2. CASE STUDY: Walt Disney Company Walt Disney is famed for its creativity, strong global brand, and uncanny abilit
Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2022 3:06 pm
2. CASE
STUDY: Walt Disney Company
Walt Disney is famed for its creativity, strong global brand,
and uncanny ability to take service and experience businesses to
higher levels. In the early 1990’s, the former CEO Michael
Eisner looked to the fast-food industry to draw additional
attention to the Disney presence outside of its theme parks – its
retail chain was highly successful and growing rapidly. A
fast-food restaurant made sense from Eisner’s perspective since
Disney’s theme parks have already mastered rapid, high volume food
preparation, and despite somewhat undistinguished food and high
prices, all its in-park restaurants were extremely
profitable. From this inspiration, Mickey’s Kitchen was
launched. The first two locations were opened in California
and in a suburb of Chicago, adjacent to existing Disney
stores. Menu items included healthy, child-oriented fare like
Jumbo Dumbo burgers and even a meatless Mickey Burger. Eisner
thought that locating each restaurant next to existing Disney
stores was sure to increase foot traffic through both venues.
Less than two years later Disney closed down the California and
Chicago stores and shuttered further expansion plans. Eisner
cited overwhelming competition from McDonalds and general over
saturation in the fast- food industry as the primary reasons for
closing down the failing Mickey’s
Kitchen.
[20 marks]
STUDY: Walt Disney Company
Walt Disney is famed for its creativity, strong global brand,
and uncanny ability to take service and experience businesses to
higher levels. In the early 1990’s, the former CEO Michael
Eisner looked to the fast-food industry to draw additional
attention to the Disney presence outside of its theme parks – its
retail chain was highly successful and growing rapidly. A
fast-food restaurant made sense from Eisner’s perspective since
Disney’s theme parks have already mastered rapid, high volume food
preparation, and despite somewhat undistinguished food and high
prices, all its in-park restaurants were extremely
profitable. From this inspiration, Mickey’s Kitchen was
launched. The first two locations were opened in California
and in a suburb of Chicago, adjacent to existing Disney
stores. Menu items included healthy, child-oriented fare like
Jumbo Dumbo burgers and even a meatless Mickey Burger. Eisner
thought that locating each restaurant next to existing Disney
stores was sure to increase foot traffic through both venues.
Less than two years later Disney closed down the California and
Chicago stores and shuttered further expansion plans. Eisner
cited overwhelming competition from McDonalds and general over
saturation in the fast- food industry as the primary reasons for
closing down the failing Mickey’s
Kitchen.
[20 marks]