“Food is not rational. Food is culture, habit, craving and identity.” – Jonathan Safran Foer
The most modern McDonald’s store in the Province of Iloilo recently opened at Iloilo Business Park (IBP). The redesigned NXTGEN store, located beside Festive Walk Mall along Megaworld Boulevard, boast of “first-in-Iloilo” features, such as, first-ever McCafé, fist Tandem Drive-Thru, and soon the first-ever Bike and Dine facility.
Faces of Iloilo Dinagyang 2024 Festival
An Dinagyang performance
A function room on the Ground Floor
Eugene Reducindo
“We are excited to share a fresh and exciting dining experience with the Ilonggos in what is now known as ‘the most modern McDonald’s store’ in the entire province,” enthused EUGENE REDUCINDO, Managing Director at Choice Gourmet Banquet, Inc. (CGBI), the company that operates McDonald’s Iloilo Business Park. “I remember that this store used to be the biggest McDonald’s store in the entire Iloilo Province when it first opened in 2014. A decade after, we still celebrate lots of exciting firsts in McDonald’s Iloilo Business Park, including being biggest in terms of seating capacity among all McDonald’s stores in Iloilo City.”
After a two-month renovation, it opened in time for the Iloilo Dinagyang Festival 2024. The over-all design follows the Ray Palette concept, the fast-food giant’s signature design scheme that “emphasizes space and lighting.”
The charming service crew of McDonald’s Iloilo Business Park ready to take order.
The management, staff and mascots of McDonald’s Iloilo Business Park
Bloggers and warriors strike a pose with the management, staff and mascots before the facade of McDonald’s Iloilo Business Park.
The bloggers had their fun, too!
The two-storey McDonald’s Iloilo Business Park has three function rooms – another first in the Province of Iloilo – one on the ground floor and two on the second floor, which can accommodate 200 guests. It also has a Playplace on the second floor for kids to enjoy.
The store has a green wall installed outside to “further highlight the brand’s thrust towards sustainability.” To pay tribute to Iloilo City as the Bike Capital of the Philippines, McDonald’s Iloilo Business Park will soon feature the provinces’ first ever Bike and Dine Facility and Bike Repair Station.
Other sustainability features the store will having soon is a dedicated e-vehicle charging station and several solar lampposts.
Dado Tan and yours truly take the walk-thru of the facilities and features of McDonald’s Iloilo Business Park.
Dado Tan and Jasmine Castelo
The Tandem Drive Thru will allow two-at-a-time ordering at its Customer Order Display. This feature will enable more people to enjoy their favorite must-haves.
Inside, 250 diners can seat comfortably at any given time. The interiors also boasts of an iconic yellow staircase, similar to the one at McDonald’s Time Square in New York City.
“As with all McDonald’s NXTGen Stores, dine-in guest can place orders via the Self-Ordering Kiosk (SOK),” explained EUGENE REDUCINDO. “Here, they can also pay for their meals via digital payment channels before waiting to claim their orders at the counter.”
For Ilonggos who love connectivity, wireless charging ports are installed at communal tables to allow them to charge their smartphones.
The 72-hectare Iloilo Business Park is one of property giant Megaworld’s exciting township projects. (Photos by Alidon Bordon)
Zach Golez and yours truly
A mini-reunion of former colleagues: Cora, yours truly, Raymart and Glenda.