MCDONALD'S SEEKS SWEET SUCCESS.

Byline: John Canalis Staff Writer

LAKEWOOD - Look out, Dairy Queen.

The new McTreat Spot at Lakewood Center serves sundaes and cappuccinos under red and blue neon rather than Egg McMuffins and Big Macs beneath golden arches.

McDonald's Corp. is deviating from its established formula and trying the coffee and dessert concept in Lakewood, Northern California, Phoenix and its home in the heartland, Chicago.

The Lakewood location, near Long Beach, is the only stand-alone site. Others are attached to McDonald's.

``McTreats is our attempt to infuse high-end quality into indulgent treats that are offered at a McDonald's value,'' said franchisee Ron Piazza of Lakewood.

Piazza and his family own and operate Lakewood's eight McDonald's, one in Hawaiian Gardens and another in Downey, the nation's oldest.

At McTreat, the most popular menu item is ice cream swirled with caramel, strawberry, pecan nut and other flavors, he said. Additional desserts include sundaes, ice cream dips, root beer floats, muffins, brownies and peanut butter, oatmeal and macadamia nut cookies.

The Hamburgler would grimace here. This a burger-free joint.

Only a few items - McFlurry shakes, sundaes, syrups, soft drinks and ice cream - are common to McDonald's and McTreat Spot.

``Clearly, McDonald's is trying to go into the upscale dessert category,'' Piazza said. ``It's a really indulgent dessert treat. That's what we like to call it.''

Opening smaller stands allows McDonald's to expand in a market without the investment of a regular restaurant that requires a grill and more employees, said Jackie Fernandez of Deloitte & Touche, a business consulting and accounting firm in Los Angeles.

``This sounds like it might be less capital-intensive,'' she said. ``It's a pretty inexpensive way to roll out a new concept and try to test it.''

Offering coffee and more adult fare will attract its core family audience and patrons who normally don't visit McDonald's - like the single adults who go to Starbucks, she said.

``It kind of freshens up the normal concept that they have,'' she said.

Unique offerings were the goal when Lakewood Center opened its food court April 7, said Anita McLendon, marketing coordinator for the mall.

A California Chicken Roasters, Volcano Tea, Great Steak, Oishi Kitchen and Genghis Khan join McTreat in the food court. Other eateries, including McDonald's and Sbarro pizza, are still spread throughout the main mall.

McTreat does not have Starbucks in its sights. That's a job for the McCafe concept being tried in other parts of the country.

Still, McTreat is billing itself as a place to buy a cup of gourmet coffee. There are a host of espresso and coffee drinks that the Piazzas say are as good as Seattle-based Starbucks' but cost less.

A medium coffee drink that Starbucks sells for about $3.50 goes for $2.99 at McTreat.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) McTreat Spot operators, from left, Ron Piazza, Andre Wade and Steve Piazza at the dessert bar in Lakewood Center Mall.

(2 -- color) McDonald's free-standing dessert bar, McTreat Spot, at Lakewood Center Mall also offers coffee drinks for adults.

Brittany M. Solo/Staff Photographer