McDonald's aims to hire 375,000 workers this summer

In May 2025, McDonald's announced a significant hiring initiative for the summer months, aiming to recruit up to 375,000 employees across its U.S. restaurants. This initiative is one of the largest employment drives for the company in the past five years and comes as it prepares for the busy summer season, while also looking to expand by opening 900 new locations over the next two years. During an announcement at a restaurant in Ohio alongside Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, McDonald's leaders highlighted the potential for new jobs, emphasizing the importance of workforce investment in enhancing the company’s competitiveness. Currently, McDonald's operates approximately 13,000 restaurants in the U.S., employing around 800,000 people. General turnover rates at fast-food establishments like McDonald's mean that while they aim to hire an expansive number of new workers, this initiative will not necessarily increase the overall employment number significantly. The company often leaves staffing decisions to franchisees, but the announcement signals a robust push for hiring now as they prepare for anticipated higher customer traffic over the summer months. McDonald's has faced challenges recently, with reported declines in same-store sales, which fell 3.6%—the steepest drop since the pandemic began. As customers, especially low-income and middle-income consumers, have reduced spending, McDonald's is taking proactive steps to bolster its workforce to better serve customers and improve service. This initiative coincides with the 10-year anniversary of the "Archways to Opportunity" program aimed at providing employees with resources to advance their careers. Since its inception, the program has invested over $240 million and has seen over 90,000 employees participate. The U.S. economy's add-on of 177,000 jobs in April, against an unemployment rate of 4.2%, provides a backdrop for McDonald's ambitious hiring plan. This increase is especially notable given that hiring spikes at various companies are typically influenced by seasonal needs. For McDonald's, the hiring campaign underscores not just a response to immediate operational needs but also a strategic move to enhance its labor force as it grapples with challenging market conditions and works toward long-term growth goals in the fast-food sector.