If you have the talent and ambition to make it work, becoming a Franchisee is a brilliant way to build a business while reducing the risks of starting your own from scratch. We’ve developed a model that we believe strikes the perfect balance between freedom of ownership and hands-on support, giving our Franchisees the opportunity to thrive. Here, you can discover exactly how our Franchising model works, from franchise ownership, to the level of commitment required, to operation and what it’s like to run your own restaurant.

The life of a Franchisee

Working with your team. Shaping business strategy. Hiring new employees. When it comes to being a Franchisee, every day presents exciting challenges.

Being a Franchisee

We enter into a 20-year agreement for each restaurant with one person only. One person completes the training, signs the agreement and becomes the Franchisee. As a Franchisee, you will be in a position to reap the rewards that ownership of such a business offers. You manage your own restaurant and set your own plan to grow the business over the long-term. Whether you’re a single restaurant or multi-site operator we’ll be here to make you feel supported and informed.

Take ownership of your time.

Striking the right balance between work and life can be a challenge. Though demanding, running your own restaurant affords the flexibility and independence required to give you a work-life balance, allowing you to take charge of your schedule and leading to a fulfilling quality of life. We encourage franchisees to operate restaurants within 45 minutes of where they live. Hours can be long but you’ll be able to dictate how you spend your time.

Working a corporate, 9 to 5 job, it's difficult to shape your own schedule. You can't just get out or, if travelling abroad, come home. I've missed school plays. Sports days. Something had to change. As a Franchisee, I can now make time for my family in the way I couldn't as an employee in the corporate world.

Reema Mavani

You need to be prepared to work very hard. My restaurants are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and typically we are busy when other people are on holiday. So socially, it can be a constraint. Having said that the rewards you get and the success of your people is fantastic.

Michael Thomas

Our relationship

As a Franchisee, you buy into a fully-functioning space, equipped and ready to run as a McDonald’s restaurant. In return, you take on the responsibility for its maintenance, and keep it contemporary with regular refurbishments.
As a Franchisee, you’ll use our systems, trademarks, menus, methods, support and marketing. You’ll be agreeing to operate your business according to our framework and requirements, ensuring uniformity and commitment to the McDonald’s brand.

Our Suppliers

We work together, not for each other.

Our long-term relationships with suppliers are built on trust. We trust them to provide us with great food and in return they trust our ability to respond and influence market trends. Due to the investment we put into building relationships, certain suppliers have named McDonald’s as their preferred trading customer. As Franchisees, you’ll feel confident knowing that a secure supply chain is in place.

Discover More

Meet our outstanding Farmers

McDonald’s invests in farming and builds long-term relationships with our suppliers. Meet our outstanding farmers.

Fish is Marine Stewardship Council Certified, eggs are free range, and we only use 100% British and Irish Beef. Coffee is fair trade and we use 100% certified Rainforest Alliance Arabica Beans. Our cooking oil is recycled to help fuel supply trucks and we have introduced recyclable paper straws.