McDonald’s Hiring Blitz Will Add 375,000 New Employees This Summer

McDonald’s has a bold plan to hire 375,000 U.S. employees this summer. On top of that lofty goal, the fast-food behemoth wants to open 900 new locations in the U.S. within two years, bringing the number of restaurants to 50,000 total.

President of McDonald’s USA, Joe Erlinger, announced the plan at a new store in Columbus, Ohio, alongside Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Ohio Lt. Gov Jim Tressel. The company’s hiring will include both franchised and company-owned locations.

“I often think about the time I spent working in our restaurants as a general manager, and it was immediately clear that crew members are the heart and soul of this brand,” Erlinger said in a press release.

According to McDonald’s, the summer hiring initiative is one of its biggest in years. The company estimates that 1 in 8 Americans has worked for the fast-food chain at some point in their lives.

McDonald’s Is Making a Recovery

While the McDonald’s summer hiring blitz ramps up, the company recently released quarterly earnings, and the report was disappointing. McDonald’s announced a 3.6% drop in U.S. same-store sales in the three-month period that ended March 31. Globally, sales declined 1%.

First quarter net income reached $1.87 billion, down from $1.93 billion year-over-year. Overall revenue hit $5.96 billion, less than the $6.09 billion analysts were hoping for.

McDonald’s leadership blamed decreasing customer traffic for the bad numbers as more and more consumers choose to eat at home. Specifically, middle-income customer visits dropped “nearly double digits,” while low-income diners have also been avoiding the restaurant chain.

“In most of our major markets, we’re seeing a similar story in regards to the challenging industry environment and softening consumer sentiment,” CFO Ian Borden said on an earnings call, per CNBC.

However, McDonald’s does have a plan to turn it around. To get diners excited again, the fast-food chain is putting heavy emphasis on value meals, with the $5 meal deal staying on the menu until the end of the year. Also, previously popular items, like snack wraps, are coming back. Promotional tie-ins with “A Minecraft Movie” should help sales in the current quarter.