Hungary's 101st McDonald's unit opens in Velence

The newest restaurant is built on the basis of the "Experience of the Future" concept, offering a renewed, modern dining experience. In this new style of restaurant, guests can order, pay for, receive and enjoy McDonald's popular products in the way that best suits their needs and vision. 

"As part of our growth strategy, our goal, set in 2019, is to continue to expand in Hungary at a dynamic pace and with a renewed restaurant concept in the coming years. As part of this, we have mapped the country, and the routes to Lake Balaton were not left out of the list of potential development locations. We consciously sought out locations where the opening of a new restaurant was a real possibility. So it is a great pleasure for us to be able to open the restaurant in Velence and offer a new place to relax and dine to those traveling to Lake Balaton," said Zsolt Égi, managing director of Progress Étteremhálózat, the operator of McDonald's restaurants in Hungary.  

"It's important that Velence and Lake Velence are not just a stopover for those traveling to Lake Balaton, but a tourist destination that offers visitors a wide range of programs and tourist services. This means not only broadening the profile of our beaches, but also adding more variety to the hospitality offer. That's why we're delighted that the first McDonald's restaurant near the lake has been set up in Velence - just three minutes from one of the greenest and largest beaches on the lake, Velence's North Beach. It is therefore worth stopping for a little longer at the Mcdonald's in Velence. Everyone is welcome," said Ákos Gerhard, Mayor of Velence. 

Digital development elements have been a key element of the construction, but personal service has remained important, McDonald's says. The concept of "Experience of the Future" and digitalization not only concerns technology, but also all elements of the experience provided by the restaurant, including its interior and exterior environment and appearance. This will include touch-screen order-takers, a digital menu board, and a digital drive section. To meet the needs of people coming in from the motorway, the McDrive unit is operated by two order-takers.

The new unit features the "Alphabet" style interior design, which evokes a youthful, modern burger restaurant style, and was designed by Hungarian designers to meet Hungarian requirements, based on international standards. The restaurant can seat 90 people at a time. 

Thanks to the new kitchen technology, all products are made to order, and coffee specialties - made with a barista La Cimbali coffee machine - can be ordered with lactose-free milk, almond milk, or decaffeinated versions at the McCafé counter, kiosks, cash register, and drive-through window. 

The restaurant's guest lounge is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and the Drive unit is always open.