McDonald’s to open four new stores, create 250 jobs

McDonald’s is investing €12m in the four new restaurants, which will be open by the end of 2010 and will bring the number of McDonald’s stores in Ireland to 82.

Three of the new restaurants will open in the greater Dublin area, starting with a new drive-thru restaurant in Finglas. There will also be one regional opening, McDonald’s said.

Recruitment for the 250 new jobs will start this July and will be filled by the end of the year. This will bring the number of employees at the fast-food chain in Ireland to 3,850, up from 3,600 in 2009.

Restaurant refurbishment
In addition to the opening of the new stores, the company’s ongoing capital investment programme will see a further 13 restaurants refurbished, meaning that by 2011 every McDonald’s restaurant in Ireland will either be a new build or will have been completely refurbished.

The company also said today that it is planning further new openings in 2011 and 2012.

John Atherton, Managing Director of McDonald’s Ireland (pictured) said that today’s announcement was significant for the Irish business, its staff and local suppliers.

“This expansion of our Irish operations and the creation of these jobs highlights the resilience of our business, despite the recession and demonstrates that the core fundamentals of the McDonald’s proposition for the customer are stronger and more relevant than ever,” he said.

McDonald’s and the Irish economy
McDonald’s also today announced details of analysis prepared by Indecon International Economic Consultants which shows the company’s impact on the Irish economy.

Analysis of 2008 data found that the overall impact of McDonald’s Irish operations on the Irish economy, comprising of labour (wages and salaries) and non-labour contributions, amounted to €198.7m in 2008.

The research also showed Irish suppliers exported a total of €194.3m of Irish-origin produce to McDonald’s restaurants internationally during 2008.

The report also found that within Ireland more than 250 Irish businesses supply over €15m worth of goods and services to McDonald’s each year.

Meanwhile over €6.5m-worth of Irish beef was consumed at McDonald’s restaurants in Ireland in 2008, with over €80m consumed across the company’s European outlets.

The report also assesses the economic impact of McDonald’s restaurants across each region in Ireland in terms of headcount, household incomes and new store openings. It showed that in 2008 McDonald’s contributed €9m to the local region in Cork, while the West directly benefited from €5m into the local economy.

“The findings of the Indecon report demonstrate how embedded the company has become in this market over its 33 years in business and the impact we have on this economy both as a major employer and exporter across Europe of Irish-origin food produce,” Atherton said.

“This report is evidence that as a company, McDonalds has a significant impact on the Irish economy, in terms of employment generation, exchequer contribution and export growth,” said Dr Pat McCloughan, Divisional Director of Indecon International Economic Consultants.

Pictured: John Atherton, Managing Director of McDonald’s Ireland