McDonald's to acquire Israel's Dynamic Yield

McDonald’s is collaborating with AARP to offer more jobs to older workers. The fast-food giant is outlining a plan to incorporate mature workers into the company.

Ron Painter, President, National Association of Workforce Boards, said, “Considering the labor trends for both the 50-plus workforce and the growth of the quick service industry, McDonald’s leadership in this area is occurring an opportune time. People all over the country are facing challenges that are driving them back into the workforce and we need to connect them with employers that provide respect, dignity and opportunities for advancement and connection. It’s encouraging to see McDonald’s stepping up to the challenge.”

Melissa Kersey, McDonald’s US Chief People Officer, stated, “For the first time ever, five generations are now working together under the Arches. Together with our franchisees, we have a responsibility to each generation to provide opportunity, flexibility and resources for wherever they are on their career journey. Thanks, in part, to our new collaboration with AARP and AARP Foundation we’re looking to position McDonald’s as a place where people at every stage of working life can see themselves grow and thrive while bringing stability and a different perspective that everyone can learn from.”

Susan Weinstock, Vice President for Financial Resilience, AARP, added, “We’re thrilled that McDonald’s has signed AARP’s Employer Pledge. We know that employees and employers across all industries succeed when they remain committed in words and in action to hiring and maintaining an age-diverse workforce. Integrating these workers with their younger staff can often bring unexpected benefits including two-way mentoring which supports growth for all. Our work with McDonald’s is a true first-of-its-kind for the quick-service industry and we hope others follow.”

McDonald’s will launch new vegan options in Australia. The food chain is working on a new meat-free option following the rising demand for vegan food.

McDonald’s restaurants are stepping up their game by launching vegan and vegetarian options around the world.

In Norway, McDonald’s has just launched vegetable-filled vegan nuggets, while McVegan and El Veggo burgers are on offer in Finland. India is home to the McAloo Tikki, a burger featuring a spiced vegan potato-based patty.

A spokesperson for McDonald’s Australia said, “We understand there is a rising demand for vegan and vegetarian options, and we are always open to suggestions from our customers.”

“We currently have a small number of items on our menu suitable for vegan customers and have a new vegetarian option in the works we will begin to trial this year,” the spokesperson added.

McDonald's, the fast-food company, has launched its Indian vegan sandwich McAloo Tikki in Chicago, the United States.

Earlier, the company had introduced the new vegan-friendly menu option along with other options from McDonald’s locations across the globe. It will enable customers to enjoy new global menu items from India, Australia, Canada, Germany, and Hong Kong.

As per McDonald's, McAloo Tikki is the only vegan sandwich option available. It consists of a toasted bun with a samosa-spiced veggie patty made from potatoes and peas. McAloo Tikki is topped with fresh red onions, sliced tomato, and egg-free creamy tomato mayo.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and fast-food chain McDonald's has announced a partnership to introduce NBA-themed promotions and interactive NBA Experience Zones in select McDonald's locations in 39 cities across India.

From November 14 till December 12, the burger joint will give away an NBA-branded basketball with every family meal purchase at any McDonald’s restaurant in the West and South region.

The fast-food chain will also start NBA Zones in more than 30 outlets. These zones will provide fans the chance to experience the atmosphere of being at an NBA game through a range of interactive experiences.

Seema Arora Nambiar, SVP of Strategy, Innovation and Capability of McDonald’s India, said, "We at McDonald's believe that playing sport is crucial to the overall development of children. Globally McDonald's is associated with various sports and this Children's day we are partnering with the NBA to encourage children to step out and play to have fun and create happy childhood memories."

Yannick Colaco, Managing Director, NBA India, said, "We are excited to partner with a global iconic brand like McDonald's. This campaign with McDonald's is a perfect way for us to deliver new and engaging NBA experiences to our fans."

McDonald's has achieved comparable sales growth in key regions but reported a dip in third-quarter profit.

The comparable sales, a key benchmark in the restaurant business, grew in all four of McDonald's regional categories, with the home US market up 2.4%. The fast-food giant also experienced strong sales growth in Britain, Australia, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Japan.

The company's net income fell to $1.6 billion, a drop of 13.1% from the same period of the prior year. The quarterly revenues fell 6.7% to $5.4 billion.

Steve Easterbrook, President and Chief Executive Officer, McDonald's, said, "In addition to achieving 13 consecutive quarters of positive global comparable sales, we have made substantial progress modernising restaurants around the world, enhancing hospitality and elevating the experience for the millions of customers we serve every day. We remain confident that our strategy will drive long-term, profitable growth."

McDonald's, a quick service restaurant chain, has launched whole wheat buns in its restaurants. These buns are introduced in order to offer wholesome and nutritious foods to its customers.

Whole wheat buns are also available with McDonald's products on the breakfast menu.

Amit Jatia, Vice-Chairman of Westlife Development Limited, which owns McDonald's in south and west part of India, said, "McDonald's in India has been setting the standards for the industry. We announced 'The Good Food Story' earlier this year with a commitment to bring wholesome and nutritious food options to our consumers."

"I am delighted that we have made another significant and bold move in this direction by offering Whole Wheat buns to our health-conscious customers. Our latest offering is a rich source of fibre and other nutrients. 'The Good Food Story' is a journey, and we will continue to take substantial steps to delight our consumers with nutritive and wholesome offerings," he added.

Earlier, McDonald's in west and south India had made alterations in its menu. It brought down the sodium and oil content in its products by 20% and 40%, respectively.

मैकडॉनल्ड्स यूएसए ने स्पष्ट किया है कि उसके क्लासिक बर्गर्स जैसे बिग मैक और क्वार्टर पाउंडर विद चीज़ में अब किसी भी प्रकार के कृत्रिम घातक,कृत्रिम फ्लेवर्स या कृत्रिम रंग नहीं हैं|

अमेरिकी फास्ट फूड जॉइंट ने बताया कि अब आर्टिफिशियल प्रिजर्वेटिव्स केवल आचार के टुकड़ों तक ही सीमित रहेंगे और साथ ही कहा कि अगर उपभोक्ता चाहें, तो इसे छोड़ सकते हैं। कंपनी ने यह भी स्पष्ट किया कि यह बदलाव यूएस के 14,000 रेस्त्रां में किया जा रहा है।

कंपनीके यूएसए निदेशक, क्रिस केम्पजिंस्की ने कहा, "चाहे वो ऑर्डर पर तुरंत पकाए जाने वाले हमारे क्वार्टर-पौंड बर्गर में 100 प्रतिशत ताजा गौ-मांस प्रयोग करने की बात हो या हमारे चिकन मैकनगेट्स में से आर्टिफिशियल प्रिजर्वेटिव्स हटाने की बात हो या फिर 2025 तक स्वछन्द जीवों के अण्डों के प्रयोग की बात हो, हमनें हमेशा ही खाने की गुणवत्ता में सुधार कर उसे उत्कृष्ट बनाने का प्रयास किया है।"

फिलहाल, मैकडॉनल्ड्स के लगभग दो-तिहाई बर्गर्स और सैंडविचेज़ आर्टिफिशियल उत्पादों से मुक्त हैं। 

कंपनी ने य हबदलाव यूनाइटेड स्टेटस में लोगों की स्वास्थ्य के प्रति बढ़ती जागरूकता को देखकर उठाया है। यह प्रतिस्पर्धी ट्रेंडी बर्गर्स को मात देने का भी एक तरीका है।

McDonald's USA has said that its classic burgers, such as the Big Mac and the Quarter Pounder with Cheese, no longer have artificial preservatives, artificial flavors or added colors from artificial sources.

The American fast-food giant stated that only the pickle slices still contain an artificial preservative, adding that "customers are able to skip it if they prefer." The company further said that the changes are going into effect in all 14,000 US restaurants.

Chris Kempczinski, the company's USA President, said, "From switching to 100 percent fresh beef in our quarter-pound burgers, cooked right when ordered, to removing artificial preservatives in our Chicken McNuggets, and committing to cage-free eggs by 2025, we have made significant strides in evolving the quality of our food."

Presently, almost two-thirds of McDonald's burgers and sandwiches are free of artificial products.

The company's move comes in response to a growing trend of health-consciousness in the United States. It is also a way to meet competition from trendy burgers.

McDonald's is testing the use of fresh beef in its burger which is the latest move by the fast food chain to swap out frozen beef as it seeks to improve its image.

Company said that the new burger, called Archburger, is being tested in seven McDonald's restaurants in Tulsa, Oklahoma. McDonald's held similar tests for fresh beef Quarter Pounders for about a year before announcing in March that it would roll it out to most of its 14,000 restaurants by the middle of this year.

McDonald's Corp. has made several changes to its menu in recent years in an attempt to appeal to Americans who are increasingly concerned with the ingredients in their food. The world's largest burger chain, for example, has cut artificial preservatives from Chicken McNuggets and switched off the apple juice in its Happy Meals for one with less sugar.

The Archburge test could mean the company is open to expanding the use of fresh beef to even more menu items, analysts at Nomura said in a note to clients Tuesday. The analysts also said the rollout of fresh beef Quarter Pounders later this year could boost a key sales figure at the chain.

At less than 3 ounces, McDonald's said the fresh beef patties used in the Archburger are slightly smaller than those in the Quarter Pounder and larger than the ones in its hamburgers and cheeseburgers.

Justice G S Singhvi, the administrator on the CPRL board, has written to its logistics partner Radhakrishna Foodland to resume supplies to the restaurant chain immediately so that the outlets shut in East and North India can restart operations.

McDonald's estranged JV partner Vikram Bakshi said nearly all outlets of the food chain in East India have been shut and several others in the north are on the brink of closure due to discontinuation of supplies by its logistics partner.

All in all, there are over 80 outlets that have been hit by this cut-off in supplies by Radhakrishna Foodland, a move which is seen as a fallout of the ongoing spat between the fast food major and CPRL-led Bakshi.

While the legal tussle between the entities is going on at various forums, including the Delhi High Court, the NCLT in July had appointed Singhvi as the administrator to ensure smooth functioning of the restaurants run by CPRL.

Vikram bakshi said “Justice G S Singhvi has written two letters to Radhakrishna Foodland asking them to resume supplies, saying it is in the best interest of CPRL and all business associates that such advice is heeded and complied with immediately.”

Meanwhile, a McDonald's India spokesperson said "This is between CPRL and their vendors, not MIPL. Allegation of us being involved in the decision comes from someone with whom we have had ongoing legal disputes."

Radhakrishna Foodland Pvt Ltd had written to CPRL, saying it is discontinuing the supply chain services due to reduction in volume and uncertainty of future, among others, as also non-payment of an additional amount of Rs 2 crore.

Bakshi, however, said Rs 2 crore were not part of the regular monthly payments and the logistics partner has held back his stock paid for approximately Rs 10 crore.

Even as restaurants gear up for record business during the festive season, the cash registers at burger and fries major McDonald’s will be eerily silent through Chirstmas and New Year as all six outlets in the city have downed shutters.

While store managers said they had run out of stock after supplies ceased a week ago, industry sources believe it is fallout of the acrimonious battle between the American fast food giant and the estranged Indian joint venture partner Vikram Bakshi, who controls the restaurants in north and east India. The franchisee had earlier shut 43 outlets in Delhi and adjoining areas after the eating house’s licence expired.

In Kolkata, restaurants continued to function despite McDonald’s barring franchisee Connaught Plaza Restaurants Ltd (CPRL) from using the brand, trademark and other intellectual properties in September. McDonald’s also told its suppliers that it had cancelled the franchisee agreement but they had not stopped supplies as they had pacts with CPRL.

Manager of One restaurant said “We have a central kitchen in Delhi NCR and national vendors supply to us through a distributor. Nothing is sourced locally. At the restaurants, too, we maintain a stock in the refrigerator but that can last only a few days at most. We have now run out of all stock.”

One of McDonald’s Employee said “We have been told that supplies will resume in eight to 10 days but we don’t see how that will happen as one cannot just pick up any bun and any patty and put them together to claim it is a McDonald’s burger.”

Fast food giant, McDonald's has ended its 41 year long Olympic Games sponsorship deal three years early, the International Olympic Committee.

The American fast-food giant had been contracted through the 2020 Tokyo Games, but has opted to end its contract early. It will continue to support the 2018 PyeongChang Games, but on a domestic, not global, basis. Sponsors bring an estimated $1 billion to the table for the IOC every four years, and McDonald’s had been a global sponsor since 1976.

Silvia Lagnado, Global Chief Marketing Officer, McDonald's, told Reuters, "As part of our global growth plan, we are reconsidering all aspects of our business and have made this decision in cooperation with the IOC to focus on different priorities."

McDonald’s is in the midst of massive brand reorganization, reconfiguring strategy in favor of healthier options and in the face of strong competition.

Timmo Lumme, Managing Director, IOC Television and Marketing Services, said, "In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, we understand that McDonald's is looking to focus on different business priorities."

The IOC stated that it has no immediate plans to appoint a direct replacement in terms of a retail food sponsor, pending a broader review of marketing.

Fast-food chain, McDonald's is serving its signature fries in rainbow-colored boxes for Pride Month. Throughout June, the fast-food chain will be using rainbow boxes to serve its fries at participating locations throughout the greater California Bay Area, as well as at some D.C. locations, SF Gate reports. 

Cathy Martin, Co-chair of McDonald's Pride Network, said, "The rainbow fry boxes are a fun way to show our support of the LGBTQ community using one of McDonald's most iconic and recognizable items; however, these fry boxes are 'small potatoes' in the grand scheme of our commitment to this community."

The boxes were first available in Washington D.C., from June 9 to 11, and now they'll be available in nine participating McDonald's locations in the San Fransisco Bay area. 

Recently, an independent blog claimed that fast food major, McDonald’s is leaking personal data of more than 2.2 million user. 

The company has assured its customers that its website and app do not store any financial data. An official spokesperson, McDonald's India (West & South) said, "We would like to inform our users that our website and app do not store any sensitive financial data of the users like credit card details, wallets passwords or bank account information.” 

A post on independent blog post hackernoon claimed that McDonald's India is leaking data of 2.2 million users. To which, McDonald’s made this statement. 

The blog claimed, "The McDonald's India app, McDelivery is leaking personal data for more than 2.2 million of its users which includes name, email address, phone number, home address, accurate home co-ordinates and social profile links.” 

Hardcastle Restaurants, the franchisee of McDonald's for West and South India operations rejected the claims and said that its website and app has always been safe to use.

The statement said, "The website and app has always been safe to use, and we update security measure on regular basis.” 

However, it also suggested its users to update McDelivery app on their devices. 

The statement added, "As a precautionary measure, we would also urge our users to update the McDelivery app on their devices.”

McDonald's, one of the famous American hamburger and fast food restaurant chain, is planning to introduce other flavours of coffee alongside McCafe brand, as it feels to challenge its rival beverage and snacks brand, which includes Starbucks Corp. and Dunkin' Donuts.

The company will reintroduce the McCafe concept next year, about eight years after it debuted nationwide. The push follows efforts to upgrade its java and get more of its beans from sustainable sources, mimicking a move by its Seattle-based rival.

Kristy Cunningham, Senior VP-strategy and insights, McDonald's U.S., said, "We're really excited about the McCafe brand and what it can do to complement our food offerings."

"The new McCafe campaign will include special deals, more seasonal beverages and increased marketing of the chain's coffee rewards program, she said.

According to research firm Technomic, coffee is still a booming business in the U.S., but fast-food companies haven't been able to capitalize on much of that growth. Sales at burger chains rose just 3.3 percent last year, compared with an almost 10 percent jump for coffee cafe.

Though McCafe generates USD4 billion annually in U.S. sales, it could better cater to customer needs, Cunningham said.

Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts have attracted customers with high-margin espresso, lattes and mochas. Though McDonald's offers a wide range of coffees these days, it hasn't become as much of a go-to source for upscale drinks.

McDonald's is looking to build on the success of its all-day breakfast, which rolled out last year across the U.S. It's also upgrading stores with table service and more touch-screen ordering kiosks. The all-day breakfast push helped fuel a return to growth, but the resurgence has been waning: Domestic comparable sales rose just 1.3 percent last quarter, and McDonald's is facing declining foot traffic.

McDonald's isn't alone in struggling to build a more sophisticated coffee menu. After Burger King introduced 10 new Seattle's Best drinks in 2013, including flavored lattes, the rollout fizzled. The company later merged with Tim Hortons, a Canadian coffee chain, though the two brands remain distinct.

The company is planning a USD 1 drip coffee and USD2 small specialty-beverage deal for the first quarter of next year, Cunningham said.

In another sign of Starbucks envy, McDonald's sold pumpkin-spice lattes across all of the U.S. this fall -- the first time it's done so in three years.

In the U.S., McDonald's is upgrading its espresso machines with equipment that creates more consistent-tasting drinks, Ms. Cunningham said. The new gear, which has better milk-steaming technology and can make a wider variety of drinks, costs about USD12, 000 apiece.

McDonald's, an American hamburger and fast food restaurant chain, has planned to move away from direct ownership in Asia.

As a part of the plan McDonald's has sold its franchise rights of its restaurants in Singapore and Malaysia to Saudi Arabia's Lionhorn Pte Ltd.

It said that it has transferred its ownership interest in 390 restaurants, more than 80 percent of which were company-owned, on Dec. 1 to Lionhorn.

Lionhorn is led by Sheik Fahd and Abdulrahman Alireza, who are franchisees for nearly 100 McDonald's restaurants in the western and southern regions of Saudi Arabia.

McDonald's did not disclose the financial terms of the deal.

As reported by, McDonald's was nearing a deal worth up to $400 million to franchise the outlets to Reza group, which also owns and operates McDonald's outlets in the western and southern regions of Saudi Arabia.

The Lionhorn deal is in line with McDonald's plans to bring in partners in Asia as it switches to a less capital-intensive franchise model.

The company said it has now franchised about 1,300 outlets as a part of its target to become 95 percent franchised by the end of 2018.

Steve Easterbrook became CEO of McDonald's eight months ago. But he's been working for the company for more than 20 years and he's been a fan of the chain's food for decades, reported Business Insider.

In 1978, when he was an 11-year-old student at Watford grammar school for boys in the UK, he and his friends used to take the subway to the London borough of Harrow to visit McDonald's.

"Me and my mate used to go across the park, jump on the Met line to get the tube into Harrow. There was a sports shop we always used to go into, and there was a McDonald's," he told the Guardian in 2008.

"We used to go off with three or four quid in our pocket. That would cover our train fare, mooching around Harrow and going to McDonald's. It was the first time I had shakes and fries", he adds.

Steve Easterbrook has made a number of changes to the quarter pounder since taking the helm of the company eight months ago.

After becoming CEO, Easterbrook has asked cooks to start toasting the buns longer and he has increased the size of the meat patties. He has also changed how the meat patties are cooked and seared.

McDonald’s, world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, began to launch a premium range of burgers in Britain to head off growing competition from rival chains such as Five Guys and Shake Shack.

The Signature Collection burgers will include the thickest ever patty sold by McDonald’s. They have been developed in conjunction with chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants.

The new burgers will be trialled at 28 restaurants in London, the south and Manchester before being rolled out to 400 McDonald’s restaurants by next summer.

They could also be sold in McDonald’s restaurants around the world if they prove popular in the UK. The company is facing growing competition from gourmet burger chains, particularly in the US where Five Guys and Shake Shack were founded. These burgers will be served in brioche-style buns and will cost £4.69.

McDonald’s is taking advantage of its new table service system to launch the burgers. The extra thickness of the meat means customers will have to wait for their burger to be served, in contrast to the company’s traditional hamburgers and Big Macs.

Duncan Cruttenden, food development director said the burgers had been developed with the help of customer feedback and with the company’s internal chef council, which includes those who have worked at Michelin-starred restaurants.

“When the chef council started to develop this new premium offering, we worked with a brief generated by our customers – they told us they wanted thicker beef patties and high quality ingredients, freshly prepared.

“We’ve crafted a range that is a truly exciting permanent addition to our menu – every product has to earn a place and our customers have told us the signature collectionmCd has done just that.”

Hardcastle Restaurants Private Limited (HRPL), a Master Franchisee for West and South India operations of McDonald’s restaurants and a subsidiary of the BSE listed Westlife Development Limited, has entered Mangalore with the launch of two outlets.

With this launch, the brand has added 44 restaurants in Karnataka and established a network of over 74 restaurants across Southern India.

McDonald’s iconic golden arches will first be seen at the Forum Fiza Mall located at Madison Road, followed by the launch of its second restaurant at the City Centre Mall situated at K S Rao Road.

The 128 seat attractive new restaurant at the centrally located Forum Fiza Mall sprawls over 3500 sq. ft and offers comfortable seating for guests while the restaurant at City Centre Mall can seat up to 134 guests within the restaurant and 32 guests outdoors.

The two new restaurants reflect best-in-class design with a full range of amenities and services unique to McDonald's restaurants around the world.

The restaurant is designed as a modern dining destination with free Wi-fi internet access, family-friendly amenities like a party room and ample parking for vehicles. McDonald’s Forum Fiza mall will welcome customers daily between 10 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. while the one at City Centre Mall will operate from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

“We are proud to open two McDonald's restaurants in Mangalore, a city which offers great opportunity to grow our Brand. Our commitment is to deliver a modern and exciting restaurant experience with delicious food and drinks, at the convenience our customers expect from McDonald's. McDonald’s has been a pioneer in the QSR industry and offers wholesome and delicious meal options to customers. We ensure that customers who come to us get quality fresh food at great prices," said Ranjith Paliath, Vice President, Business Operations, McDonald's India (West & South).

The menu has been created using flavourful spices that appeal to Indian tastes. The restaurants will each have a team of 50 employees to manage operations in the initial phase.

Innovative Foods Ltd (IFL), which owns the Sumeru brand is planning to raise Rs 50-60 crore, according to a PTI report.

The group which is known for making frozen fries, sausages, paranthas and prawns will use the fund for brand development; retail expansion and technology upgrade to rapidly grow the frozen foods arm.

Innovative Foods which is owned by India Equity Partners (IEP) may also look for additional equity or raise the funding through another investor through a share sale, said a top official.

The brand supplies the frozen food to restaurant chains like Domino's, Dunkin Donuts, Cafe Coffee Day, McDonald's and Subway.

"The business plan is with IEP and it is being considered whether to bring in additional equity or to raise the money through another investor through a share sale," Kannan Sitaram, CEO, IFL and Operating Partner at IEP told PTI.

Sumeru is the third largest frozen foods brand in the country after McCain and Godrej Tyson Foods' Yummiez.