Isn’t it time for a number of fast-food restaurants to return to their roots and offer scaled-down menus and fast service?

In the “good old days,” fast-food menus were really simple. Take a look at this early McDonald’s menu, for example. (And yes, as with everything in the “good old days,” prices were really low then. 🙂 )

Photo by Getty Images

However, over the last several years, many fast-food chains have added numerous items to their menus — sometimes to broaden their target markets and other times to include some healthier items.

Consider this 2015 screen capture from McDonald’s Web site. It’s not even readable unless you actually visit the Web site. [Please read more below the image!!!]

McDonald’s seems to have gotten the message — albeit just a bit so far. After a period of lackluster results, the world’s biggest fast-food chain has decided to trim its menu. To date, the other leading fast-food food restaurants do NOT seem to have gotten this message at all.

Keeping in mind the screen shot above, what do you think of this move by McDonald’s? 

According to Mary Bowerman, writing for USA Today:

“McDonald’s is sending eight items to the chopping block and maybe even getting rid of some ingredients, as the fast-food chain tries to revamp its supersize-me reputation. The chain announced plans to speed up service time by simplifying the menu and reducing the number of Extra Value Meals from 16 to 11. The chain plans on reducing choices of various items, meaning instead of four quarter-pound options, consumers will have one.”