Mobile phones hot new item on menu at McDonald's

By RICHARD WOOD

McDonald's last night gave $1.6 million worth of Nokia 2280 mobile phones to its 6500-strong New Zealand workforce to use for as long they are employed by the firm.

Staff from the 148 restaurants nationwide gathered at live concerts in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and 21 movie theatres in regional centres, to be entertained and receive their phones.

Using text messaging and mobile internet services, the phones will provide staff with regular incentive competitions with prizes including home theatre gear and a Nissan Skyline coupe.

Initially text messaging will be the backbone of the system and ultimately a menu system will cover staff rostering and company information.

The phones are on Telecom's 027 network and can be used by staff for their own purposes at regular prepay rates. When staff leave they can buy the phone or return it to McDonald's.

McDonald's spokesman Liam Jeory said just having a phone was something a lot of young people aspired to and this gave McDonald's something to differentiate itself in the employment market.

Jeory said McDonald's had a challenge in trying to talk to all its staff at once because of shift work.

"You can talk to their managers, who might talk to them. The message can get lost or change."

The texting feature will be particularly useful in finding additional staff members when someone is off sick or otherwise fails to turn up for work.