There are so many reasons to encourage people to cycle. McDonald’s efforts began when the company noticed that more and more of its 700+ stores in the Philippines were becoming the stopover of choice for cyclists, and it started investing in Bike & Dine infrastructure in 2021, a McDonald’s Philippines innovation.
Bike & Dine facilities include bike repair and e-bike charging stations, integrated bike racks and dining ledges and bicycle-safe Ride-Thrus. In a country where there are now four bicycle owners for every car owner, these facilities help to address a shortage of bike-friendly infrastructure. It can be difficult for cyclists to find safe places to take breaks, charge e-bikes and make minor repairs.
McDonald’s then challenged Leo Burnett Manila to get the nation cycling and turn McDonald’s restaurants into must-visit stops on any biking journey. With stores located in Tagaytay, that has views of Taal Volcano, a geologic wonder located within Lake Taal; the island of Boracay, famous for its pristine white-sand beaches; and Intramuros, a historic walled city in Manila, Leo Burnett Manila launched Ride the Arches – a program incentivising cyclists to discover some of the most scenic McDonald’s restaurants in the world, especially those with Bike & Dine facilities.
To kick off Ride the Arches, McDonald’s challenged cycling groups nationwide to create routes that loop from arch to arch, with McDonald’s as the start and end point. It also recruited cycling influencers to create and share their favourite routes, sharing these routes on popular cycling apps like Strava or Komoot.
Next, McDonald’s hosted a series of community bike rides called #TourDeMcDo. Fuelling these rides are free meals, special cyclist meals, and merchandise for those who share the best photos or ride the most kilometres.
Kenneth S. Yang, CEO & president of McDonald’s Philippines, explained, “McDonald’s launched Bike & Dine facilities during the pandemic after seeing a surge in bike usage across the country. We saw an opportunity to improve the customer experience for our two-wheeled customers, and be an advocate for sustainable mobility—encouraging more customers to ride.”
Raoul Panes, chief creative officer, Leo Burnett Group Manila and Publicis Groupe Philippines, added, “We loved the idea of using McDonald’s scale, infrastructure and operations to support a vast community of bike enthusiasts, adding value with rewards, and creating an always-growing network of routes that lead across our stunning country. By incentivising cyclists to Ride the Arches, McDonald’s has become the gateway to discovering some of the most beautiful places in the Philippines.”
More than 100 routes and over 51,000 kilometres have been pedalled so far. Ride the Arches will continue to work with cycling groups in cities with McDonald’s Bike & Dine facilities in 2024, organising and sponsoring rides and promoting cycling safety. Events are planned for World Bike Day (June 3) and National Bicycle Month (November), positioning McDonald’s restaurants as essential refuelling stations for biking communities – a place to rest, enjoy bike repair services and their McDonald’s favourites.
Credits
Client: McDonald’s Philippines – Margot Torres, Adi Hernandez, Denise Barrameda
Agency: Leo Burnett Group Manila
Creatives: Raoul Panes, Kat Gomez-Limchoc, Jonah Brocka, Keith Comez, Dhalaine Bautista, Carl Urgino, Jason Williams, Natalie Lam, Ian Loos
Account Management: Judy Medina, Earl Dorado, Flow Estor, Ricky Santiago
Production: Prodigious Philippines – Miele Dungo
