As it celebrates 50 years in the United Kingdom, McDonald’s has announced plans to open over 200 new restaurants in the next four years.

Supported by a £1bn investment from McDonald’s and its franchisees in the UK and Ireland, the move is expected to create more than 24,000 new jobs.

These ambitions have been revealed as part of the new report “McDonald’s at 50”, prepared by planning and development consultancy Lichfields, which explores the business’s positive impact on its communities across the country, since its doors first opened on Woolwich high street in 1974.

“We have come a long way since we first opened our doors in Woolwich 50 years ago.

The new restaurants are part of ongoing investment that McDonald’s will make to ensure the business continues to meet evolving customer expectations. The roll out will include testing new restaurant formats, with ‘Drive to’ restaurants recently launched, and additional smaller formats being trialed this year – ensuring every new restaurant meets the needs of the community in which it operates. 

The plans will also see a renewed focus on opening high street restaurants, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to supporting successful high streets across the country as town and city centers continue to evolve and respond to a variety of challenges.

Alongside new restaurants, the business will continue to upgrade and reimage more than 1,500 existing restaurants across the UK and Ireland.

The “McDonald’s at 50” report tells the story of the massive contribution McDonald’s makes to the UK economy. In 2023 alone, it details the more than £2bn spent by McDonald’s with UK-based suppliers and farmers, and the 209,475 jobs that were supported by McDonald’s across the UK.

Looking back over the last five years, the report outlines the £618 million invested by McDonald’s in delivering new restaurants and upgrades that provide the best possible customer experience, alongside almost £1.37 billion spent by McDonald’s’ UK based suppliers, investing in improving their production and distribution, in the same period. 

Accumulatively over the five decades McDonald’s has been operating in the UK, the report also reveals the business has contributed £94.45 billion to the economy since first opening its doors.

The report also highlights that:

• 209,475 jobs were supported by McDonald’s across the UK in 2023, including 171,415 people employed by McDonald’s and its franchisees directly.
• £618 million was invested by McDonald’s in delivering new restaurants and upgrades to provide the best possible customer experience, between 2018-2023 
• 41 new restaurants were opened by McDonald’s in 2023, the highest number in two decades
• £14.8 million was raised for charity by McDonald’s, its customers and franchisees, in 2023, including £10.3 million for Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, and £4.5 million for local charities, donated by franchisees
• Over £4 million has been raised for BBC Children in Need since 2021. McDonald’s and BBC Children in Need have also worked together to launch Makin’ It: a nationwide initiative that partners McDonald’s restaurants with local youth projects and youth workers to provide young people with genuine opportunity in the areas they live in
• Over £51.56 billion has been spent by McDonald’s with UK-based suppliers and farmers since 1974
• Over £2bn was spent by McDonald’s with UK-based suppliers and farmers in 2023 alone.
• £94.45 billion (Gross Value Added, approx.) has been contributed to the UK economy since McDonald’s opened its doors 50 years ago. This includes the impact of McDonald’s restaurants, as well as the additional activity across its supply chain and the wider economy.
• During 2023 our UK based suppliers invested over £100 million improving their production and distribution,and this figure rises to almost £1.37 billion, over the past 5 years, representing a significant level of capital investment.

Alistair Macrow, CEO, McDonald’s UK&I, says: “We have come a long way since we first opened our doors in Woolwich 50 years ago. We have become an important part of communities across the UK, and I’m delighted that in this milestone year we are able to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to growth, and announce the creation of new jobs across the country as we plan to open over 200 new restaurants over the next four years.

“It’s a moment to celebrate, and also to look ahead to what’s next. Whether that’s continuing to provide the best value for our customers, investing in our restaurants, supporting our suppliers across the UK or launching new initiatives for young people where our communities need them most.

“We’re proud of what we have delivered in the last 50 years and are committed to investing in new opportunities and supporting growth across the UK.”