McDonald's Cooks Up Wi-Fi Access

Healthier fare and Newman's own dressing are not the only things McDonald's is cooking up these days. The bastion of fast food is continuing to expand its flirtation with Wi-Fi, spreading the "fat" across New York. A total of 75 golden arches across New York State sporting the @ symbol will serve as gateways to the Net, according to the company.

The wireless service, aimed at selling more meals, will be free throughout August and then rescind to a flat daily rate of less than three dollars. These revenues are being sought after to shore the company's finances up against a well publicized slip in sales and sliding profit margins.

Commenting on the venture, company brass Bill Lowery stated, "At McDonald's, we are all about being the most relevant, convenient and easy-to-use option for our busy customers."

To make this happen, McDonald's has partnered with Cometa, a year-old networking outfit that focuses its attention on 802.11 hotspots. The pair partnered for a previous test with less than a dozen locations.