Walt Disney Company is famed for its creativity, strong global brand, and uncanny ability to take service and experience businesses to higher levels. In the early $1990$ s$,$ then$-$CEO Michael Eisner looked to the fast$-$food industry as a way to draw additional attention to the Disney presence outside of its theme parks $-$ its retail chain was highly successful and growing rapidly. A fast$-$food restaurant made sense from Eisner's perspective since Disney's theme parks had already mastered rapid, high$-$volume food preparation, and, despite somewhat undistinguished food and high prices $($or perhaps because of$),$ all its in$-$park restaurants were extremely profitable. From this inspiration, Mickey's Kitchen was launched. The first two locations were opened in California and in a suburb of Chicago, adjacent to existing Disney stores. Menu items included healthy, child$-$oriented fare like Jumbo Dumbo burgers and even a meatless Mickey Burger. Eisner thought that locating each restaurant next to existing Disney stores was sure to increase foot traffic through both venues. Less than two years later Disney closed down the California and Chicago stores and shuttered further expansion plans. Eisner cited overwhelming competition from Mcdonald's and general oversaturation in the fast$-$food industry as the primary reasons for closing down the failing Mickey's Kitchen.

Based on your own knowledge of Disney and the information provided in the scenario, does Disney appear to create value in its businesses primarily through a cost$-$leadership or through a differentiation strategy, or an integrated cost leadership$/$differentiation strategy? Please discuss your answer

Why do you think that Mickey's Kitchen failed? You may discuss this from the resources, the value$-$chain activities and the core competencies that Disney try to leverage through the opening of Mickey's Kitchen