Big Mac and a side order of wi-fi is a favourite choice

FAST food chain McDonald’s is serving up more e-mails than Big Macs each day in Scotland after installing wi-fi in its outlets.

Nearly 53,000 customers a month are logging on to use its wireless internet access, downloading data equivalent to 420,000 e-mails each day.

That compares with the 21,700 Big Mac burgers the company sells per day north of the Border – one every four seconds.

Mark Fabes, IT director at McDonald’s, said: “Demand for wi-fi in our Scottish restaurants is growing at an incredible pace, to the extent that it is now one of our most popular side orders.”

McDonald’s is entering the final phase of a five-year refurbishment programme, which has involved refitting its stores at a cost of £300 million.

The firm said that 90 per cent of its 1,200 sites will have been refitted by the end of this year, with the rest due to be completed by the end of next year. A further 30 outlets are opened each year.

Vince Cassidy, an IT consultant in Edinburgh, said: “Being self-employed, I find the free wi-fi service really convenient as it means I can stay connected at all times, particularly when I’m working on the move.

“Princes Street McDonald’s is always the first place I head to as it’s centrally located, the internet access is fast and reliable plus I can grab a quick snack in between meetings.”