McDonald's announced on Monday its ambitious plan to hire up to 375,000 employees across its U.S. restaurants this summer, marking the company's largest hiring initiative in several years. This significant hiring push is attributed, in part, to McDonald’s expansion efforts within the United States.
The Chicago-based fast-food giant currently operates over 13,500 locations in the U.S. and aims to launch an additional 900 restaurants by the year 2027. This aggressive expansion strategy reflects McDonald’s confidence in the future of the U.S. restaurant market and its recovery trajectory.
U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer attended a press event at a McDonald’s restaurant near Columbus, Ohio, where she joined the company's U.S. President Joe Erlinger to make the hiring announcement. DeRemer emphasized the positive impact of McDonald's hiring on workers and communities, suggesting that the increase in job openings will drive economic investment and standardize growth within the industry. She noted that these positions can serve as a springboard for diverse career paths or facilitate internal promotion opportunities.
Prior to this, McDonald’s last major summer hiring initiative occurred in 2020, when the company sought to employ 260,000 workers as a response to reopening restaurants that had been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to ramp up hiring for this summer indicates the company’s optimism about a rebound in U.S. restaurant traffic as 2023 progresses.
During the first quarter of 2023, McDonald's experienced a 3.6% decline in same-store sales, which represents the largest drop since the pandemic began. Concerns regarding inflation and economic uncertainty led to lower and middle-income consumers reducing their fast-food spending during this period. Despite this, other industry players appear to hold a similar optimistic outlook; the National Restaurant Association reported that U.S. restaurants and bars added over 46,000 jobs in March and April. Chipotle has also expressed intentions to hire around 20,000 employees.
The overall job market remains robust, with American employers adding 177,000 jobs in April, signaling resilience in employment trends despite economic uncertainties driven by trade policies and global dynamics.
Additionally, McDonald's used the event to commemorate the 10th anniversary of its Archways to Opportunity program, which has provided tuition assistance, English language lessons, and career services to more than 90,000 employees. The fast-food chain stated that it has allocated $240 million in tuition assistance through this initiative. Anamaria Monterroso, an eight-year employee, shared her personal journey, stating that the Archways program is helping her become the first member of her family to graduate from college as she pursues a degree in human resources at Colorado Technical University. Monterroso highlighted the idea that working in fast food does not limit one's aspirations.
