The article was focusing on fast food. Fast food franchisers work very hard to make the product consistent from restaurant to restaurant and year to year. Fast food customers often don't want surprises or new experiences with their trips to those restaurants.

If I order a Big Mac in New York it pretty much is the same as one in Omaha and is pretty much the same as it was 20 years ago. Necessary changes that are made are deliberately small and the quality is basically the same over time in my experience.