Franchising

Why McDonald’s

Your success starts with world-class training and support.

Our franchising system is built on the premise that McDonald's can only be as successful as our owner/operators. We believe in a partnering relationship with our owner/operators, suppliers and employees. It all begins with world class training.

Training

We believe our training program is the best in the industry, focused on preparing operations experts to provide outstanding customer experiences every day. 

Program highlights include 9 months to 2 years of self-directed training in a restaurant, with options for 20 hours (for part time training) to 40 hours (full time training) per week which will include: 

• Crew development/crew trainer programs
• Team leader Development
• Basic & Advanced Shift Management
• Systems Management
• Restaurant Management (scheduling, inventory, control, quality assurance, etc.)
• Owner Operator Development
• Business Management
• Various classes such as: 
  • Webinars
  • Classroom courses
  • 1-day seminars
  • In-field training sessions
  • 1-week management course at HU (Hamburger University) in Oak Brook

World Class Service

As a franchisee, McDonald's® field operations and franchising staff work directly with you from the moment you enter the training program. Their primary job is to prepare you to maximize quality, service and cleanliness in order to help optimize sales and profits.

McDonald's provides extensive support with marketing and advertising. Our award-winning advertising has global reach. To continually maintain and take advantage of our leadership position, each restaurant is required to spend a minimum of 4% of gross sales annually on advertising and promotion.Crew development/crew trainer programs.

Through a voluntary co-operative of McDonald's owner/operators, the company and its owner/operators combine to purchase national television advertising. This combined buying power has helped McDonald's create a worldwide brand unmatched in the foodservice industry -- an unparalleled advantage for an individual McDonald's restaurant.

McDonald's extensive ongoing training system includes Hamburger University and three regional training departments. McDonald's provides the most up-to-date training materials in the industry.

McDonald's Supply Chain management has developed an extensive network of the world's finest suppliers. McDonald's Canada works closely with over 100 suppliers across the country to ensure our restaurants are provided with quality products at the most competitive prices.

System Support

Being a McDonald's® owner/operator offers many advantages - from the training and support of a solid organization, to the opportunity to own a thriving, successful business.

The benefits: 

• Own your own business and reap the rewards that come from being responsible for your own success. With McDonald's unique approach to training and support, you are in business for yourself, but not by yourself. Use of the trademarks and operating system of the number one brand in the world within the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry.
• The tools to help you in your business: local and national support in the areas of operations, training, advertising, marketing, human resources, real estate, construction, purchasing, and equipment purchasing and maintenance. To be responsive to your needs and support a collaborative business environment, McDonald's maintains regional offices throughout Canada along with our home office in Toronto, Ontario.
• The enjoyment that comes from working with people, from your restaurant crew to your customers and community. The opportunity to contribute to the success of McDonald's: Big Mac®, Filet-O-Fish®, and Egg McMuffin® sandwiches have all been developed by owner/operators.

Purchasing Your Franchise

McDonald’s® is continually seeking a limited number of individuals who are interested in becoming McDonald’s franchisees. People selected as “Registered Applicants” will be those willing to relocate anywhere in Canada. McDonald’s does its utmost to ensure that the candidate will fit within the community that he or she will eventually do business in.

Most owner/operators enter the system by purchasing an existing restaurant, either from McDonald’s or from a McDonald’s owner/operator. A very small number of new operators start by buying a new restaurant. The financial requirements vary depending on the method of acquisition.

Applicant Qualifications

Some of the qualifications McDonald's seeks in a prospective applicant fall into three main categories: 
overall business background and experience; personal qualities; and financial abilities.

McDonald's seeks individuals who have extensive business experience, preferably with a strong supervisory and managerial background. Retailing experience is an asset. We are interested in people with a proven track record of success, whether it be in their own business or working for a small or large corporation. We seek people who are prepared for the physical and emotional rigors of operating a multi-million-dollar business with a staff of 50 to 125 people. The candidate should have the ability to relate well with people, both guests and employees. The individual has proven leadership skills and talent managing human resources, in today’s complex environment managing people of different ages and cultural backgrounds.

We make an evaluation of an individual's personality, qualities and characteristics, looking for integrity, honesty, sincerity, initiative and tenacity, to name a few. We want franchisees who will go into their communities, meet their guests and market their restaurants aggressively.

McDonald's looks for individuals who are willing to devote their full time and best efforts to the McDonald's business. We do not grant franchises to investors, partnerships of any type, or corporations.

All McDonald's restaurants operate within a sophisticated management and operational system, and conform to rigidly enforced standards of food quality, quick service, cleanliness and good value. "QSC&V" (Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value) is McDonald's motto.

Training Program

The applicant 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 devoted to it are considered part of the applicant's commitment to and investment in becoming a McDonald's franchisee. The applicant must also follow 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.

Financial Requirements/Down Payment

An initial down payment is required when you purchase a new restaurant (40% of the total cost) or an existing restaurant (25% of the total cost). The down payment must come from non-borrowed, unencumbered personal resources, which include cash on hand; securities, bonds, and debentures; vested profit sharing (net of taxes); and business or real estate equity, exclusive of your personal residence.

Since the total cost varies from restaurant to restaurant, the minimum amount for a down payment will vary. Generally, we require a minimum of $700,000 of non-borrowed (unencumbered) personal resources to consider you for a franchise. Individuals with additional funds may be better prepared for multi-restaurant opportunities.

Financing

We require that the buyer pay a minimum of 25% cash as a down payment toward the purchase of a restaurant. The remaining balance of the purchase price may be financed for a period of no more than seven years. While McDonald's does not offer financing, McDonald's owner/operators enjoy the benefits of our established relationships with many national lending institutions. We believe our owner/operators enjoy the lowest lending rates in the industry.

Ongoing Fees

During the term of the franchise, you pay McDonald's the following fees: Service fee: a monthly fee based upon the restaurant's sales performance (currently a service fee of 4.0% of monthly gross sales). Rent: a monthly base rent and/or percentage rent that is a percentage of monthly gross sales.