By using JTBD – “Job To Be Done” theory McDonald’s increased its milk shakes sales by 7 times. Want to know How?

Understanding why customers buy a product rather than just focusing on product attributes is a key part of effective conversion-focused content marketing.

Many SaaS brands also leverage the JTBD framework to improve their messaging and drive conversions, as discussed in SaaS Content to Generate Leads, Signups, and Branding.

McDonald’s Attempt to Improve Milkshake Sales

McDonald’s wanted to innovate and improve milkshake sales.

They invited a focus group to try their milkshakes and give feedback. Based on their suggestions, McDonald’s adjusted attributes like:

• Sweetness
• Thickness
• Temperature

After making these improvements, they launched the new version of the milkshake. But it did not lead to higher sales.

Turning to the JTBD Theory

McDonald’s approached Harvard Professor Clayton Christensen, known for his Job To Be Done (JTBD) theory.

According to JTBD theory:

“We hire a product to get a specific job done.”

For example, if the job is to clean teeth, we hire a toothbrush and toothpaste to do it.

To apply this to milkshakes, Clay’s team studied McDonald’s buyers. Many brands today use the same approach to create customer-centric products, a concept explored in How to Create a User Persona with Xtensio.

The 18-Hour Observation

A researcher from Clay’s team spent 18 hours at a McDonald’s outlet. He carefully observed who was buying milkshakes and noted details such as:

• What time they made the purchase.
• What they were wearing.
• Whether they came alone or with someone.
• Whether they bought anything else with the milkshake.

From these observations, they found a pattern.

• Most milkshake buyers were single males.
• They bought milkshakes before 8:30 AM.
• They did not sit inside to drink the milkshake.
• They rarely purchased anything else.

This raised an important question:

What job was the milkshake performing for these buyers?

The Buyer Interviews

The next morning, Clay’s team interviewed these customers.

What They Discovered

• These buyers had long morning commutes to work.
• The thick, cold milkshake kept them occupied during their drive.
• It took 23 minutes to finish, lasting most of their commute.
• It prevented hunger attacks at 10:00 AM, helping them focus on work.

Alternative Products They Tried

Clay’s team also asked:

“Have you tried anything else instead of a milkshake?”

Here’s what the buyers said:

• Banana – Finished too quickly.
• Bagel with cream cheese – Too messy to eat while driving.
• Snickers or donuts – Too sugary, left them feeling guilty.

Clearly, the milkshake was solving a specific problem that these alternatives failed to address.

Many businesses fail to understand their true buyer motivations, which is why conducting deep customer research is essential for growth. An insight we explored in 5 Key Takeaways on Marketing from the Movie Steve Jobs.

How McDonald’s Used These Insights

McDonald’s changed its sales and marketing strategy based on these findings.

• Instead of marketing milkshake attributes (sweetness, texture, temperature), they focused on the job it performed.
• They ensured that drive-thru customers could quickly buy a milkshake without waiting in long queues.

The result?

Milkshake sales increased seven times.

One More Finding: “One Size Does NOT Fit All”

The study also revealed another important insight.

A smaller group of buyers purchased milkshakes in the evenings.

• These were parents buying milkshakes for their kids.
• However, the thickness of the milkshake was a problem. Parents didn’t want to wait forever for their kids to finish.

Key Takeaway

One size does NOT fit all.

McDonald’s realized they needed different milkshake variations to serve different customer needs

P.S. I heard this story of milkshakes while taking a sales certification on HubSpot. I loved the story and felt that it must be shared.

If you want more valuable sales and marketing insights, explore our resources!

Pro tip: If you need 30 standout SaaS growth hacks to attain double the growth for your SaaS business, fill out the form below!

At Concurate, we help businesses create strategic, high-impact content that drives results. Whether it’s customer insights, buyer psychology, or sales-driven storytelling, we ensure your content connects with the right audience.

If your organization needs a content marketing strategy that converts, let’s connect over a short call. Block our calendar today.