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brand, with several having grown their businesses alongside McDonald’s. That partnership mindset continues
to drive innovation today. Collaborative planning with suppliers has been critical to the success of campaigns such as Secret Menu, Friends and CARDS, as well as the launch of new products.
From campaigns to customer behaviour Marketing is evolving alongside digital advancements, with campaigns such as “Betray Your Go-To” focused not just on promoting products, but on actively changing customer behaviour – encouraging greater trial and variety. This reflects a more sophisticated approach to growth, moving beyond simple awareness to influencing habits, increasing visit frequency, and boosting basket size, all underpinned by deeper insights into customer psychology. For franchisees, the impact is tangible: these campaigns are not solely about brand visibility, but are carefully designed to translate directly into improved restaurant-level performance.
Transforming learning across restaurants McDonald’s latest learning developments focus on modern, inclusive ways of training that build confident, capable people and make it easier to run great restaurants. In 2026, McDonald’s rolled out Crew
Academy and Hamburger University (HU) Online across the UK & Ireland restaurants, now accessible to around 150,000 employees. Crew Academy supports new starters from day one through an engaging mix of watch, play and read modalities, allowing people to learn in the way that works best for them. Learning then happens shoulder to shoulder on the restaurant floor, promoting inclusion, confidence and practical application from the very first shift. HU Online brings modern learning directly onto the restaurant floor through tablets – handheld devices that enable crew and managers to access training modules, videos, and interactive content in real time, removing barriers to access and supporting development in the moment. Through HU Online, in addition to Crew
Academy, teams can also access LinkedIn Learning, opening up world-class, expert- led content across leadership, business and personal development. Available in
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multiple languages and supported by AI-powered coaching, it gives every Crew Member and Manager the opportunity to build skills, grow confidence and explore longer-term career pathways. McDonald’s has also strengthened the
Shift Leader journey with Golden Minds, a refreshed wellbeing programme that reflects modern ways of working and the increasing focus on mental health. It equips new leaders with practical tools to build resilience, look after themselves and better support their teams, contributing to sustainable performance on every shift. All of this is delivered in close
partnership with franchisees and Operations. Investing at the centre creates a shared standard and removes the need for local training initiatives, supporting consistency, capability and confidence across all restaurants as the business continues to grow and evolve.
“McDonald’s offers both scale and stability, remaining one of the most recognised and trusted brands in the UK supported by a proven model and extensive infrastructure”
Where careers begin and futures grow McDonald’s has been offering apprenticeships for their people since 2006 – over 20 years! Apprenticeships are aligned to a variety of roles and skills across the business. From Hospitality and Leadership & Management for restaurant employees, to cyber data and HR for support roles, McDonald’s offers over 20 different programmes. McDonald’s trailblazing Apprentice
Mentor Scheme equips every apprentice with in-restaurant support from day one. Training and guidance for mentors on their role and responsibilities is provided, ensuring every apprentice receives consistent support. This unique model sees high success rates for those achieving their qualification, and greater return on investment for franchisees.
McDonald’s flagship School Leaver
Degree Apprenticeship is an opportunity for internal and external candidates to fast- track to management in five years whilst gaining apprenticeship qualifications along the way. Running since 2017, this programme develops highly capable and skilled managers for the future while offering a debt-free way to gain qualifications. With 73% completing the full five years to date, this is a great way to train managers of the future and implement a strong talent pipeline. McDonald’s fosters unique partnerships with its apprenticeship training providers and universities. Its collaborative focus is to fill skills gaps, provide meaningful career pathways and succession plans as well as securing a future-ready workforce. The impact of this aligned approach is clear. The apprenticeship programme supports employees’ careers, with many progressing onto another programme, while turnover for Crew Member apprentices is 25% lower than the wider workforce. Celebration is integral. McDonald’s holds an annual Apprenticeship Celebration Ceremony to recognise graduates and award winners. Attended by Senior Leadership Team, franchisees, friends and family, this is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate apprentices and mentors across the business who go above and beyond. External recognition has followed, with McDonald’s apprentices achieving accolades including Multicultural Apprenticeship Award winners, National Apprenticeship & Skills Awards finalists, and the company annually ranking in the Department for Education’s Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list.
“The apprenticeship has taken me out of my comfort zone and boosted my confidence. I’ve gained financial awareness, improved my English, and developed the skills to run a restaurant.” Irena, L3 Hospitality Supervisor
Supporting communities through opportunity and experience March 2026 marked an important moment, when McDonald’s launched their campaign, Making It at McDonald’s – celebrating the confidence, values and transferable skills young people build in the restaurants every day. In April 2026, it launched the nation’s largest work
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