McDonald's Potato Supply Chain Tracker
An interactive globe for the McDonald's Worldwide Conference
Designed and developed for the 13-inch iPad Air.
At a Glance
Client
McDonald's & J.R. Simplot
Event
McDonald's Worldwide Conference (WWC)
Platform
iPad Touchscreen App
Scale
Global Network of Distribution Centers
The Project
For the McDonald's Worldwide Conference, Mapleton Hill partnered with J.R. Simplot to design and build an interactive iPad experience that brings the global potato supply chain to life. Franchisees explore a photorealistic 3D globe, locate the distribution center nearest their restaurants, and watch an animated journey trace each potato from field to fryer, across truck, rail, and ocean, complete with live transit detail and the story behind every stop.
A Guided Walkthrough
From field to fryer, trace the journey of a McDonald's potato from harvest to restaurant, one step at a time.
Step 01
Explore the Globe
The experience begins with a global view of the McDonald's supply network, giving franchisees instant visibility into the distribution centers that support their restaurants and the supply chain connections that keep products moving from field to fryer.
Step 02
Find Your Distribution Center
Selecting a distribution center reveals the complete path a potato takes from field to fryer, providing full visibility into every stop, transportation method, distance traveled, and time in transit before it reaches the restaurant.
Step 03
The Story Behind Every Stop
Every stop reveals the expertise, innovation, and coordination required to move potatoes from field to fryer, helping franchisees better understand the scale and complexity behind the products they serve.
The Farm
The Processing Plant
Step 04
Truck, Rail & Vessel
Whether by refrigerated truck, by rail across the country, or by ocean over several weeks, an unbroken cold chain protects quality and food safety across every mile, giving franchisees a clear view of the logistics expertise required to deliver a consistent product anywhere in the world.
Refrigerated Truck
Cross Country Rail
Ocean Freight
Step 05
Every Journey, Summed Up
The complete journey comes together in a single view, capturing the distance, the time, and the unbroken cold chain behind every product, reinforcing the scale, precision, and partnership it takes to move McDonald's potatoes from field to fryer.
Client Perspective
Mapleton Hill turned our global potato supply chain into an experience our franchisees could explore for themselves, tracing a single potato from the farm all the way to the restaurant. It made a complex story simple, and it was one of the most engaging stops on the convention floor.
Outcomes
Show Floor Draw
A standout, interactive centerpiece that invited franchisees to engage and explore
Logistics Made Tangible
Turned a complex global supply chain into an intuitive, explorable map
Reinforced the Story
Connected sourcing, processing, and delivery into one clear quality narrative
Built for Reliability
Engineered for smooth, uninterrupted performance in a live event setting
Technologies & Capabilities
The experience combines live 3D rendering, geospatial mapping, and narrative design in a single application built for touch and the show floor.
Interactive 3D Globe
A photorealistic, rotatable globe rendered in the browser, with McDonald's distribution centers plotted worldwide.
Satellite Mapping
High resolution satellite imagery that zooms seamlessly from a global view down to individual farms and facilities.
Animated Supply Chain Routes
Live animated journeys trace each leg by truck, rail, and ocean, with live transit telemetry such as distance, cargo temperature, and progress.
Touch & Gesture Interaction
Pinch to zoom and tap to explore navigation designed for large touchscreens and iPad use on a busy show floor.
Geospatial Data Visualization
Global network of distribution centers, sourcing farms, and processing plants modeled as connected, explorable supply chain data.
Story Driven Content
Each stop pairs location data with narrative content, turning complex logistics into a guided, memorable story.
iPad Optimized Web App
Delivered as a fast, installable web experience tuned for reliable performance on the convention floor.