McDonald’s has announced plans to hire up to 375,000 employees across its 13,000 U.S. restaurants in preparation for the summer rush. This marks the company’s largest hiring campaign in five years and was officially revealed during an event in Ohio alongside U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer. The hiring spree is also in anticipation of the opening of 900 new locations over the next two years, underscoring McDonald’s ongoing expansion efforts despite recent business headwinds.
High Turnover and Centralized Hiring Reflect Industry Trends and Community Investment Goals
While McDonald’s is one of the country’s largest employers—estimating that one in eight Americans has worked for the brand—its hiring efforts will not significantly raise its current workforce of approximately 800,000. This is largely due to the high turnover rates endemic to the fast-food industry. Like many of its competitors, McDonald’s faces a constant need to replenish its workforce as employees frequently leave, a pattern that has normalized 100% turnover rates in the sector.
McDonald’s Launches Massive 375,000-Worker Hiring Drive Amid Sales Slump and Summer Surge PlansHistorically, McDonald’s has left hiring up to its individual franchisees and has rarely engaged in national-level recruitment announcements. This shift to a more centralized strategy mirrors moves by other seasonal employers such as Chipotle and Amazon, who ramp up hiring during peak demand periods. McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger emphasized that workforce investments are mutually beneficial, improving company performance while also supporting local communities economically and socially.
Hiring Surge Amid Economic Pressures and Sales Declines Across Consumer Income Levels
The announcement is particularly striking in the context of national employment figures. In April, the entire U.S. economy added only 177,000 jobs, making McDonald’s hiring target more than double that figure. With the unemployment rate at a low 4.2%, McDonald’s large-scale hiring could provide significant opportunities in a tight labor market, potentially drawing in both first-time job seekers and those in need of flexible, short-term work.
This employment initiative comes on the heels of disappointing financial performance for McDonald’s, including two consecutive quarters of declining sales. U.S. same-store sales dropped 3.6%, the steepest decline since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The downturn is being driven primarily by reduced spending from low-income consumers, with even middle-income customers starting to cut back. CEO Chris Kempczinski noted that economic pressures are clearly affecting customer traffic across income brackets, signaling broader concerns for the company’s near-term growth.
