturday saw the re-opening of the McDonald’s restaurant in Birkirkara after a quick yet comprehensive two-week refurbishment. The project cost just over €250,000 and dramatically changed the look and feel of the store, which now offers patrons a more modern, contemporary and comfortable setting where they can enjoy their favourite food.
The restaurant that originally opened for business back in March 1996 was the seventh McDonald’s restaurant on the Maltese Islands to be remodelled – bringing it in line with the modern day McDonald’s European design standards. Premier Capital plc, the McDonald’s Developmental Licensee in Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania and Malta has over the last years invested a total of €3,338,000 in restaurant refurbishment and opening projects in Malta alone. Over and above this the company has spent over €20,000,000 in new openings and restaurant remodels across the markets it operates in.
The Birkirkara project was handled by Schloffer GmbH, an Austrian based firm that has carried out hundreds of such remodels for McDonald’s all across Europe. In just 11 days, the Schloffer team, supported by a number of local contractors, managed to completely transform the dated Birkirkara restaurant. The new restaurant can now accommodate 75 patrons inside and also boasts a new seating area outside that can accommodate up to 20 people.
The design theme for the inside of the store is called Lim Edge and was originally developed by French designer Philippe Avanzi in collaboration with Studio Archange.
The restaurant comes equipped with free unlimited Wi-Fi for all guests and also features two-touch screen info kiosks, which allow customers to access the internet and email. Families visiting the restaurant can make use of easy trolleys that allows parents to easily transport their food to their table, in an easy and comfortable manner. The restaurant also has an energy efficient side to it and features LED and energy-saving lighting throughout that ensures the lowest possible electrical consumption and also comes equipped with Dyson airblades in the restrooms.
A day of fun and activities for the local community was organised to mark the re-opening of the restaurant. Ministers Tonio Borg and Tonio Fenech, as well as Birkirkara mayor Michael Fenech Adami and members of the Birkirkara local council, Fr Charles Gauci along with representatives of the Birkirkara Football Club, St Helen’s Band Club and The Duke of Connaught’s Band Club along with many others joined local residents to celebrate this special occasion.
Also present during the opening were Melo Hili, managing director of Premier Capital and Dorian Desira, the newly appointed general manager of Premier Restaurants Malta Ltd.
Mr Desira thanked all those present and all those who had been involved in the refurbishment works. He said “such refurbishments were yet another testament to McDonald’s ongoing commitment to serve its customers better. The key thing that differentiates us from the competition is the experience we offer and our commitment is to continue to heighten that experience through continuing to introduce more innovation at every level”.