By Allie Pino ’15

Responding to declining same-store sales, falling stock prices and a shrinking base of younger customers, McDonald’s, the world’s largest fast-food chain, will announce plans to vastly expand its “Create Your Taste” test platform.

“Create Your Taste” lets customers skip the counter and head to an in-store tablet-like kiosk where they can customize everything about their burger, from the type of bun to the variety of cheese to the many toppings and sauces that can go on it. However, the price is a far cry from the $5 Value Meal. Creating a personalized taste comes at a steeper price. A customized burger with a medium drink and fries will set you back $8.29 at the kiosks.

The higher price tag isn’t the new platform’s only potential stumbling block to success. For decades, fast food’s central success has been built around serving customers their orders within a few minutes. That’s impossible when customers demand customized meals that are served fresh, appear healthy and don’t cost too much. Because it takes at least four to seven minutes to prepare orders from the custom platform, it can’t even be sold at the drive-thru window — where many McDonald’s franchises do up to 70 percent of their business.

But the chain needs to take risks. It recently reported its worst same-store sales decline in more than a decade. In the third quarter, when McDonald’s earnings plunged 30 percent the company realized they had lost relevance for key young consumers.

Teens and young adults continue to abandon McDonald’s for what they perceive as fresher, healthier and more customizable menu choices at favorites such as Chipotle, Panera and Five Guys. Also, many older consumers are uncomfortable with the new technology. That’s why, during busy hours, McDonald’s that’s are piloting “Create Your Taste” places crewmembers right at the kiosks to show older folks how to use them.

What has until now been a tiny test in four Southern California stores is immediately expanding to 30 locations in five more states and in 2015 to 2,000 U.S. locations. The five additional states are Illinois, Wisconsin, Georgia, Missouri and Pennsylvania.

If you’d rather chow down on a good ol’ Big Mac than bite into a guacamole-topped grilled chicken sandwich, don’t worry — the classic menu offerings will still be available for your indulgence.