McDonald's Launches Biggest Hiring Drive In Years Despite Sluggish US Restaurant Traffic

McDonald's on Monday announced plans to hire 375,000 employees across its fast-food outlets in the U.S. during the busy summer period.

The plan signals McDonald’s confidence that consumer demand will remain strong as it continues its nationwide expansion. The company has over 13,500 outlets in the U.S. and plans to open 900 more in two years.

It was not immediately clear whether McDonald's net employee count would increase significantly as the company faces high attrition. The company operates the majority of its outlets through franchisees.

The announcement was made by McDonald's U.S. president Joe Erlinger and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer at an Ohio outlet, according to CNN, which said it was the biggest employment initiative by the company in five years.

The move comes as restaurant chains across America reel with weak trends for eating out amid an uncertain economic environment.

Earlier this month, McDonald’s reported its worst quarterly sales for the U.S. since the height of the pandemic in 2020. U.S. same-store sales fell 3.6%, the largest three-month drop since Q2 2020.

Analysts, however, see McDonald's faring better than some of its competitors, thanks to its strong menu and promotions.

Value offerings such as "Buy One, Add One for $1" and new menu items, including the upcoming McCrispy Strips, Snack Wraps, and Real Lemonade, have drawn consumer interest.

On Stocktwits, the retail sentiment increased to 'neutral' from 'bearish' the previous day, and message volume jumped to 'high.'

McDonald's stock is up 4.4% year to date.

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