McDonald’s has announced plans to open 200 new restaurants over the next four years, committing to a £1 billion investment in the business.
This announcement follows McDonald’s first global sales decline since 2020, with a 1% drop across its 40,000 restaurants worldwide during the April to June period compared to the previous year.
McDonald’s is also marking its 50th anniversary in the UK, celebrating the opening of its first site on Woolwich High Street in London in 1974.
The planned expansion will involve testing new, smaller restaurant formats and concentrating on high street locations, with the goal of creating over 24,000 new jobs.
McDonald’s will renovate 1,500 existing restaurants across the UK and Ireland and has announced global plans to open 10,000 additional restaurants by 2027.
In its broader 'McDonald’s at 50' report, the company highlighted its £94.5 billion contribution to the UK economy since its arrival, along with over £51.6 billion spent on UK-based suppliers and farmers.
Over the past five years, McDonald’s has invested £618 million in opening new restaurants and refurbishing existing ones. In 2023 alone, the company invested £100 million to open 41 new sites, marking the highest number of openings in 20 years.
Alistair Macrow, chief executive, McDonald’s UK&I, said: “We have come a long way since we first opened our doors in Woolwich 50 years ago.
“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.”
McDonald’s operates over 1,400 restaurants across the UK, supported by 200 franchisees who manage nearly 90% of the business, and employs more than 170,000 staff.
