Big Mac from the sky: McDonald's new delivery route | Watch
McDonald's and Meituan have launched a first-of-its-kind drone delivery route in Shanghai dedicated to the fast-food brand. The drones will deliver meals within 10 minutes along the West Bund area, serving thousands of workers and tourists. The pilot may expand.
McDonald's and Chinese delivery giant Meituan have launched a first-of-its-kind drone delivery route in Shanghai exclusively dedicated to the fast-food brand. The new service, reported by the South China Morning Post, allows tourists and exercisers along the scenic West Bund area in Xuhui District to receive fast-food orders dropped off at designated kiosks. The 3.1-kilometer flight path departs from a McDonald's branch in Xuhui and is designed to serve thousands of office workers and tourists visiting the riverbanks. The customized drones can carry a maximum capacity of 2.4 kilograms and complete deliveries in about 10 minutes. Meituan has been expanding its drone business in recent years to maintain an edge over competitors like Alibaba and JD.com. The company noted that commercial drone orders have surpassed 900,000, and profits are expected to grow. The new route is part of a broader aerial delivery network planned to connect key sites in the district, and it is the company's second systematic urban air hub, after the first network in Shenzhen.