History of McDonald's in Timeline

McDonald's Corporation is a globally recognized American fast-food chain. As of 2024, it leads in revenue and holds the second-largest number of locations worldwide, only surpassed by Mixue Ice Cream & Tea. It is a multinational restaurant chain.

May 15, 1940: First McDonald's Opens in San Bernardino

On May 15, 1940, Richard and Maurice McDonald opened the first McDonald's restaurant at 1398 North E Street at West 14th Street in San Bernardino, California.

1940: McDonald's Founded

In 1940, brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald founded McDonald's as a hamburger stand in San Bernardino, California.

1948: Introduction of "Speedee Service System"

In 1948, the McDonald brothers introduced the "Speedee Service System", streamlining operations and simplifying the menu to nine items: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, three soft drink flavors in one 12-ounce size, milk, coffee, potato chips, and pie.

1953: Golden Arches Logo Introduced

In 1953, the Golden Arches logo was introduced, becoming a recognizable symbol for the McDonald's brand.

April 15, 1955: Ray Kroc's First McDonald's Restaurant

On April 15, 1955, Ray Kroc opened his first franchised McDonald's restaurant, marking the ninth location overall. This location was later demolished in 1984.

1955: Ray Kroc Joins McDonald's

In 1955, Ray Kroc, a businessman, joined McDonald's as a franchise agent, marking a pivotal moment in the company's expansion.

1961: Kroc Purchases McDonald Brothers' Equity

In 1961, Ray Kroc purchased the McDonald brothers' equity in the company for $2.7 million, initiating the company's worldwide expansion.

1961: Ray Kroc Buys McDonald's

Ray Kroc bought the McDonald's company in 1961 from the McDonald brothers, setting the stage for its international growth.

1962: Golden Arches Replaced Speedee

In 1962, the Golden Arches replaced Speedee, a hamburger-headed chef, as the universal mascot of McDonald's.

1963: Ronald McDonald Introduced

In 1963, the clown mascot Ronald McDonald was introduced to market the McDonald's chain to children.

1970: Last Time with Decrease in US Locations

1970 was the last time McDonald's had a net decrease in the number of locations in the United States, prior to 2015.

1971: Move to Oak Brook

In 1971, McDonald's relocated its headquarters from an office within the Chicago Loop to McDonald's Plaza in Oak Brook, Illinois, which was formerly the headquarters and stabling area of Paul Butler, the founder of Oak Brook.

1971: San Bernardino Restaurant Torn Down

In 1971, the original McDonald's restaurant in San Bernardino was torn down.

1975: Introduction of Drive-Thru

In 1975, McDonald's first introduced the drive-thru concept, known as Drive-Thru, Auto-Mac, Pay and Drive, or "McDrive", in Sierra Vista, Arizona.

1975: Opening in Hong Kong

In 1975, McDonald's was the first restaurant to consistently offer clean restrooms when it opened in Hong Kong, driving customers to demand the same of other restaurants and institutions.

1977: McDonald's enters the NASCAR Cup Series

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

1984: Demolition of Kroc's First Restaurant

In 1984, Ray Kroc's first McDonald's restaurant was demolished in response to the San Ysidro McDonald's massacre.

1986: McDonald's sponsors a handful of NASCAR races

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

1986: First Drive-Thru in Britain

In 1986, the first McDonald's drive-thru restaurant in Britain opened in Fallowfield, Manchester.

1987: PlayPlaces Renamed

In 1987, McDonald's renamed Playlands to PlayPlaces and began to make them out of softer materials.

1990: McLibel Case

In 1990, after activists from London Greenpeace distributed leaflets criticizing McDonald's, the corporation sued them for libel, leading to the "McLibel case", one of the longest cases in English civil law.

1990: McDonald's Operations in Russia

McDonald's has operated in Russia since 1990 and had 438 stores across the country in August 2014.

1992: Michael Jordan's McJordan meal at McDonald's

In 1992, Michael Jordan became the first celebrity to have a McDonald's value meal named after him. The "McJordan" meal was available at Chicago franchises, leading to envy from fans in other regions.

1993: McCafé Concept Creation

In 1993, McDonald's Australia created the McCafé concept, a café-style accompaniment to McDonald's restaurants, starting with Melbourne.

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

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, who went on to win twice that season.

1994: Hearth Express Experiment

In 1994, McDonald's attempted Hearth Express, a prototype specializing in homestyle takeout meals such as meatloaf, fried chicken, and baked ham. The experiment started with a single location in Darien, Illinois but closed after one year.

1994: McDonald's Bans Smoking in US Locations

In 1994, McDonald's banned smoking at the 1,400 United States locations it wholly owned, promoting a smoke-free environment.

1994: Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants trial

The 1994 court case Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants examined McDonald's practice of serving coffee so hot that when spilled, it caused third-degree burns. The trial resulted in an initial award of $2.86 million for the plaintiff, Stella Liebeck, which was later reduced to $640,000.

1995: St. Jude receives winning McDonald's Monopoly game piece

In 1995, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital received an anonymous letter containing a $1 million winning McDonald's Monopoly game piece.

1996: McDonald's Buys Georgie Pie Fast Food Chain

In 1996, McDonald's bought out the Georgie Pie fast food chain in New Zealand, before partially relaunching it.

1997: Yearlong Sales Drop

In 1997, McDonald's sales dropped for the entirety of the year.

1998: Site Sold to Juan Pollo

In 1998, the site of the original McDonald's restaurant in San Bernardino was sold to the Juan Pollo chain.

1999: Acquisition of Aroma Café

In 1999, McDonald's acquired a small share of Aroma Café.

1999: E-Clerks Tested

In 1999, McDonald's first tested "E-Clerks" in suburban Chicago, Illinois, and Wyoming, Michigan.

2001: Fast Food Nation

According to Eric Schlosser's book, Fast Food Nation, in 2001, nearly one in eight workers in the U.S. have at some time been employed by McDonald's.

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

Check it on Amazon

2001: Criticism in Fast Food Nation

In 2001, Eric Schlosser's book Fast Food Nation critiqued McDonald's business practices, including its political lobbying and targeting advertisements to children.

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

Check it on Amazon

2001: Divestment from Aroma Café

In 2001, McDonald's divested from Aroma Café.

2001: McDonald's moves to Bill Elliott Racing Ford

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

December 2003: Divestment from Donatos Pizza

McDonald's owned Donatos Pizza until December 2003, when it divested from the pizza chain.

2003: LeBron James becomes a spokesman for McDonald's

In 2003, LeBron James became a spokesman for McDonald's, and remained so until 2017.

2004: McDonald's joins Evernham Motorsports

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: Super Size Me Documentary

In 2004, Morgan Spurlock's documentary Super Size Me claimed that McDonald's food contributed to obesity, prompting McDonald's to eliminate the super size option and create the adult Happy Meal.

June 20, 2006: Partnership with Sinopec

On June 20, 2006, McDonald's partnered with Sinopec to open drive-throughs at Chinese petrol stations, tapping into China's growing car culture.

October 2006: Full Divestment from Chipotle

In October 2006, McDonald's fully divested from Chipotle Mexican Grill through a stock exchange.

2006: Introduction of "Forever Young" Brand

In 2006, McDonald's introduced its "Forever Young" brand by redesigning all of its restaurants with cafe-esque spaces featuring terracotta, grey, olive colors, and wood furniture.

August 27, 2007: Sale of Boston Market

On August 27, 2007, McDonald's sold Boston Market to Sun Capital Partners as part of its focus on its core brand.

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: McDonald's switches to trans fat-free cooking oil

In May 2008, McDonald's announced that it was switching to cooking oil that contains no trans fats for its french fries in the United States and Canada, in response to public pressure.

September 8, 2009: McDonald's loses lawsuit to prevent restaurant from calling itself McCurry

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 raises $20.4 million in Australia

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

2010: McDonald's partners 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: McDonald's ends sponsorship with Evernham Motorsports

In 2010, McDonald's ended its sponsorship with Evernham Motorsports.

2010: Increase in Rental Payments

In 2010, McDonald's saw a rise in rental payments from franchisees which went up 26 percent between 2010 and 2015 and accounted for one-fifth of the company's total revenue by the end of the period.

2010: McHappy Day goal set at $20.8 million

The goal for McHappy Day in 2010 was $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.

October 2012: First Monthly Sales Drop in Nine Years

In October 2012, McDonald's monthly sales fell for the first time in nine years.

2012: Vegetarian 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 following negative publicity and criticism of its advice to employees.

2013: Zero-Hour Contracts in the UK

As of 2013, 90% of McDonald's UK workforce were 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 within the succeeding decades.

August 2014: Tensions Strain Operations

In August 2014, McDonald's suspended operations in its corporate-owned stores in Crimea following Russia's annexation of the region, which also led to temporary closures in Moscow.

August 20, 2014: Temporary Shutdown of Moscow Outlets

On August 20, 2014, the Russian government temporarily closed four McDonald's outlets in Moscow due to sanitary concerns, amid tensions between the U.S. and Russia over the annexation of Crimea.

August 23, 2014: Government Dismissal of Ban Notion

On August 23, 2014, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich dismissed any government move to ban McDonald's, clarifying that temporary closures were not linked to sanctions.

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

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

2014: McDonald's pledges 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, responding to consumer concerns about hen living conditions.

2014: First Quarterly Sales Drop in Seventeen Years

In 2014, McDonald's quarterly sales fell for the first time in seventeen years, echoing a prior yearlong sales drop in 1997.

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

July 2015: Big Mac Index

As of July 2015, Switzerland has the most expensive Big Mac in the world according to the Big Mac Index, while India has the least expensive (Maharaja Mac).

November 10, 2015: Investor Conference Announcement

On November 10, 2015, at its investor conference, McDonald's announced it would not spin off its U.S. holdings into a real estate investment trust, citing the risk to the company's business model.

December 2015: McDonald's Next Opens in Hong Kong

In December 2015, the first McDonald's Next store opened in Hong Kong, featuring open-concept design and "Create Your Taste" digital ordering.

2015: Hamburger Universities

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.

2015: Net Decrease in US Locations

In 2015, McDonald's closed down 184 restaurants in the United States, resulting in a net decrease in the number of locations for the first time since 1970.

2015: Steve Easterbrook becomes CEO

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

2015: Introduction of Partial All-Day Breakfast

In 2015, after limited regional trials, McDonald's in the United States began offering a partial breakfast menu during all hours its restaurants were open.

2015: Steve Easterbrook Becomes CEO and Menu Streamlining

In 2015, when Steve Easterbrook became CEO, McDonald's streamlined the U.S. menu, introduced healthier options, and removed high-fructose corn syrup from hamburger buns, also removing artificial preservatives from Chicken McNuggets.

June 13, 2016: Headquarters Move Confirmation

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

December 29, 2016: McDonald's Malaysia restricts cakes allowed inside restaurants

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

2016: "Create Your Taste" Kiosks

By 2016, McDonald's "Create Your Taste" electronic kiosks were introduced 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 including CITIC Limited, CITIC Capital, and Carlyle.

April 2017: Supermac's requests cancellation of McDonald's trademarks in EU

In April 2017, Supermac's, an Irish fast-food chain, requested the European Union Property Office to cancel McDonald's-owned trademarks within the European Union, arguing that McDonald's engaged in "trademark bullying" to prevent competitors from expanding. The EUIPO ruled in favor of Supermac's.

April 2017: Offer of Fixed Contracts

In April 2017, following labor strikes, McDonald's offered all employees in the UK the option of fixed contracts.

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 and support from then Leader of the Opposition Jeremy Corbyn.

2017: McDonald's pledges 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, responding to consumer concerns about hen living conditions.

2017: McDonald's On-Demand Delivery Concept

In 2017, McDonald's began its on-demand delivery concept in partnership with Uber Eats, which accounts for up to 3% of all business as of 2019.

2017: Mobile Ordering App

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.

2017: Introduction of Partial All-Day Breakfast in Canada

In 2017, after limited regional trials, McDonald's in Canada began offering a partial breakfast menu during all hours its restaurants were open.

2017: LeBron James's spokesman role for McDonald's ends

LeBron James was a spokesman for McDonald's from 2003 until 2017.

June 4, 2018: New Headquarters Opening

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

September 2018: Removal of Artificial Preservatives, Flavors, and Colors

In September 2018, McDonald's USA announced the removal of artificial preservatives, flavors, and colors from seven classic burgers in the U.S., including the hamburger, cheeseburger, double cheeseburger, McDouble, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, and Big Mac.

2018: McDonald's completes switch to canola-based oil

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

2018: McDonald's Second-Largest Private Employer

In 2018, McDonald's was the world's second-largest private employer after Walmart, with 1.7 million employees, most of whom worked in franchised restaurants.

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

McDonald's met their pledge made in 2014, and by 2018 stopped using eggs from battery cage facilities in restaurants in Australia.

September 2019: Acquisition of Apprente

In September 2019, McDonald's acquired the AI-based startup Apprente to implement voice-based technology in its US drive-throughs, aiming to replace human servers.

2019: McDonald's sponsors Bubba Wallace for one race

In 2019 McDonald's had a one-race partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports' No. 43 Chevrolet driven by Bubba Wallace in 2019 and 2020.

2019: Easterbrook's removal and Kempczinski's appointment

In 2019, McDonald's board of directors voted to remove Steve Easterbrook as CEO for violating corporate policies and replaced him with Chris Kempczinski, who had been president of McDonald's USA.

2019: McDonald's Sales Contribution

In 2019, McDonald's generated $100 billion in sales from company-owned and franchise restaurants, accounting for almost 4% of the $2.5 trillion global restaurant industry.

2019: Partnership with DoorDash for Delivery

In 2019, McDonald's partnered with DoorDash for on-demand delivery, building upon the existing partnership with Uber Eats.

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: Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union reports harassment cases at McDonald's

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

September 2020: McDonald's partners with Travis Scott for the Travis Scott Meal

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

November 2020: McPlant Announcement

In November 2020, McDonald's announced McPlant, a plant-based burger, along with plans to develop additional meat alternative menu items including chicken substitutes and breakfast sandwiches.

2020: All-Day Breakfast Phased Out in the US

In 2020, McDonald's phased out the all-day breakfast menu from menus in the United States due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: McDonald's sponsors Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace

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.

2020: McDonald's Ends Meat Pie Sales in New Zealand

Until 2020, McDonald's sold meat pies in New Zealand after partially relaunching the Georgie Pie fast food chain it bought out in 1996.

2021: Animal Rising blockades McDonald's UK distribution centers

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

2021: Partnership with Grubhub for Delivery

In 2021, McDonald's added Grubhub in select locations for on-demand delivery services.

2021: McDonald's partners with Ross Chastain and 23XI Racing

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: Menu Changes Focus on Higher-Priced Items

In 2021, McDonald's cut value meals and cheaper items from its menu, shifting focus towards higher-priced offerings.

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: McDonald's faces charges of harassment in the workplace

In 2021, it was revealed that at least 50 employees had filed charges against McDonald's chains regarding harassment in the workplace over the preceding five years. This led to the company instituting anti-harassment training.

March 2022: Closure and Sale of Russian Locations

In March 2022, McDonald's closed and sold its 850 locations in Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine, with the buyer agreeing not to use McDonald's branding.

July 2022: McDonald's reaches agreement with French judicial authorities

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

In August 2022, McDonald's announced significant changes to its board. Sheila Penrose retired, and Anthony Capuano, Jennifer Taubert, and Amy Weaver joined.

2022: Donations to Ronald McDonald House Charities in 2022

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

2022: Murmansk Restaurant Closure

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

2022: Addition of the Double McPlant

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.

July 2023: BBC investigation highlights issues at McDonald's UK

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

July 2023: Announcement of CosMc's

In July 2023, McDonald's announced that it was working towards a new fast-food brand called CosMc's, which would be tested at 10 sites.

December 2023: First CosMc's Location Opens

In December 2023, the first CosMc's location was opened in Bolingbrook, Illinois, focusing on coffee and drinks.

2023: Global Presence and Customer Reach

As of 2023, McDonald's operates in 120 countries and territories, serving 68 million customers daily, with 41,800 locations worldwide and 45,000 employees in the United States.

2023: BBC reports on toxic culture at McDonald's UK outlets

In 2023, a BBC investigation reported that more than 100 current and recent UK workers at McDonald's outlets alleged a continuing toxic culture of sexual assault, harassment, racism, and bullying.

2023: EUIPO partially annuls decision regarding McDonald's trademarks

In 2023, the EUIPO Board of Appeal partially annulled their previous decision regarding McDonald's trademarks after McDonald's filed additional evidence.

2023: Child labor violations found at McDonald's franchises

In 2023, the United States Department of Labor found child labor violations at McDonald's franchises in Kentucky, involving over 300 children. Further investigations uncovered violations in Louisiana and Texas, with imposed fines totaling $77,572.

2023: Automated Restaurant in Fort Worth

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

January 2024: Northernmost Restaurant

In January 2024, McDonald's opened a new restaurant in Tromsø, Norway, making it the northernmost McDonald's restaurant in the world.

September 4, 2024: Introduction of Millet-Based Buns

On September 4, 2024, McDonald's introduced millet-based buns in India, in partnership with the Central Food Technological Research Institute. The buns use a combination of major and minor millets.

December 2024: Board of directors

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

2024: McDonald's is the Largest by Revenue

As of 2024, McDonald's is the largest fast food chain by revenue and second-largest by number of locations in the world, trailing behind Mixue Ice Cream & Tea.

2024: Equivalent value of the Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants trial

In 1994, the amount awarded for the Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants trial was $2.86 million (equivalent to $5.47 million in 2024), later reduced to $640,000 (equivalent to $1.2 million in 2024)

2024: The Meal Deal Created

In 2024, McDonald's created the Meal Deal as a budget-friendly McValue Menu offering, featuring a choice of McChicken, McDouble, or Daily Double with two sides and a drink.

2024: Testing Vegan Ice Cream

In 2024, select McDonald's in the UK were testing vegan ice cream called Choco Scoop and Strawberry Scoop and receiving positive reviews.

2024: European Court of Justice rules against McDonald's trademark claim

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, allowing other businesses to use "Mac" in their names in Europe for poultry products. McDonald's retains the Big Mac trademark solely for its beef burgers.

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

In June 2025, 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, despite having been unsuccessful in similar proceedings against Supermac's in the EU in 2024.

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 meal. The meal features a double Quarter Pounder, promoted in reference to Reese's consistent double-doubles during games.

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

In January 2025, over 700 young workers filed lawsuits against McDonald's UK, alleging widespread harassment and discrimination across more than 450 restaurants. The claims involved current and former employees under the age of 20.

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

In March 2025, the Equality and Human Rights Commission wrote to all 1,400 McDonald's branches, instructing them to comply with their legal duties, or risk enforcement action.

May 2025: Closure of CosMc's Locations Announced

In May 2025, McDonald's announced that all CosMc's locations would be shuttered by the end of June of that year.

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, despite having been unsuccessful in similar proceedings against Supermac's in the EU in 2024.

2025: Revenue decline in the US

In 2025, McDonald's faced a 3.6% revenue decline in the U.S., the largest since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, influenced by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff plans.

2027: McDonald's plans to expand loyalty program and digital ordering

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