Fast Food, Fast Internet: McDonald's Offers Wireless Internet Hot Spots Across the Country

Wireless Hot Spots continue to spread like the chicken pox around the country. More and more major retail and service chains continue to implement this service, usually available only to subscribers. You can get wireless access at many locations geared towards travelers such as hotels, airports, and truck stops. Starbucks hopes you will sip a latte and surf the web. Barnes and Nobles invites you to cuddle up with glow of your laptop, or of course, a good book. And now, one of the largest chains in America invites you to enjoy a Big Mac ... and an IP address.

McDonald's offers wireless Internet access at over 15,000 locations. Subscription service is required, but they regularly send out promotional offers. (If you don't have a coupon from your mail or email, leave a note in my comments field or click the "contact me" link and I'll get back to you.)

The point of offering Wi-Fi "hot spots," as the connections are known, in retail outlets is to encourage people to stay longer and buy more milk shakes, double lattes, magazines or whatever is being sold by a particular retailer. It also adds to the appeal to younger consumers. In the case of McDonald's, the youngest consumers aren't old enough to use a computer, PDA, or even read. But the youngest consumers can play in the Playland while a parent keeps one eye on the child and one eye on the screen. And maybe mom or dad will see this as a great way to get that report written for work while keeping junior occupied at the same time. And while they're there, buy a few snacks, then a cup of coffee ...

Not all customers see McDonald's at the ideal spot to hang out and work. In fact, McDonald's has built a reputation on getting billions of customers in and out quickly. A quiet place to work, it is not. One frequent user of Internet cafes was quoted as saying "I'm not going to stay here for three hours studying with the stench of burgers in the air." OK, fair enough.

"We don't think there's a big profit model," said Ken Dulaney, an analyst who covers the Wi-Fi industry. "If you're looking to build a hot spot and make money off it -- good luck. It's more for increased customer service and convenience."

Increased customer service and convenience are definitely things on which McDonald's prides itself. So expect to see Wi-Fi service at more and more of your regular shops and restaurants.