1851

<p>At a recent day-long investor conference, <a href="https://1851franchise.com/franchise-deep-dive-mcdonalds-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2720737#stories">McDonald’s</a> revealed its aggressive expansion plans for the next four years. According to a <a href="https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/our-stories/article/mcd-announces-targets-development-loyalty-membership-cloud-tech.html?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mcdonalds--growth-plan-announcement-2725641" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">statement issued by the fast-food giant</a>, this will be McDonald’s “fastest period of growth” since it began selling franchises in 1955.</p><p>The company is looking to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/mcdonalds-open-nearly-9000-new-restaurants-by-2027-rcna128364?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mcdonalds--growth-plan-announcement-2725641" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">grow its number of restaurants</a> from its current 41,200 to 50,000 by 2027, including:</p><ul><li>900 new locations in the U.S.</li><li>1,900 new locations in current international markets (including Canada, France, and Australia)</li><li>7,000 new locations in international licensed markets (including China)</li></ul><p>While this goal is ambitious, McDonald’s chief customer officer <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/manu-steijaert/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mcdonalds--growth-plan-announcement-2725641" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Manu Steijaert</a> is confident it can be achieved. During the conference, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-restaurants-fast-food-617fb9859fc67e3a8ab4c1440f0ce434?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mcdonalds--growth-plan-announcement-2725641" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Steijaert pointed out</a> that it took 33 years for McDonald’s to open its first 10,000 restaurants, but only 18 years to grow the brand from 30,000 to 40,000.</p><h3>CosMc’s Takes Aim at Starbucks and Dunkin’</h3><p>According to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-restaurants-fast-food-617fb9859fc67e3a8ab4c1440f0ce434?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mcdonalds--growth-plan-announcement-2725641" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">report from Associated Press</a>, McDonald’s will be rolling out 10 of its <a href="https://1851franchise.com/mcdonalds-franchise-creates-cosmcs-spinoff-fast-food-concept-2723161">CosMc’s restaurants</a> in the first half of 2024 as a part of its expansion efforts, with one opening near the company’s headquarters in Chicago and the rest in Texas. CosMc’s, McDonald’s drive-thru only concept, has no dining room and offers customizable beverages (including frappes, slushes, and lattes) along with snack items. It was designed to compete with coffee shops like <a href="https://1851franchise.com/how-do-you-become-a-starbucks-franchisee-2723038">Starbucks</a> and <a href="https://1851franchise.com/the-brands-that-shaped-franchising-dunkin-2717903">Dunkin’</a> by appealing to afternoon snackers (when sales decline at most McDonald’s restaurants).</p><p>“This is a $100 billion category that’s growing faster than the rest of [casual dining] and with superior margins,” said McDonald’s CEO and President <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriskempczinski/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mcdonalds--growth-plan-announcement-2725641" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Chris Kempczinski</a>. “And it’s a space that we believe we have a right to win.”</p><h3>Collaboration with Google Cloud</h3><p>McDonald’s also <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-restaurants-fast-food-617fb9859fc67e3a8ab4c1440f0ce434?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mcdonalds--growth-plan-announcement-2725641" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">announced a multi-year partnership</a> with Alphabet’s Google Cloud, with plans to use artificial intelligence to improve restaurant operations. According to Kempczinski, moving computations to the cloud, rather than relying on slower servers, will speed up actions like menu recommendations on kiosks and in drive-thru lanes. It will also help managers to optimize staffing by spotting bottlenecks and recommending additional workers when needed.</p><p>Read the official statement from McDonald's <a href="https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/our-stories/article/mcd-announces-targets-development-loyalty-membership-cloud-tech.html?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mcdonalds--growth-plan-announcement-2725641" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here</a>.</p><p><i>For more information on McDonald's franchises, check out these related articles:</i></p><ul><li><a href="https://1851franchise.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-buy-a-mcdonalds-franchise-2724654#most-recent-stories">How Much Does It Cost To Buy a McDonald’s Franchise?</a></li><li><a href="https://1851franchise.com/how-international-franchises-thrive-in-foreign-markets-2725323#most-recent-stories">How Successful Franchises Like McDonald’s Thrive in Foreign Markets</a></li><li><a href="https://1851franchise.com/how-to-buy-a-fast-food-franchise-2725073#most-recent-stories">How To Buy a Fast-Food Franchise</a></li><li><a href="https://1851franchise.com/qsr-magazine-mcdonalds-increases-stake-in-china-business-2724332#most-recent-stories">QSR Magazine: McDonald’s Increases Stake in China Business</a></li><li><a href="https://1851franchise.com/10-franchise-restaurants-with-the-best-loyalty-programs-2723997#most-recent-stories">10 Franchise Restaurants With the Best Loyalty Programs</a><br>&nbsp;</li></ul>

McDonald's Announces Aggressive Four-Year Growth Plan - 1851 Franchise

McDonald's Aggressive Growth Plan Over Next Four Years

1851 Franchise

The fast-food brand plans to open nearly 10,000 new restaurants worldwide by 2027, in addition to testing its new CosMc’s concept and using AI to enhance its operations.

McDonald’s Announces Aggressive Four-Year Growth Plan

mcdonalds--growth-plan-announcement

Onigilly Japanese Kitchen

Unlocking the Potential: How Much Can You Earn as an Onigilly Franchisee?

unlocking-the-potential-how-much-can-you-earn-as-an-onigilly-franchisee

Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions

DeWitts Ignite New Chapter for Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions in Reno 

Grease, Grit, and Growth: DeWitts Ignite New Chapter for Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions in Reno, Nevada

grease-grit-and-growth-dewitts-ignite-new-chapter-for-filta-environmental-kitchen-solutions-in-reno-nevada

Layne's Chicken Fingers

Layne's Chicken Fingers-50 Unit-Wendy's-Franchisee-June-2025

Why This 50 Unit Wendy’s Franchisee Is Betting on Layne’s for His Next Big Move

wendys-franchisee-expands-with-laynes-chicken-fingers-texas

CapitalSpring

CapitalSpring’s Jim Balis Talks Growth, ROI and the Future of Fast Casual on “Rock My Restaurant”

capitalsprings-jim-balis-talks-growth-roi-and-the-future-of-fast-casual-on-rock-my-restaurant

Children's Lighthouse

Children’s Lighthouse Ramps Up Growth in First Half of 2025 With Strategic Expansions, Franchise Signings, and New Headquarters

childrens-lighthouse-ramps-up-growth-in-first-half-of-2025-with-strategic-expansions-franchise-signings-and-new-headquarters

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

What June’s Jobs Report Means for the Franchise Industry

what-junes-jobs-report-means-for-the-franchise-industry

Drone Delivery Takes Flight in QSR: The Future of Franchise Operations?

drone-delivery-takes-flight-in-qsr-the-future-of-franchise-operations

Chick-fil-A Tops Customer Satisfaction Rankings for 11th Year as Challenger Brands Gain Ground

chick-fil-a-tops-customer-satisfaction-rankings-for-11th-year-as-challenger-brands-gain-ground

Technomic Releases Annual Ranking of the Top 15 Fast-Food Chains in the U.S.

technomic-releases-annual-ranking-of-the-top-15-fast-food-chains-in-the-us

Rising Jobless Claims Could Signal Challenges — and Opportunities — for Franchising

rising-jobless-claims-affect-franchising

From Franchisee to Franchisor: How Howard Picker Is Using His Experience to Drive Sustainable Growth at Floyd’s 99

howard-picker-floyds-99-barbershop-franchise-franchisor-hot-seat

Jollibee -Launch-Story-Brand-Page-Deep-Dive-2025

Jollibee Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

jollibee-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-for-2025

Bringing Robots to Main Street: How Elad Inbar’s RobotLAB Franchise Is Powering the Local AI Revolution

bringing-robots-to-main-street-how-elad-inbars-robotlab-franchise-is-powering-the-local-ai-revolution

Busy Bee Jumpers Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

busy-bee-jumpers-franchise-costs-fees-2025

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise Built on Heart and Community

paris-baguette-franchise-rockaway-new-jersey-vishal-junjea

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Kelsey McManemin — Vice President of Marketing, HTeaO

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-kelsey-mcmanemin-vice-president-of-marketing-hteao

How This Franchise Consultant Turned a Love for Dogs Into a Business with Dog Training Elite

How This Franchise Consultant Turned a Lifelong Love for Dogs Into a Growing Business with Dog Training Elite

how-this-franchise-consultant-turned-a-lifelong-love-for-dogs-into-a-growing-business-with-dog-training-elite

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

Multi-Unit Wendy’s Operator Signs 12-Unit Deal With Layne’s Chicken Fingers

ricki-oberoi-laynes-chicken-fingers-growth

McDonald’s Announces Aggressive Four-Year Growth Plan

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS