History of McDonald's in Timeline

McDonald's is a prominent American multinational fast food chain. As of 2024, it ranks as the second-largest globally in terms of the number of locations. It operates under the McDonald's brand name.

1971: Move to Oak Brook

In 1971, McDonald's moved its headquarters from an office within the Chicago Loop to the McDonald's Plaza in Oak Brook, Illinois. The complex is located on the former headquarters of Paul Butler, the founder of Oak Brook.

1975: McDonald's Opens in Hong Kong

In 1975, McDonald's opened in Hong Kong and was the first restaurant to consistently offer clean restrooms, which drove customers to demand the same from other establishments.

1977: McDonald's enters NASCAR Cup Series

In 1977, McDonald's entered the NASCAR Cup Series, sponsoring Richard Childress for one race.

1986: McDonald's sponsors a handful of NASCAR races

Between 1977 and 1986, McDonald's only sponsored a handful of races in a season.

1990: McLibel Case Begins

In 1990, McDonald's sued two activists from London Greenpeace for libel after they distributed leaflets criticizing its environmental, health, and labor record, leading to the "McLibel case".

1990: McDonald's Opens in Russia

McDonald's began operating in Russia in 1990.

1992: Introduction of the McJordan Meal

In 1992, basketball player Michael Jordan became the first celebrity to have a McDonald's value meal named after him. The "McJordan" was available at Chicago franchises.

1993: McDonald's becomes full-time sponsor for Junior Johnson & Associates Ford

In 1993, McDonald's became the full-time sponsor for the No. 27 Junior Johnson & Associates Ford, driven by Hut Stricklin.

1994: Jimmy Spencer replaces Hut Stricklin

In 1994, Jimmy Spencer replaced Hut Stricklin in the No. 27 Junior Johnson & Associates Ford, and Spencer went on to win twice that season.

1994: Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants court case

In 1994, the court case Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants examined a McDonald's practice of serving coffee so hot that when spilled, it caused third degree burns requiring weeks of hospitalization and skin grafting surgery.

1995: $1 million winning McDonald's Monopoly game piece donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

In 1995, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital received an anonymous letter containing a $1 million winning McDonald's Monopoly game piece. The authenticity was verified by McDonald's officials and Arthur Andersen.

1999: Testing of E-Clerks

In 1999, McDonald's first tested "E-Clerks" (electronic kiosks) in suburban Chicago, Illinois, and Wyoming, Michigan, as a means to save money on staffing and potentially increase purchase amounts.

2001: Fast Food Nation Publication

According to Eric Schlosser's book Fast Food Nation published in 2001, nearly one in eight workers in the U.S. have at some time been employed by McDonald's. McDonald's Corp. encourages employees to maintain their health through stress relief activities.

Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal

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2001: Publication of Fast Food Nation

In 2001, Eric Schlosser's book Fast Food Nation criticised aspects of McDonald's business practices, particularly political lobbying and targeting advertisements to children.

Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal

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2001: McDonald's moves to Bill Elliott Racing Ford

In the 2001 season McDonald's moved to the No. 94 Bill Elliott Racing Ford, driven by team-owner Bill Elliott.

2003: LeBron James becomes a spokesman for McDonald's

In 2003, LeBron James became a spokesman for McDonald's, while co-endorsing Coca-Cola-Sprite since early in his career.

2004: McDonald's joins Evernham Motorsports as part-time sponsor

In 2004, McDonald's joined Evernham Motorsports as a part-time sponsor for drivers Elliott, Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler, A. J. Allmendinger, and Reed Sorenson.

2004: Release of Super Size Me

In 2004, Morgan Spurlock's documentary film Super Size Me claimed that McDonald's food was contributing to increased obesity and that the company was failing to provide nutritional information about its food. Shortly after the film's release, McDonald's eliminated the super size option and created the adult Happy Meal.

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2007: Public Assistance for Fast Food Workers

From 2007 to 2011, fast food workers in the U.S. drew an average of $7 billion of public assistance annually due to low wages.

May 2008: Switch to trans fat-free cooking oil

In May 2008, McDonald's announced that in the United States and Canada, it had switched to using cooking oil that contains no trans fats for its french fries.

September 8, 2009: McDonald's lawsuit against McCurry lost

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.

2009: McHappy Day raised $20.4 million

According to the Australian McHappy Day website, McHappy Day raised $20.4 million in 2009.

2010: Rise in Franchisee Rent Payments

Between 2010 and 2015, rental payments from franchisees to McDonald's rose by 26%, accounting for one-fifth of the company's total revenue by the end of the period. The revenue from rental payments is significant because McDonald's owns the land of many of its restaurants.

2010: McDonald's partnership with Chip Ganassi Racing

During the 2010 season, McDonald's entered its longest partnership with a team at Chip Ganassi Racing, sponsoring the No. 1 Chevrolet driven by Jamie McMurray.

2010: End of McDonald's sponsorship with Evernham Motorsports

McDonald's sponsorship with Evernham Motorsports ended in 2010.

2010: McHappy Day goal for 2010

The goal for McHappy Day in 2010 was to raise $20.8 million.

2011: Public Assistance for Fast Food Workers

From 2007 to 2011, fast food workers in the U.S. drew an average of $7 billion of public assistance annually due to low wages.

2012: First Vegetarian-Only Restaurant in India

In 2012, McDonald's opened its first vegetarian-only restaurant in Amritsar, India.

December 2013: McResource Website Shutdown

In December 2013, McDonald's shut down the McResource website amidst negative publicity and criticism. The website had provided advice to employees on managing their finances and health.

2013: Zero-Hour Contracts in the UK

As of 2013, 90% of McDonald's UK workforce was on zero-hour contracts, potentially making it the largest such private sector employer in the country.

2013: Automation Probability

In 2013, the University of Oxford estimated a 92% probability of food preparation and serving becoming automated in fast food establishments in the following decades.

August 2014: McDonald's Operations in Russia

In August 2014, McDonald's had 438 stores across Russia and had been operating in the country since 1990.

August 20, 2014: Temporary Shutdown of Moscow Outlets

On August 20, 2014, the Russian government temporarily shut down four McDonald's outlets in Moscow, citing sanitary concerns amid rising tensions between the United States and Russia over the annexation of Crimea.

August 23, 2014: Russian Government Dismisses Ban

On August 23, 2014, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich dismissed the notion of a government ban on McDonald's and denied that the temporary closures were related to U.S. sanctions.

October 2014: "Our Food. Your Questions." Transparency Campaign Launched

In October 2014, McDonald's USA launched the "Our Food. Your Questions." transparency campaign, inviting customers to submit questions online and publishing behind-the-scenes content about its ingredients, sourcing, and food preparation.

2014: Pledge to stop using eggs from battery cage facilities in Australia

In 2014, McDonald's pledged to stop using eggs from battery cage facilities in restaurants in Australia by 2017.

March 2015: Health and Safety Complaints Filed

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, alleging low staffing, lack of protective gear, poor training, and pressure to work fast resulted in injuries.

July 2015: Big Mac Index

As of July 2015, Switzerland had the most expensive Big Mac globally, while India had the least expensive (Maharaja Mac). The Economist's "Big Mac Index" is used to compare the cost of a Big Mac in various currencies to judge purchasing power parity.

November 10, 2015: Investor Conference Announcement

On November 10, 2015, McDonald's announced at its investor conference that it would not spin off its U.S. holdings into a real estate investment trust (REIT) due to the risk it posed to the company's business model. CEO Steve Easterbrook discussed this decision.

2015: Hamburger University Locations

As of 2015, McDonald's trains its franchisees and management at Hamburger Universities located in Oak Brook, Tokyo, London, Sydney, Munich, São Paulo, Shanghai, and Moscow. In other countries, McDonald's restaurants are operated by joint ventures of McDonald's Corporation and other, local entities or governments.

2015: Steve Easterbrook Appointed CEO and President

In 2015, Steve Easterbrook became the CEO and president of McDonald's, replacing Don Thompson.

June 13, 2016: McDonald's Confirms Headquarters Move to Chicago

On June 13, 2016, McDonald's confirmed its plans to move its global headquarters to Chicago's West Loop neighborhood in the Near West Side.

December 29, 2016: Halal cake policy in Malaysia

On December 29, 2016, McDonald's Malaysian issued a statement that said only certified halal cakes are allowed inside its restaurants nationwide.

2016: Introduction of Create Your Taste Kiosks

By 2016, McDonald's "Create Your Taste" electronic kiosks were implemented in some restaurants internationally, allowing customers to custom order meals.

January 9, 2017: Sale of Franchise Rights in China and Hong Kong

On January 9, 2017, McDonald's sold 80% of the franchise rights in mainland China and Hong Kong for US$2.08 billion to a consortium of CITIC Limited, CITIC Capital, and Carlyle.

April 2017: Fixed Contracts Offered

In April 2017, after workers engaged in labor strike, all McDonald's UK employees were given the option of fixed contracts.

April 2017: Supermac's request to cancel McDonald's trademarks within the EU

In April 2017, the Irish fast-food chain Supermac'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".

September 2017: Strike Over Zero-Hours Contracts

In September 2017, two British McDonald's stores agreed to a strike over zero-hours contracts for staff, with picket lines formed around the stores in Crayford and Cambridge.

2017: McDonald's pledged to stop using eggs from battery cage facilities in Australia

In 2014, McDonald's pledged to stop using eggs from battery cage facilities in restaurants in Australia by 2017.

2017: End of LeBron James's spokesman role for McDonald's

In 2017, LeBron James ended his role as a spokesman for McDonald's, having been a spokesman since 2003.

2017: Launch of McDonald's App

In 2017, McDonald's launched an app in the United States that allowed customers to skip the ordering line inside or drive through and order online. Many locations provided special parking spaces for these orders.

June 4, 2018: Opening of New Global Headquarters

On June 4, 2018, McDonald's opened its new 608,000-square-foot global headquarters in Chicago on the former site of Harpo Productions.

2018: Switch to canola-based oil

By the end of 2018, McDonald's switched to using canola-based oil with corn and soy oils for its baked items, pies, and cookies in the United States and Canada.

2018: McDonald's fulfills pledge to stop using eggs from battery cage facilities in Australia

In 2018, McDonald's met its 2014 pledge to stop using eggs from battery cage facilities in restaurants in Australia.

September 2019: Acquisition of Apprente

In September 2019, McDonald's purchased Apprente, an AI-based start-up, to replace human servers with voice-based technology in its US drive-throughs.

2019: Steve Easterbrook Removed as CEO

In 2019, McDonald's board of directors removed Steve Easterbrook as CEO for violating corporate policies on personal conduct. Chris Kempczinski, the president of McDonald's USA, replaced him as CEO.

2019: Jenna Ries sues McDonald's over sexual harassment

In 2019, a McDonald's employee, Jenna Ries, sued the restaurant chain over allowing sexual harassment in the workplace and described the working environment as "toxic".

2019: Reports of harassment involving female employees

In 2019, the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union reported over 1,000 cases of harassment involving female employees at McDonald's UK.

2019: Jamie McMurray's final race

McDonald's sponsored the No. 1 Chevrolet driven by Jamie McMurray until his final race in the 2019 Daytona 500. Also in 2019 McDonald's had a one-race partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports' No. 43 Chevrolet driven by Bubba Wallace.

September 2020: Release of the Travis Scott Meal

In September 2020, McDonald's partnered with rapper Travis Scott to release the "Travis Scott Meal" nationwide. Scott designed new uniforms for McDonald's employees and released Cactus Jack merchandise using vintage visuals from the fast food chain's history.

2020: Kyle Larson suspension

In 2020, McDonald's sponsored CGR's No. 42 of Kyle Larson until his suspension, and also had a one-race partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports' No. 43 Chevrolet driven by Bubba Wallace in 2020.

2021: Animal Rising blockaded UK distribution centers

In 2021, Animal Rising blockaded four UK distribution centers using bamboo towers, leading to food shortages at restaurants, citing "suffering of animals" in the McDonald's supply chain as a motivating factor.

2021: McDonald's works with Ross Chastain and Bubba Wallace

In 2021, McDonald's continued working with the No. 42 under new driver Ross Chastain and also joined Wallace's new team 23XI Racing as a "founding partner".

2021: McDonald's partners with BTS for the BTS Meal

In 2021, McDonald's partnered with Korean boy group BTS to release the "BTS Meal" in 50 countries around the world, starting on May 26 in select countries.

2021: Employee harassment charges and anti-harassment training

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.

March 2022: McDonald's Closes and Sells Locations in Russia

In March 2022, McDonald's closed and sold its 850 locations in Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine. The restaurants were sold to a Russian buyer and rebranded as Vkusno i tochka.

July 2022: Agreement with French judicial authorities to end criminal proceedings for tax fraud

In July 2022, the McDonald's group reached an agreement with the French judicial authorities to end criminal proceedings for tax fraud.

August 2022: Changes to the Board of Directors

In August 2022, McDonald's announced significant changes to its board. Sheila Penrose retired, and Anthony Capuano, Jennifer Taubert, and Amy Weaver joined the board. These changes were unrelated to efforts by activist investor Carl Icahn.

2022: Donations to Ronald McDonald House Charities

In 2022, over $182 million were donated to Ronald McDonald House Charities from McDonald's, its franchisees, and its customers.

2022: Closure of Murmansk Restaurant

In 2022, the northernmost McDonald's restaurant in Murmansk, Russia was closed.

July 2023: BBC investigation highlights racism, homophobia, ableism, and harassment

Following a BBC investigation in July 2023, testimonies highlighted issues such as racism, homophobia, ableism, and harassment within McDonald's UK.

2023: Child labor violations at McDonald's franchises in Kentucky

In 2023, an investigation by the United States Department of Labor found child 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.

2023: BBC investigation reports toxic culture of sexual assault, harassment, racism and bullying

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.

2023: EUIPO Board of Appeal partially annuls decision

In 2023, the EUIPO Board of Appeal partially annulled their decision after McDonald's filed 700 pages of additional evidence despite objections.

2023: First Largely Automated Restaurant

In early 2023, McDonald's opened its first largely automated restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas, emphasizing de-emphasized human contact during ordering.

January 2024: Northernmost McDonald's Restaurant

In January 2024, the northernmost McDonald's restaurant in the world was located in Tromsø, Norway.

December 2024: Board of Directors

As of December 2024, the board of directors had the following members.

2024: Value of Liebeck v McDonald's settlement in 2024 dollars

In 1994, Stella Liebeck was awarded 2.86 million dollars which is equivalent to $5.47 million in 2024, but the amount was later reduced to $640,000 which is equivalent to $1.2 million in 2024.

2024: McDonald's unsuccessful in EU proceedings against Supermac's

In 2024, McDonald's had been unsuccessful in similar proceedings against Supermac's in the EU.

2024: European Court of Justice rules against McDonald's Big Mac trademark for chicken products

In 2024, the European Court of Justice ruled 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.

January 2025: Angel Reese partners with McDonald's for the Angel Reese Special

In January 2025, WNBA player Angel Reese became the first woman to partner with McDonald's, creating the Angel Reese Special. Ordering the meal as a double Quarter Pounder was promoted in reference to Reese's consistent double-doubles during games.

January 2025: Lawsuits filed against McDonald's UK for harassment and discrimination

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 involved current and former employees under the age of 20 and spanned more than 450 restaurants.

March 2025: Equality and Human Rights Commission demands compliance from McDonald's UK branches

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.

June 2025: McDonald's attempts to block Supermac's expansion into the UK

In June 2025, it was reported that McDonald's was attempting to block the expansion of the Irish chain Supermac's into the UK market and intended to proceed with IPO trademark court proceedings in the UK.

2025: McDonald's Revenue Decline in US

In 2025, McDonald's revenue in the U.S. experienced a 3.6% decline during the first three months due to U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff plans. This marked the largest sales drop in the U.S. since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2027: Expansion of loyalty program and digital ordering system

McDonald's plans to expand the McDonald's loyalty program from 150 million to 250 million 90-day active users by 2027. McDonald's is also planning to expand its digital ordering system to 30% of deliveries originating from their app by 2027.