Joining the McFamily

Is joining the McFamily right for you? We hope so!

Investing in a business is a long-term decision. Our process is thorough and detailed, to find the right fit. After all, our success is driven by your success. Find out more about becoming a franchisee, below.

What You'll Need

Overall Background and Experience

McDonald’s franchisees come from diverse professional backgrounds and bring a proven track record of success. Experience building and leading teams is also valuable in preparing for franchise ownership with McDonald’s. In today’s environment, connecting with people is key, as you’ll be managing people of different ages and cultural backgrounds.

Experience owning your own business or experience in the food industry is not a requirement. Our world-class training program helps prepare you for ownership of a McDonald’s franchise.

Applicant Minimum Requirements

You’re willing to invest a minimum of $700,000 of non-borrowed funds
You’re willing to relocate to accept an opportunity
You’re willing to train and demonstrate the skills required before you invest

How It Works

Our franchising program is truly unique. Most franchisees enter the system by purchasing existing restaurant(s). As a result of the varying opportunities available, the cost of the business will vary significantly. To qualify financially, a minimum of $700,000 of non-borrowed funds is required. New restaurant opportunities are also available.

Training is completed in advance of the restaurant offer & purchase. This means you will be ready to be a franchisee in advance of your investment. Upon successful completion of training, an opportunity will be presented to you for purchase as one becomes available.

Applicants must be willing to relocate, given the limited number of opportunities available each year. We are committed to helping ensure the candidate is a fit within the community that they will eventually do business in.

Your Application Journey

Becoming a franchisee is a long-term commitment. Because of this, the application journey is a thorough and carefully thought-out process. You can move through the application process at a pace that works for you. Ready to apply?

Step 1 - Complete an application
Are you a fit, do you meet the minimum qualifications, and do you have the background and experience? Great! Fill out the application form to apply.

Step 2 - First Interview
Now it’s time to get to know each other! We look forward to discovering why you think you’d be a great fit for a McDonald’s franchise opportunity. We hope we’ll be able to answer a few of your questions.

Step 3 - Second Interview
You’ll meet with the McDonald’s Regional Franchising Manager so we can further explore if you’d be a good fit.

Step 4 - Restaurant Experience
Time to step into the action. You’ll spend three days in an existing McDonald’s restaurant learning about our operating systems and engaging with an established team and franchisee. This is a fantastic chance for you to see how McDonald's restaurants operate and think about how you might run yours.

Step 5 - Panel Interview
The final interview of the process; you’re almost there. Here you’ll meet with the Regional Leadership Team of McDonald’s. If the interview is successful, you’ll enter our training program that will prepare you for owning your franchise.

Step 6 - Training
Congrats, now you’re ready to start training. While training requires dedication and commitment, we will work around your availability and give you enough notice before you begin. Our world-class training program combines theory and practice to give you practical restaurant experience and classroom learning. The training process consists of 1600 hours to set you up for success.

Step 7 - The Offer
Upon completion of training, as an opportunity becomes available, you will be presented with the opportunity to begin negotiating the purchase of a restaurant(s). Then the handover process begins.

Step 8 - The Handover
Finally, the big day is here. You’ll receive the keys and begin the day-to-day running of your business. Don’t worry, we won’t leave you on your own. McDonald’s field operations and franchising staff will be available to give you expert advice and support as you transition into ownership.

Training Requirements

You must be willing to engage in a full-time (35 to 40 hours per week) or part-time (minimum of 20 hours per week) training program (totaling approximately 1,600 hours). Although part-time training is primarily in the evenings and on weekends, some training activities may take place during the day from Monday to Friday. The training program is self-administered and all hours are considered part of your commitment to and investment in becoming a McDonald's franchisee. You must also participate in various management courses, some of which may have a nominal charge. The total training in-restaurant, including the management courses, takes approximately 9 months to 2 years to complete.

Ready to take the first step?

Apply Now

Meet our Franchisees

Pierre Marois and Spouse

“What I love the most about McDonald’s is the people, the culture, the respect and the sharing. Nobody at McDonald’s looks the same. Inclusion is an important value for us, being a gay couple with two kids, McDonald’s has never made us feel different or unwelcome and we apply that in our restaurants and in our communities as well.”

Deborah Feaver

“The skills I bring from a corporate side into the restaurant and the business was fabulous, but the training program through McDonald’s was everything. It helped me to make that transition to owning my own business and running my own business. The collaboration with the organization and the support that McDonald’s has given me, it has been amazing all along the way.”

Jason Ammar

“I have very fond memories growing up loving McDonald’s, celebrating my birthdays at McDonald’s. McDonald’s was always a place where we shared a lot of happy moments. Obviously, the business model was also appealing to me – that’s how I got into the brand. Being part of the McDonald’s Family means being part of something that is bigger than myself.”

Drew Jarrett and Spouse

“This has been a goal of ours for a long time, so to have it come to fruition is very exciting. It’s exciting for us to see the impact that we’re having with our staff, with our guest and getting involved in the community. The advice I would give to new franchisees would be to trust in the brand and trust in the system, because the system is always going to be there to support you.”

Sarah Douglas

“McDonald’s has allowed me to take my business experience, my people skills and bring them to an existing business and put my stamp on it. It’s also allowed me to continue to be successful in the business world, yet still balance my life as a working mom. If you are given the opportunity to become involved with the McDonald’s system, do not hesitate, jump at that opportunity!”

Jennifer G. Antolin

I began my McDonald’s career at 15 years old, working with my dad who was a McDonald’s franchisee. I’m a proud second-generation franchise owner; I purchased his business in 2012 after spending time honing my skills in the applicant program. A core principle of mine is to look at the business with a competitive growth mindset every day; I challenge my leadership team to achieve ever-rising targets. Management is encouraged to innovate and to share their ideas and best practices in an environment of open communication. We put our guests and people first. Every decision we make as an organization considers, “What does this mean for all of our guests and people?"

Richard Quek

When I was a university student, I worked for Canada’s largest theme park, managing over 20 restaurants across the park. It planted the seed in me to want to become a franchisee in the QSR industry. I wanted to be part of a global brand that is forward thinking and innovative, and that is constantly reinventing the QSR landscape. McDonald’s stood out as that for me. I was, and continue to be, impressed by the support I receive from McDonald’s corporate staff, the franchisee community and our suppliers. It truly is a team, where everyone wants everyone to succeed. Although it‘s a global organization, the franchisees serve their local communities in so many meaningful and impactful ways. I strive to hire a diverse Crew, representative of our multicultural community, and invest in Canada’s future by providing young and new Canadians with valuable job experience and training.

Pierre-Charles Tardif

I’ve always been in love with McDonald’s as a brand. Previously as a director of an accounting firm, I saw the opportunities for growth and development that McDonald’s was able to offer and the chance to collaborate with very talented people. One thing that sticks out for me is the support I’m able to provide to families at Ronald McDonald House Charities, it’s an important part of my business to be able to give back. This is one of the many ways my values are aligned with McDonald's. Always putting people, teamwork and collaboration first.

Usman Tahir Jutt

From Day 1, McDonald’s has demonstrated that they cared about their people and I feel very fortunate to have joined this organization. An organization's values have always been of utmost importance for me, from my time as a retail consultant in the oil industry and now as a McDonald’s owner operator. Our values have always aligned in wanting to build stronger connections with our neighbours and making Canada a place we can all be proud to live. For me, it’s always been about investing in people. I try to do that every day and when I need any resources to go further with my people, McDonald’s is right there. I love having a partner that has a growth mindset and allows me the space to push the brand.

Kathie Gilmour

McDonald's has always been an important part of my family's life. My father loved McDonald's and it was often the place he would take us to have special family time with him. My brother became a franchisee and felt I would be a good fit in the McFamily, and he was right! I feel very strongly that McDonald's makes a significant difference in people's lives. From the world-class training provided to employees in order to help ensure their success to the manner in which employees are celebrated, appreciated and respected. It is incredibly important to me that McDonald's values are aligned with my own values, and they have been every step of the way. The franchisee community is a cohesive group of people that share the same vision. That’s what keeps the brand resilient and successful moving forward.

Dave Wood

McDonald's was my first job when I was 15. I worked my way up to the manager level and, eventually, became an Owner/Operator. To this day, I feel like McDonald's was the best first job I could have ever had. So much of my work ethic and foundation for who I am today was developed at McDonald's. I have always known McDonald's to be a people-first business. Everything I do and the decisions made at my company are centred around the people and taking them as high as they can go. My team takes pride in training and developing our new employees with McDonald's best-in-class training programs and I know firsthand the confidence and foundations that can be built at McDonald's.