McDonald’s aims to create 700 jobs nationwide in 3-year expansion plan

FAST food giant McDonald’s hopes to create more than 700 jobs in Ireland over the next three years by expanding its shop numbers here past 80.

McDonald’s Ireland announced, yesterday, that it will invest €12 million in its business this year – a move which will see four new outlets open and 250 jobs come on stream before the end of 2010. This year’s new openings will bring McDonald’s total restaurant numbers in the Republic to 82 and will boost employee figures from 3,600 to 3,850, with recruitment beginning in July. The company has increased its employment numbers here by 43% in the last decade. McDonald’s Ireland managing director John Atherton added that the aim is to open more restaurant outlets in 2011 and 2012, adding that he’d be happy if four new openings were completed in each year, meaning the same level of job creation could be expected on an annual basis.

Three of the new restaurants due to open this year will be in the greater Dublin area, with the other one being located outside of Dublin. So far, a new drive-thru outlet in Finglas is the only one to be unveiled as the company still has to formally sign off on the contracts for the other facilities. McDonald’s Ireland generated revenues of around €200m last year – marginally ahead of 2008’s figure – and Mr Atherton said that he would be “very happy” if a 3% increase in like-for-like sales was achieved this year. Of the 78 restaurants that made up the chain in the Republic, as of the end of 2009, only 14 are company owned with the remainder run by franchisees. A report by financial consultancy Indecon has also found McDonald’s contributed nearly €200m to the Irish economy in 2008 and €12.2m to the state by way of tax (PAYE, corporation tax etc) alone.