Garçon! I’ll have a Big Mac with fries - and bring me the wine list

McDonald's is to offer table service for the first time in the UK as it seeks to ward off competition from upmarket burger chains.

Diners can place their order with a staff member carrying a tablet computer or direct through a digital kiosk at the table. There will still be an option to order at the till.

The fast food giant is trialling the service at its branch in Mottram, Greater Manchester, and will extend it to 11 more across the UK this month.

If it proves successful, the trial will be rolled out nationally.

McDonald’s says it hopes the service will provide customers with a more relaxed, modern dining experience.

The move is also seen as a response to increased competition from upmarket rivals such as GBK and Byron’s.

The UK - which pioneered at-seat burger ordering with the old Wimpy Bar chain - is not the first McDonald’s market to get table service - following successful trials it was rolled out in France, Germany and Australia.

A McDonald’s spokesman said: “We have listened to customer feedback and to meet their evolving expectations we are significantly investing in our restaurants to create an exciting new environment and improve the customer experience.

“We are testing some new concepts, such as table service, whereby customers place their order via our new digital kiosks and then have their food brought to them.”