Why You Can Scale McDonald’s, But Not a Michelin-Star Restaurant
Scaling works when the product can be broken down into repeatable steps. McDonald’s can do this because the process is the product. Every burger follows the same script, every outcome is predictable.
A Michelin-star restaurant cannot be scaled in the same way. You can replicate the recipe, but not the experience. The value lies in human judgement, timing, and attention to detail. Those things cannot be standardised without losing what makes them special.
It is the same with surveying. You can scale operations, templates, and branding, but you cannot scale professional judgment. The moment you try, quality starts to erode. The best surveys are defined by observation and interpretation, not automation or output volume.
We often talk about growth and scalability as universal goals, but they come with a trade-off. Scale rewards efficiency. Expertise rewards depth.
In its very nature, scaling reduces quality, but this does not mean we should never scale. It means we need to understand what is being lost in the process and decide whether that trade is worth it.
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