McDonald’s has announced ambitious expansion plans for the German market. The fast-food chain aims to create over 10,000 new jobs in Germany by 2027 through significant growth initiatives.
Expansion strategy and job creation
McDonald’s sees substantial growth potential in the German market and plans to significantly expand its offerings. Christoph Gehrig, Chief Financial Officer of McDonald’s Germany, told the Funke Mediengruppe newspapers, “We believe in Germany as a location and will continue to grow strongly here.”
This year, the company will open 25 new restaurants, each employing around 50 staff members, creating approximately 1,250 new jobs. Over the next three years, the expansion pace is set to accelerate to 75 new branches annually. By 2027, this growth is expected to generate more than 10,000 new jobs.
Focus on drive-thru and high-traffic locations
According to Gehrig, McDonald’s plans to open 500 new fast-food restaurants in Germany in the medium term, particularly in high-traffic locations such as highways and train stations. “We are focusing on expanding drive-thru locations because Germany is still a car-centric country. I don’t see this changing in the short term,” Gehrig stated.
The company is also investing in e-mobility, with electric charging stations already installed at 600 of its 1,050 drive-thru restaurants. Future drive-thrus will be equipped with two lanes instead of one to improve efficiency.
Challenges and digital transformation
Gehrig described staff recruitment as challenging and called for reducing hiring barriers, particularly for refugees. “We employ people from more than 160 countries. However, we see potential for improvement in reducing bureaucratic hurdles, especially when it comes to hiring refugees,” he said.
Digital ordering methods through self-service terminals and the McDonald’s app are expected to play an even larger role in the future. Currently, 80% of in-restaurant guests order via self-service terminals, 6% through the app, and only 14% at the counter. However, Gehrig assured that traditional ordering and payment methods would remain available as long as customers desire them.
According to the company’s data, McDonald’s currently operates over 1,400 restaurants in Germany with more than 65,000 employees.
