McDonald's Corporation,doing business asMcDonald's, is an Americanmultinational fast foodchain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated byRichard and Maurice McDonald, inSan Bernardino, California, United States. The brothers' business, which started off as ahamburger stand, soon became the companyfranchise as it is today. TheGolden Arches is now the company's logo, which was introduced in 1953 at a location inPhoenix, Arizona. In 1955,Ray Kroc, a businessman, joined the company as a franchise agent and, in 1961, bought out the McDonald brothers. Previously headquartered inOak Brook, Illinois, it moved to nearbyChicago in June 2018.[9][10][11][12] McDonald's is also a real estate company through its ownership of around 70% of restaurant buildings and 45% of the underlying land (which it leases to its franchisees).[13][14] McDonald's has over 40,000 international restaurant locations as of 2024 and 13,622 in the United States as of 2025.[15][16] The restaurants serve in total over 69 million customers daily inover 100 countries.[17]
McDonald's is theworld's second largest fast food restaurant chain by number of locations, surpassed only by Chinese chainMixue Ice Cream & Tea as of September 2024.[18] McDonald's primary offerings are hamburgers,cheeseburgers, andfrench fries. Other items ontheir menu include chicken, fish, fruit, and salads. Their bestselling licensed item is their french fries, followed by theBig Mac.[19] The McDonald's Corporation revenues come from the rent,royalties, and fees paid by the franchisees, as well as sales in company-operated restaurants.[20][21] In 2018, McDonald's was the world's second-largest private employer with 1.7 million employees (behind onlyWalmart with 2.3 million employees), the majority of whom work in the restaurant's franchises.[22][23]
SiblingsRichard and Maurice McDonald opened the first McDonald's at 1398 North E Street at West 14th Street inSan Bernardino, California, on May 15, 1940. The brothers introduced the "Speedee Service System" in 1948, putting into expanded use the principles of the modernfast-food restaurant that predecessorWhite Castle had put into practice more than two decades earlier.[25][26] The original mascot of McDonald's was a hamburger-headed chef who was referred to as "Speedee".[27] In 1962, theGolden Arches replaced Speedee as the universal mascot.[28]Clown mascotRonald McDonald was introduced in 1963 to market the chain to children.[29]
Logo from 1940 until 1948
Logo from 1948 until 1953
Logo from 1953 until 1960
The present corporation credits its founding tofranchised businessmanRay Kroc on April 15, 1955.[30][31] This was the ninth opened McDonald's restaurant overall, although this location was destroyed in 1984[32] after theSan Ysidro McDonald's massacre.[33] Kroc was recorded as being an aggressive business partner, driving the McDonald brothers out of the industry.[34]
Kroc and the McDonald brothers fought for control of the business, as documented in Kroc's autobiography. In 1961, he purchased the McDonald brothers' equity in the company and began the company's worldwide reach.[35] The sale cost Kroc $2.7 million (worth almost 28,410,134 dollars in the current day).[34] The San Bernardino restaurant was eventually torn down in 1971, and the site was sold to theJuan Pollo chain in 1998. This area serves as headquarters for the Juan Pollo chain, and a McDonald's andRoute 66 museum.[36][37] With the expansion of McDonald's into many international markets, the company has become a symbol ofglobalization and the spread of theAmerican way of life.[38]
In 1994, McDonald's banned smoking at the 1,400 locations it wholly owned.[39]
An American McDonald's inFranklin, North Carolina, in 2024; it is an example of the "new" look of American McDonald's restaurants
In 2006, McDonald's introduced its "Forever Young" brand by redesigning all of its restaurants, the first significant redesign since the 1970s.[40][41] It resembles a coffee shop, with wooden tables, faux-leather chairs, and muted colors; the red was muted to terracotta, the yellow was shifted to golden for a more "sunny" look, and olive and sage green were added. The warmer look has less plastic and more brick and wood, with modern hanging lights for a softer glow. Many restaurants feature freeWi-Fi and flat-screen TVs. Other upgrades include double drive-thrus, flat roofs instead of the angled red roofs, and fiberglass instead of wood. Instead of the familiar golden arches, the restaurants feature "semi-swooshes" (half of a golden arch), similar to the Nikeswoosh.[42]
As a result of theCOVID-19 pandemic, McDonald's closed most seating and all play areas in its United States restaurants.[43] It transitioned to drive-thru and curbside orders at locations andonline food ordering delivery services.[44] In July 2020, for the year's second quarter, McDonald's reported earnings of 66 cents per share. Compared to the same period of last year, it represented a fall of 68%.[45]
McDonald's predominantly sellshamburgers, various types ofchicken,chicken sandwiches,French fries, soft drinks,shakes, breakfast items, and desserts. In most markets, McDonald's offerssalads and vegetarian items,wraps and other localized fare. On a seasonal basis, McDonald's offers theMcRib sandwich.[46] During March of each year, McDonald's offers aShamrock Shake to honorSaint Patrick's Day.[47] The company often introduces items temporarily or brings them back after long absences.[48][49]
In addition, the chain also sells some items within the United States on a regional basis; for example, the Hatch Green Chile Double Cheeseburger, which is topped withNew Mexico green chile, is only available in the southwestern state ofNew Mexico.[50][51]
Health improvements
WhenSteve Easterbrook became CEO of the company in 2015, McDonald's streamlined the menu which in the United States contained nearly 200 items. The company looked to introduce healthier options and removedhigh-fructose corn syrup fromhamburger buns. The company removedartificial preservatives fromChicken McNuggets,[52] replacing chicken skin, safflower oil and citric acid found in Chicken McNuggets with pea starch, rice starch, and powdered lemon juice.[53]
In September 2018, McDonald's USA announced that they no longer use artificial preservatives, flavors and colors entirely from seven classic burgers sold in the U.S., including the hamburger, cheeseburger, double cheeseburger, McDouble, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, double Quarter Pounder with Cheese and the Big Mac.[54][55] Nevertheless, the pickles will still be made with an artificial preservative, although customers can choose to opt out of getting pickles with their burgers.[56][57]
McPlant
In November 2020, McDonald's announced McPlant, a plant-based burger, along with plans to develop additional meat alternative menu items that extend to chicken substitutes and breakfast sandwiches.[58][59] This announcement came after the successful testing ofBeyond Meat plant based meat substitutes.[60]
In late 2022, McDonald's announced the addition of the Double McPlant at all restaurants in the United Kingdom and Ireland starting January 4 due to the success of the McPlant.[60] In 2024, select McDonald's in the UK were testing vegan ice cream called Choco Scoop and Strawberry Scoop and receiving positive reviews.[61]
McDonald's Menu is customized to reflect consumer tastes in their respective countries. Restaurants in several countries, particularly in Asia, servesoup. This local deviation from the standard menu is a characteristic for which the chain is particularly known and one which is employed either to abide by regionalfood taboos (such as thereligious prohibition of beef consumption in India) or to make available foods with which the regional market is more familiar (such as the sale of McRice in Indonesia, orEbi (prawn) Burger in Singapore and Japan). McDonald's restaurants in China include fried buns and soybean milk on their breakfast menus.[62]
In Germany and some other Western European countries, McDonald's sells beer. In New Zealand, until 2020, McDonald's soldmeat pies after local affiliateMcDonald's New Zealand partially relaunched theGeorgie Pie fast food chain it bought out in 1996.[64] In Greece, the signature hamburger, Big Mac, is changed by adding Tzatziki sauce and packaging in a pita.[65]
North America
In the United States and Canada, after limited trials on a regional basis, McDonald's began offering in 2015[66] and 2017,[67] respectively, a partial breakfast menu during all hours its restaurants were open. All-day breakfast was phased out from menus at the start of theCOVID-19 pandemic in 2020.[68]
Types of McDonald's locations and McDonald's subsidies
McDonald's was forced to maintain pre-existing exterior of the house at their location inFreeport, Maine
In 1994, McDonald's attempted Hearth Express, a prototype specializing in homestyle takeout meals. Among the fare offered were meatloaf, fried chicken, and baked ham. This experiment started with a single location inDarien, Illinois but closed in only one year.[70]
McDrive
Drive-Thru, Auto-Mac, Pay and Drive, or "McDrive" as it is known in many countries, often has separate stations for placing, paying for, and picking up orders while the customer remains in their vehicle;[69] it was first introduced inSierra Vista, Arizona in 1975,[71] following the lead of other fast-food chains. The first such restaurant in Britain opened atFallowfield, Manchester, in 1986.[72] In some countries, McDrive locations nearhighways offer no counter service or seating. In contrast, locations in high-density city neighborhoods often omit drive-through service.[73] There are also a few locations, mostly in downtown districts, that offer a "Walk-Thru" service in place of Drive-Thru.[74]
McCafé is acafé-style accompaniment to McDonald's restaurants. The concept was created by McDonald's Australia, starting withMelbourne in 1993.[75]
"Create Your Taste" restaurants
From 2015 to 2016, McDonald's tried a more flexible burger service and restaurant concept based on other restaurants such asShake Shack andGrill'd. It was rolled out for the first time in Australia in early 2015 and expanded to China,Hong Kong, Singapore, Arabia, and New Zealand, with ongoing trials in the US market. In dedicated "Create Your Taste" (CYT) kiosks, customers could choose all ingredients, including the type of bun and meat, along with optional extras. CYT food was served to the table on wooden boards, fries in wire baskets, and salads in China bowls with metal cutlery at a higher price. In November 2016, Create Your Taste was replaced by a "Signature Crafted Recipes" program designed to be more efficient and less expensive.[76]
McDonald's Next
McDonald's Next uses open-concept design and offers "Create Your Taste"digital ordering. The concept store also offers free mobile device charging and table service after 6:00 pm. The first store opened in Hong Kong in December 2015.[77]
A McDonald's inPanorama City, Los Angeles, California with a Playplace designed to promote a family-friendly image
McDonald's playgrounds used to be called Playlands and they were outside. People were beginning to wonder if Playlands were too dangerous. Because of this, McDonald's moved them inside and began to make them out of softermaterials, like plastic instead of metal. They renamed them PlayPlaces in 1987.[78]
Other
Some locations are connected togas stations and convenience stores,[79] while others called McExpress have limited seating or menu or may be located in a shopping mall. Other McDonald's are located inWalmart stores. McStop is a location targeted at truckers and travelers who may have services found attruck stops.[80]
In Sweden, Happy Meal boxes can be used as goggles,[81] with the gameSlope Stars.[81] In the Netherlands, McDonald's has introduced McTrax that doubles as arecording studio; it reacts to touch.[81] They can create their own beats with asynth and tweak sounds with special effects.[81]
On the riverElbe in Hamburg, Germany, is the world's only "McBoat", a float-through service (similar todrive-through) for people on the river.[82]
In July 2023, the company announced it was working towards a new fast-food brand calledCosMc's that would be tested at ten sites. The first location was opened in December 2023 inBolingbrook, Illinois, and the company is working to open nine restaurants in Texas by the end of 2024 as a test. The outlets will have a smaller real-estate footprint than regular McDonald's restaurants and are focused on selling coffee and other drinks to afternoon customers.[83]
The name for the new brand comes from CosMc, a McDonaldland mascot that appeared in advertisements in the late 1980s and early 1990s.[84][85]
Corporate overview
Facts and figures
Corporate logo used from 1960 until November 18, 1968
Corporate logo used from November 18, 1968, until 2003
Corporate logo used from 1993 to 2010
Corporate logo on red background with the wordmark, used in the 1990s and 2000sBy 1993, McDonald's had sold more than 100 billion hamburgers, causing two-digit signs to be left at "99 billion"[86]
McDonald's restaurants are in 120 countries and territories and serve 68 million customers daily.[87][88] There are 37,855 restaurants worldwide, employing more than 210,000 people as of the end of 2018.[89][90][87] There are a total of 2,770 company-owned locations and 35,085 franchised locations, which includes 21,685 locations franchised to conventional franchisees, 7,225 locations licensed to developmental licensees, and 6,175 locations licensed to foreign affiliates.[89][90]
The McDonald's on-demand delivery concept, which began in 2017 with a partnership withUber Eats and addedDoorDash in 2019 (with select locations addingGrubhub in 2021), accounts for up to 3% of all business as of 2019.[91]
The $100 billion in sales generated by McDonald's company-owned and franchise restaurants in 2019 accounts for almost 4% of the estimated $2.5 trillion global restaurant industry.[92]
Stock holdings
Focusing on its core brand, McDonald's begandivesting itself of other chains it had acquired during the 1990s. The company owned a majority stake inChipotle Mexican Grill until October 2006, when McDonald's fully divested from Chipotle through a stock exchange.[93][94] Until December 2003, it ownedDonatos Pizza, and it owned a small share ofAroma Café, from 1999 to 2001. On August 27, 2007, McDonald's soldBoston Market toSun Capital Partners.[95]
McDonald's has increased shareholder dividends for 25 consecutive years,[96] making it one of theS&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats.[97] The company is ranked 131st on theFortune 500 of the largest United States corporations by revenue.[98] In October 2012, its monthly sales fell for the first time in nine years.[99] In 2014, its quarterly sales fell for the first time in seventeen years, when its sales dropped for the entirety of 1997.[100]
Money loss
In the United States, it is reported that drive-throughs account for 70 percent of sales.[101][102] McDonald's closed down 184 restaurants in the United States in 2015, which was 59 more than what they planned to open.[103][104] This move was the first time McDonald's had a net decrease in the number of locations in the United States since 1970.[104]
In the first three months of 2025, asU.S. President Donald Trump'stariff plans began to be unveiled and implemented, McDonald's revenue in the US fell 3.6% compared to the previous year, the largest sales decline in the US since the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.[105]
Business trends
The key trends for the McDonald's Corp. are (as of the financial year ending December 31)[106][107]
Ray Kroc joined the chain in 1954 and built it into a global franchise, making it the most successful fast food corporation in the world
The company owns the land on which many of its restaurants are situated,[13] which is valued at an estimated $42 billion.[127] The company earns a significant portion of its revenue from rental payments from franchisees. These rent payments rose 26 percent between 2010 and 2015, accounting for one-fifth of the company's total revenue at the end of the period.[128] In recent times, there have been calls to spin off the company's U.S. holdings into a potentialreal estate investment trust, but the company announced at its investor conference on November 10, 2015, that this would not happen. CEOSteve Easterbrook discussed that pursuing the REIT option would pose too large a risk to the company's business model.[129]
The United Kingdom and Ireland business model differs from the U.S. in that fewer than 30 percent of restaurants are franchised, with the majority under the company's ownership. McDonald's trains its franchisees and management atHamburger University at its Chicago headquarters.[130][131] In other countries, McDonald's restaurants are operated by joint ventures of McDonald's Corporation and other, local entities or governments.[132]
According toFast Food Nation byEric Schlosser (2001), nearly one in eight workers in the U.S. have at some time been employed by McDonald's. Employees are encouraged by McDonald's Corp. to maintain their health by singing along to their favorite songs to relieve stress, attendingchurch services to have a lowerblood pressure, and taking two vacations annually to reduce the risk formyocardial infarction.[133]Fast Food Nation states that McDonald's is the largest private operator of playgrounds in the U.S., as well as the single largest purchaser of beef, pork, potatoes, and apples. The selection of meats McDonald's uses varies to some extent based on the host country's culture.[134]
In 2021, the company cut value meals and cheaper items from its menu as part of a focus on higher-priced items.[135][136]
Headquarters
On June 13, 2016, McDonald's confirmed plans to move its global headquarters toChicago's West Loop neighborhood in theNear West Side. The 608,000-square-foot structure opened on June 4, 2018, and was built on the former site ofHarpo Productions (whereThe Oprah Winfrey Show and several other Harpo productions taped).[9][10]
The McDonald's former headquarters complex, McDonald's Plaza, is inOak Brook, Illinois. It sits on the site of the former headquarters and stabling area of Paul Butler, the founder of Oak Brook.[137] McDonald's moved into the Oak Brook facility from an office within theChicago Loop in 1971.[138]
Board of directors
As of December 2024[update], the board of directors had the following members:[139]
In March 2015,Steve Easterbrook became CEO and president of McDonald's to replace the old CEO Don Thompson.[140]
In November 2019, McDonald's board of directors voted to remove Easterbrook as CEO since he had violated corporate policies on personal conduct by entering into a relationship with a company employee.[141] He was replaced as CEO byChris Kempczinski, who had been president of McDonald's USA.[142]
In August 2022, McDonald's announced significant changes to its board. It said that existing director Sheila Penrose, chair ofJLL Inc., would retire and that Anthony Capuano, CEO ofMarriott International, executive vice president and worldwide chairman of pharmaceuticals Jennifer Taubert ofJohnson & Johnson, and Amy Weaver president and CFO ofSalesforce would join. The changes were unrelated to an effort byactivist investorCarl Icahn.[143][144][145]
Ownership
The ten largest shareholders of McDonald's on December 30, 2023[146][dead link]
Countries with McDonald's restaurants, showing their first year with its first restaurantA McDonald's restaurant located in anArt Nouveau building inSubotica, Serbia
McDonald's has become emblematic ofglobalization, sometimes referred to as the "McDonaldization" of society.The Economist newspaper uses the "Big Mac Index": the comparison of the cost of aBig Mac in various worldcurrencies can be used to informally judge these currencies'purchasing power parity. Switzerland has the most expensive Big Mac in the world as of July 2015, while the country with the least expensive Big Mac is India[147][148] (albeit for aMaharaja Mac—the next cheapest Big Mac is Hong Kong).[149] The northernmost McDonald's restaurant in the world is located inRovaniemi, Finland (after the restaurant inMurmansk, Russia was closed in 2022),[150] however from January 2024 this had changed again as McDonald's opened a new restaurant inTromsø, Norway.[151] And the southernmost in the world is located inInvercargill, New Zealand.[152]
Some observers have suggested that the company should be given credit for increasing the service standard in markets it enters. A group of anthropologists in a study entitledGolden Arches East[158] looked at McDonald's impact on East Asia and Hong Kong, particularly. When it opened in Hong Kong in 1975, McDonald's was the first restaurant to consistently offer clean restrooms, driving customers to demand the same of other restaurants and institutions. McDonald's has partnered withSinopec, the second largest oil company in the People's Republic of China, as it takes advantage of the country's growing use of personal vehicles by opening numerous drive-thru restaurants.[159]
In Beijing, China, McDonald's restaurants arestate-owned enterprises operating according to franchise agreements.[160] Beijing Capital Agricultural Group owns these franchises.[160]
McDonald's has opened a McDonald's restaurant and McCafé on the underground premises of the French fine arts museum,The Louvre.[161]
On January 9, 2017, 80% of the franchise rights in mainland China and Hong Kong were sold for US$2.08 billion to a consortium ofCITIC Limited (for 32%). Private equity funds managed byCITIC Capital (for 20%) andCarlyle (for 20%), which CITIC Limited and CITIC Capital would form a joint venture to own the stake.[163]
Changes in Russia and Ukraine
On March 8, 2022, McDonald's temporarily closed their 850 locations in Russia due to theinvasion of Ukraine, but will continue to pay the salary for 62,000 employees. Approximately nine percent of global revenue and three percent of operating profit come from Russia and 100 locations in Ukraine.[164][165][166]
On May 16, 2022, McDonald's announced that the closures would become permanent and that it was selling all its 850 stores in Russia. Furthermore, 32 years after McDonald's entered the Soviet market, the American giant wants its current business to be "de-Arched", the company plans to retain its trademarks in Russia, meaning the locations would no longer be allowed to use the McDonald's name, logo, or menu. McDonald's also said it would continue to pay its Russian employees until the sale is finalized. The company has more than 60,000 Russian employees.[167][168][169]
On June 10, 2022, a Russian McDonald's buyer announced a new logo as an attempt at rebranding. It featured one circle and two lines representing a burger and two french fries.[170] The business was rebranded asVkusno i tochka, which roughly translates to "Tasty – Period."[171][172][173] The first restaurants in Russia were opened on 12 June 2022.[174]
McDonald's will reopen its stores in Ukraine after closing them in February in non-contested areas like Kyiv and Western Ukraine. During the closure, McDonald's continued paying its employees, numbering some 10,000. Before the conflict, Ukraine had approximately 109 restaurants; it is unclear how many will reopen.[175]
On November 11, 2022, McDonald's in Belarus announced that all 25 stores in 6 cities would rebrand and operate asVkusno i tochka "in several weeks".[176]
In Kazakhstan, McDonald's suspended operations in November 2022 due to the impossibility of supplying minced meat from Russia. The franchise was transferred to Food Solutions KZ, after which the restaurants first changed their name to "We are open" (Біз ашықпыз); in August 2023, they were renamed in honor of the best employees, and in November 2023 the final rebranding was carried out. The network is now called I'M, with a heart sign used instead of a dot over the I.[177]
Since the late 1990s, McDonald's has attempted to replace employees with electronic kiosks that would perform actions such as taking orders and accepting money. In 1999, McDonald's first tested "E-Clerks" in suburban Chicago, Illinois, andWyoming, Michigan, with the devices being able to "save money on live staffers" and attracting larger purchase amounts than average employees.[178]
In 2013, theUniversity of Oxford estimated that in the succeeding decades, there was a 92% probability of food preparation and serving becoming automated in fast food establishments.[179] By 2016, McDonald's "Create Your Taste" electronic kiosks were seen in some restaurants internationally where customers could custom order meals.[180]
In March 2015, McDonald's workers in 19 U.S. cities filed 28 health and safety complaints with the U.S.Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which allege that low staffing, lack of protective gear, poor training, and pressure to work fast resulted in injuries. The complaints allege that, because of a lack offirst aid supplies, workers were told by management to treatburn injuries with condiments such asmayonnaise andmustard.[181] The Fight for $15 labor organization aided the workers in filing the complaints.[182]
In 2017, McDonald's launched an app in the United States that allows customers to skip the ordering line inside or drive through and order online. Many McDonald's locations have special parking spaces for such orders.[183]
In September 2019, McDonald's purchased an AI-based start-up, Apprente, to replace human servers with voice-based technology in its US drive-throughs.[184]
In early 2023, McDonald's opened its first largely automated restaurant inFort Worth, Texas. The restaurant in question would de-emphasize human contact when ordering, with employees available if there were problems but who would otherwise be absent from the ordering process (along with others working in the kitchen or other back-of-the-house roles). There was no seating in this restaurant.[185][186]
Workers at the McDonald's franchise at Saint-Barthélémy,Marseille, occupied the restaurant in protest against its planned closure. Employing 77 people, the restaurant is the second-biggest private sector employer in Saint-Barthélémy, which has an unemployment rate of 30 percent.[188] Lawyers for Kamel Guemari, a shop steward at the franchise, claimed an attempt was made to kill him when a car drove at him in the restaurant car park.[189][190]
South Korea
In South Korea, McDonald's pays part-time employees $5.50 an hour and is accused of paying less with arbitrary schedule adjustments and pay delays.[191]
On August 5, 2013,The Guardian revealed that 90 percent of McDonald's UK workforce are onzero-hour contracts, making it possibly the largest such private sector employer in the country.[192] In April 2017, due to employee strikes, they gave all employees the option of fixed contracts instead.[193] A study released by Fast Food Forward conducted by Anzalone Liszt Grove Research showed that approximately 84 percent of all fast food employees working in New York City in April 2013 had been paid less than their legal wages by their employers.[194]
From 2007 to 2011, fast food workers in the U.S. drew an average of $7 billion ofpublic assistance annually resulting from receiving low wages.[195] The McResource website advised employees to break their food into smaller pieces to feel fuller, seek refunds for unopened holiday purchases, sell possessions online for quick cash, and "quit complaining" as "stress hormone levels rise by 15 percent after ten minutes of complaining."[196] In December 2013, McDonald's shut down the McResource website amidst negative publicity and criticism. McDonald's plans to continue an internal telephone help line through which its employees can obtain advice on work and life problems.[197]
McDonald's has been criticized for using factory farmed fast growing chicken breeds in their supply chain.[200] These breeds are more likely to suffer from welfare issues such as broken or fractured bones, leg deformities and heart failure.[201][202]
Egg production
Since McDonald's purchases over 2 billion eggs per year, which accounts for about 4 percent of eggs produced in the United States, the switch to cage-free eggs is expected to have a major impact on the egg industry. It is part of a general trend toward cage-free eggs driven by consumer concern over the harsh living conditions of hens.[203][204] In 2014, McDonald's pledged to stop using eggs frombattery cage facilities in restaurants in Australia by 2017.[205] By January 2018, McDonald's announced they had succeeded in meeting their goal.[206] In 2015, McDonald's pledged to eliminate caged eggs in restaurants in the United States by the end of 2025, which they completed nearly two years ahead of schedule in February 2024.[207]
Animal cruelty
In 2012, McDonald's pledged to stop sourcing pork from facilities that usegestation crates in the U.S.[208] By 2023, they reported that they had achieved 96% of this goal.[209]
McDonald's has been criticized for numerous aspects of its business, including its products' health effects, employees' treatment, and other business practices. In the late 1980s,Phil Sokolof, a millionaire businessman who had suffered a heart attack at the age of 43, took out full-page newspaper ads in New York, Chicago, and other large cities accusing McDonald's menu of being a threat to American health and asking them to stop usingbeef tallow to cook theirfrench fries.[210]
In 1990, activists from a small group known asLondon Greenpeace (no connection to the international groupGreenpeace) distributed leaflets entitledWhat's wrong with McDonald's?, criticizing its environmental, health, and labor record. The corporation wrote to the group demanding they desist and apologize, and, when two of the activists refused to back down, sued them forlibel leading to the "McLibel case", one of the longest cases in English civil law.A documentary film of the McLibel Trial has been shown in several countries.[211]
Morgan Spurlock's 2004 documentary filmSuper Size Me claimed that McDonald's food was contributing to the increase ofobesity in society and that the company was failing to provide nutritional information about its food for its customers. Six weeks after the film premiered, McDonald's announced that it was eliminating the super size option and was creating the adultHappy Meal.
In response to public pressure, McDonald's has sought to include more healthy choices in its menu, announcing in May 2008 that, in the United States and Canada, it has switched to using cooking oil that contains notrans fats for its french fries, andcanola-based oil with corn and soy oils, for its baked items, pies, and cookies, by the end of 2018.[214] The company introduced a new slogan to its recruitment posters: "Not bad for aMcJob."[215]
Pro-Palestinian protest in Ottawa, Canada, November 23, 2023
Since McDonald's began receiving criticism for its environmental practices in the late 1980s, it has significantly reduced its use of materials.[216]
McDonald's has been criticized forshrinkflation, colloquially dubbed "McFlation", with increases in menu prices far exceeding inflation.[217][218][219]
In January 2024, McDonald's CEOChris Kempczinski acknowledged the public outcry, stating, "Several markets in the Middle East and some outside the region are experiencing a meaningful business impact due to the war and associated misinformation that is affecting brands like McDonald's."[227] As a result of the boycott, McDonald's bought all 225 Israeli franchise-owned restaurants.[228][229]
In 2014, McDonald's recalled 1.6 millionHello Kitty themed whistles that were distributed through Happy Meals and Mighty Kids Meals due to the whistles being achoking hazard. TheU.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission found that two children coughed up pieces of the whistles they inhaled, with one of the two children needing medical attention.[233]
In 2016, McDonald's recalled 32.6 million fitness tracker toys that were in their Happy Meals for causingblisters and burning the wearers. The issue was popularized by a parent inArkansas that posted a video onFacebook of her child getting burned by the tracker. The marketing stunt was also criticized for associating fitness and health with unhealthy food and that any benefits from the children using the tracker would be short-lived.[234]
In 2024, McDonald's supplier ofonions,Taylor Farms recalled the onions sold at McDonald's after 104 people in 14 states got sick, 34 hospitalizations, and one death fromE. Coli after eatingQuarter Pounders.[235] Colorado was the state that had the largest amount of cases and was where the one person died.[236][237]
McDonald's has been involved in severallawsuits and other legal cases, most involving trademark disputes. The company has threatened many food businesses with legal action unless it drops the 'Mc' or 'Mac' from trading names.
European Union
In April 2017, Irish fast-food chainSupermac's submitted a request to the European Union Property Office to cancel McDonald's owned trademarks within the European Union, claiming that McDonald's engaged in "trademark bullying; registering brand names... which are simply stored away in a war chest to use against future competitors", after the trademarks had prevented Supermac's from expanding out of Ireland. The EUIPO ruled in Supermac's favor, finding that McDonald's "has not proven genuine use" of many trademarks, canceling McDonald's owned trademarks such as "Big Mac" and specific "Mc"-related trademarks within the European Union.[238][239][240]
Burger King responded by "trolling" McDonald's by giving their burgers names that included the words "Big Mac" that also mocked the original burger, which included "Like a Big Mac But Juicier", "Like a Big Mac, But Actually Big" and "Big Mac-ish But Flame-Grilled of Course."[241]
In 2023, the EUIPO Board of Appeal partially annulled their decision after McDonald's filed 700 pages of additional evidence despite objections.[242] However, on further appeal to theEuropean Court of Justice, the court ruled in 2024 that McDonald's had failed to prove the use of the Big Mac trademark in relation to chicken products or services associated with operating restaurants, meaning Supermac's and other businesses are now free to use the "Mac" in their business names and in names for poultry products in Europe. McDonald's retains the Big Mac trademark solely for its beef burgers.[243][244][245]
The McDonald's group has had proceedings taken against it by the French Tax Authorities, with possible charges of criminal tax fraud. In July 2022, the group reached an agreement with the French judicial authorities to end criminal proceedings for tax fraud.[246]
Malaysia
On September 8, 2009, McDonald's Malaysian operations lost a lawsuit to prevent another restaurant from calling itself McCurry. McDonald's lost in an appeal to Malaysia's highest court, the Federal Court.[247] On December 29, 2016, McDonald's Malaysia issued a statement that said only certified halal cakes are allowed inside its restaurants nationwide.[248]
Australia
In April 2007, inPerth, Western Australia, McDonald's pleaded guilty to five charges relating to the employment of children under 15 in one of its outlets and was fined A$8,000.[249]
McDonald's workers said they were facing sexual abuse andharassment, a year after there boss promised to clean up behavior at the fast-food chain. One 19-year-old worker, Matt, told theBBC some of his colleagues were scared of going into work, and that managers would "touch up" other members of staff. Since the BBC's original investigation into the company, the UK equality watchdog has heard 300 reported incidents of harassment.[250]
United Kingdom
The longest-running legal action of all time in the UK was theMcLibel case against two defendants who criticized several aspects of the company. The trial lasted ten years and called 130 witnesses. TheEuropean Court of Human Rights deemed that the unequal resources of the litigants breached the defendants' rights to freedom of speech and biased the trial. The result was widely seen as a "PR disaster" for McDonald's.[251]
In 2021, it emerged that at least 50 employees had filed charges against the chains regarding harassment in the workplace in five years, leading to the company instituting anti-harassment training. Some of the complainants also stated that they were verbally and physically harassed in retaliation for their complaints.[252] In 2023, the BBC conducted an investigation, and reported that more than 100 current and recent UK workers at outlets of the fast-food chain allege there is a continuing toxic culture of sexual assault, harassment, racism and bullying.[253]
In January 2025, it was reported that over 700 young workers had filed lawsuits against McDonald's UK, alleging widespread harassment and discrimination. The claims, handled by the law firm Leigh Day, involved current and former employees under the age of 20 and spanned more than 450 restaurants. Following a BBC investigation in July 2023, testimonies highlighted issues such as racism, homophobia, ableism, and harassment. McDonald's UK, dismissed 29 workers for sexual harassment in 2023 and established a specialist unit to investigate such allegations. However, unions argued that these measures did not resolve the issues. Employees shared accounts of inappropriate behavior, including homophobic remarks, sexual advances, and unwanted physical contact from managers. Similar allegations had been raised in 2019, with the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union reporting over 1,000 cases of harassment involving female employees.[254] In March 2025, the Equality and Human Rights Commission wrote to all 1,400 McDonald's branches telling them they must comply with their legal duties, or risk enforcement action.[255]
United States
The 1994 court caseLiebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants examined a McDonald's practice of serving coffee so hot that when spilled, it causedthird degree burns requiring weeks of hospitalization andskin grafting surgery.[256] The trial outcome was an award of $2.86 million (equivalent to $5.33 million in 2023) for the plaintiff, 81-year old Stella Liebeck.[256] The amount was later reduced to $640,000 (equivalent to $1.2 million in 2023). In 2019, a McDonald's employee, Jenna Ries, sued the restaurant chain over allowingsexual harassment in the workplace and described theworking environment as "toxic".[257]
In 2023, an investigation by theUnited States Department of Labor foundchild labor violations at McDonald's franchises in the state of Kentucky, which involved over 300 children, two of them 10-year-olds. A total of $212,000 was levied against three franchises for the violations.[258] Further investigations uncovered child labor violations involving 83 minors at 16 different locations in Louisiana and Texas, with imposed fines amounting to $77,572.[259]
McDonald's has maintained an extensive advertising campaign for decades. In addition to the usual media (television, radio, and newspaper), the company makes significant use of billboards and signage. Also, it sponsors sporting events ranging fromLittle League to theFIFA World Cup andOlympic Games.[260] Television has been central to the company's advertising strategy.[261] To date, McDonald's has used 23 different slogans in United States advertising, as well as a few other slogans for select countries and regions.[262]
In 1992, basketball playerMichael Jordan became the first celebrity to have a McDonald's value meal named after him. The "McJordan", a Quarter Pounder with pickles, raw onion slices, bacon, and barbecue sauce, was available at Chicago franchises.[263]
In March 2014, a unique "Sprite 6 Mix by LeBron James" flavor of Sprite featuring the flavors of lemon-lime, orange, and cherry debuted just before theNBA playoffs.[264] James' endorsement of Sprite has also included the seasonal "cranberry" and "winter-spiced cranberry" editions of the beverage. James' deal with Coca-Cola and Sprite ended in 2020, with a new partnership withPepsi andMountain Dew launching in 2021.[265]
In September 2020, McDonald's partnered with rapperTravis Scott to release the "Travis Scott Meal", a Quarter Pounder with cheese, bacon, lettuce, pickles, ketchup, and mustard; medium fries with barbecue sauce; and a Sprite, nationwide. Scott designed new uniforms for McDonald's employees and released Cactus Jack merchandise using vintage visuals from the fast food chain's history.[266] The company followed up with the "J Balvin Meal", a Big Mac with no pickles; fries with ketchup; and an Oreo McFlurry, in a partnership withreggaeton singerJ Balvin.[267]LeBron James was a spokesman for McDonald's from 2003 to 2017[268] while co-endorsingCoca-Cola-Sprite since early in his career.[269]
In 2021, McDonald's partnered with Koreanboy groupBTS to release the "BTS Meal" in 50 countries around the world, starting on May 26 in select countries. The meal consists of a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, medium fries, medium Coke, and for the first time in the United States, two spicy dipping sauces:Sweet Chili andCajun.[270]
In January 2025,WNBA playerAngel Reese became the first woman to partner with McDonald's, creating the Angel Reese Special.[271] The meal consists of a Quarter Pounder with cheese, bacon, a new barbecue sauce, medium fries, and a medium orangeHi-C or any choice of drink.[272] Ordering it as a double Quarter Pounder was promoted in reference to Reese's consistentdouble-doubles during games.[273]
Space exploration
McDonald's andNASA explored an advertising agreement for a planned mission to the asteroid449 Hamburga; however, the spacecraft was eventually canceled.[274]
McDonald's entered theNASCAR Cup Series in 1977, sponsoringRichard Childress for one race. Between the years 1977 and 1986, McDonald's would only sponsor a handful of races in a season. In 1993, McDonald's became the full-time sponsor for the No. 27Junior Johnson & AssociatesFord, driven byHut Stricklin.[275] In 1994, Stricklin was replaced in the car byJimmy Spencer, who would go on to win twice that season. The following season McDonald's would move over to the No. 94Bill Elliott Racing Ford, driven by team-ownerBill Elliott.[276] McDonald's stayed with Elliott until the 2001 season when they moved again, this time to the No. 96PPI Motorsports Ford, driven by rookieAndy Houston. However, when the team failed to field a car for the entire season, McDonald's became absent from NASCAR until 2004, when it joinedEvernham Motorsports as a part-time sponsor for drivers Elliott,Kasey Kahne,Elliott Sadler,A. J. Allmendinger, andReed Sorenson until 2010.[275]
McDonald's is the title sponsor of theMcDonald's All-American Game, an all-star basketball game played each year for the top-ranked amateur boys' and girls'high school basketball graduates in America.
McHappy Day is an annual event at McDonald's, during which a percentage of the day's sales go to charity. It is the signature fundraising event forRonald McDonald House Charities.[284]
In 2007, McHappy Day was celebrated in primarilyCanada.[285]
According to the Australian McHappy Day website, McHappy Day raised $20.4 million in 2009. The goal for 2010 was $20.8 million.[286]
In 1995,St. Jude Children's Research Hospital received an anonymous letter postmarked in Dallas, Texas, containing a $1 million winningMcDonald's Monopoly game piece. McDonald's officials came to the hospital, accompanied by a representative from the accounting firm Arthur Andersen, who examined the card under a jeweler's eyepiece, handled it with plastic gloves, and verified it as a winner.[287]
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^"Ray Kroc".Entrepreneur. October 9, 2008.Archived from the original on December 17, 2020. RetrievedMay 29, 2019.
^Eidelson, Josh (November 19, 2013)."McDonald's tells workers to "sing away stress," "chew away cares" and go to church".Salon.Archived from the original on August 21, 2014. RetrievedAugust 21, 2014.These and other tips appear on a "McResource Line" website created by the McDonald's Corp. to advise workers on stress, health and personal finances. Among the tips that appear on the site: "Chewing gum can reduce cortisol levels by 16%"; "At least two vacations a year can cut heart attack risk by 50%"; "Singing along to your favorite songs can lower your blood pressure"; and "People who attend more church services tend to have lower blood pressure."
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