McDonald's Plans Massive Hiring of 375,000 Workers This Summer

2025-05-13 companies

United States, Tuesday, 13 May 2025.
McDonald’s will hire up to 375,000 employees in its largest U.S. hiring drive in five years, amidst a backdrop of sales decline and plans to open 900 new locations by 2027.

Strategic Hiring Initiative

McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE: MCD) has announced an ambitious plan to hire up to 375,000 new employees across its U.S. locations this summer. This move is the biggest employment drive by the company in five years, intended to prepare for the anticipated uptick in customers during the busy summer season. The announcement, which took place on 12 May 2025, was made at an event near Columbus, Ohio, with the presence of U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer [1][2].

Expansion Plans and Economic Impact

As part of its broader growth strategy, McDonald’s aims to open 900 new restaurants across the United States by 2027, increasing its current base of over 13,500 locations. This expansion is a key factor behind the extensive hiring push. Joe Erlinger, President of McDonald’s USA, emphasized that investing in the workforce not only benefits the company’s competitiveness but also positively impacts local communities [1][3][5]. McDonald’s workforce will not exceed 1.1 million, considering an industry-standard turnover rate [8].

Addressing Sales Declines

The hiring initiative comes against a backdrop of financial challenges for McDonald’s, which reported a 3.6% drop in same-store sales in the United States for Q1 2025. This decline is the largest since 2020, indicating a potential pullback in consumer spending patterns. CEO Chris Kempczinski noted that the economic pressures leading to fewer customer visits are significant, particularly among lower and middle-income consumers [1][3][5].

Investing in Employees and Community

Beyond addressing immediate staffing needs, McDonald’s continues to invest in long-term employee development through its Archways to Opportunity program. Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2025, the program has provided over $240 million in educational and career advancement opportunities to more than 90,000 employees. This commitment underscores the company’s focus on creating pathways for career growth and skill development within its workforce [6][7][9].

Sources

McDonald's employment