McDONALD'S AND RONALD McDONALD HOUSE UK AND RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE IRELAND CELEBRATE MORE THAN £3 MILLION RAISED ON FIRST EVER McHAPPY DAY®

McDONALD'S AND RONALD McDONALD HOUSE UK AND RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE IRELAND CELEBRATE MORE THAN £3 MILLION RAISED ON FIRST EVER McHAPPY DAY®

• The inaugural fundraising day took place in McDonald’s restaurants across the UK and Ireland on Saturday, 26^th September, with £1/ €1 from every qualifying main meal* donated to Ronald McDonald House UK and Ronald McDonald House Ireland. 
• The money raised will provide families access to approximately 43,000 nights of accommodation in the UK keeping families close to their seriously ill or injured children in hospital.
• McDonald’s customers, Franchisees and partners all contributed to the total, with suppliers making additional donations linked to selected products. 
• The total is the highest amount ever raised in a single day for Ronald McDonald House UK and Ronald McDonald House Ireland, setting a new record for the long-standing partnership

London, Wednesday 14^th  October 2026 – McDonald’s first ever McHappy Day® in the UK and Ireland has raised over £3 million in support of Ronald McDonald House UK and Ronald McDonald House Ireland. This is enough to fund approximately 43,000 nights of free accommodation for UK families with a seriously ill child in hospital.

The inaugural fundraising day took place on Saturday, 26^th September and saw McDonald’s customers, Franchisees and suppliers come together to raise vital funds to help Ronald McDonald House UK and Ronald McDonald House Ireland continue to support families.

On McHappy Day®, £1/ €1 from every qualifying* main meal sold and proceeds from the sales of limited-edition Grimace beanies were donated to Ronald McDonald House UK and Ireland, alongside contributions from McDonald's Franchisees and supply partners. Together, these donations mean families can continue to stay close to their child in hospital.   

The fundraiser saw over 120,000 reversible Grimace beanies sold, thousands of restaurants put on activities including fundraising challenges, raffles and facepainting and over 30 suppliers and partners contributed either through fixed donations, percentage of sales, staff fundraising events or advertising and marketing support. 

The funds raised on McHappy Day® will build on the founding and forever partnership between McDonald’s and Ronald McDonald House UK and Ronald McDonald House Ireland. In 2025, Ronald McDonald House UK supported 8,488 families across 14 Houses, for an average of 16 nights, saving families on average from travelling more than 10 million miles. Since 2024, Ronald McDonald House Ireland has supported more than 5,400 families from all 32 counties across Ireland. 

Each Ronald McDonald House is located as close as possible to a specialist children's hospital, so parents can be at their child's bedside within moments while still having somewhere to rest, recharge and be together as a family. Since the charity was established in the UK in 1989, and 2004 in Ireland, McDonald’s and its Franchisees have raised over £150 million – vital funds that have supported the construction and running of 15 Ronald McDonald Houses across the UK and Ireland. In that time, more than 100,000 families have stayed in a House while their child received hospital treatment.

Lauren Schultz, CEO at McDonald's UK & Ireland, said: "I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who made our first UK and Ireland McHappy Day® such a success. Our customers, Franchisees, Crew and supply partners went above and beyond to raise more than £3 million for Ronald McDonald House UK and Ronald McDonald House Ireland. Every contributing meal, every Grimace beanie bought and every fundraising activity will help a family stay close to their seriously ill child in hospital, at no cost to them, at a time when being together matters most. McHappy Day® has been part of McDonald's around the world for decades, and seeing the UK and Ireland embrace it so warmly in its first year has made us incredibly proud.”

Ella Joseph, CEO at Ronald McDonald House UK, said: "We are so grateful to McDonald's, its Franchisees, customers and suppliers for their extraordinary generosity on the UK's first McHappy Day®. The families who stay with us are often facing the unimaginable, caring for a seriously ill or injured child, while spending weeks or months away from home. With over £3 million raised we can provide families in the UK with approximately 43,000 nights of free accommodation giving them one less thing to worry about and letting them focus on what matters most: being there for their child.”

Joe Kenny, CEO Ronald McDonald House Ireland said: "In my ten years  with  Ronald McDonald House  Ireland, I have never felt  a stronger  connection to a McDonald's fundraising event.  From  the  weeks  leading  up to  McHappy Day®  right  through to  the day  itself,  there  was a real  sense of excitement  and  purpose across the McDonald's family.  Franchisees, restaurant teams, suppliers  and customers  all got  behind it  in a way that was genuinely special.  Raising more  than £3 million  an incredible achievement.  It  means  families  can  remain  together during some of the hardest days of their  lives. On behalf of every family  who  will benefit,  thank you to everyone who  made McHappy Day®  such a tremendous  success."

To find out more, visit the Ronald McDonald House UK website or the Ronald McDonald House Ireland Website. . 

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Notes to Editors

For more information, contact the McDonald’s press office on 0203 897 0333 or bigmacs@ready10.media.

Case studies and further information on the Ronald McDonald House UK and Ronald McDonald House Ireland families are available on request. 

*McDonald’s Restaurants Limited: £1 /€1 from each qualifying Meal sold on 26^th September 2026 was donated to Ronald McDonald House UK and Ronald McDonald House Ireland. Excludes Breakfast, Saver Menu® Meals and promotional Meals. Participating restaurants only. 

About McDonald’s    

McDonald’s has been operating in the UK since 1974, and in Ireland since 1977. The business currently operates more than 1,560 restaurants across the UK and Ireland, serving over three million customers each day.  

© 2026 McDonald’s. Ronald McDonald House UK is an independent charity registered in England and Wales (802047) and in Scotland (SC040717). Ronald McDonald House Charities (Irl) is a registered charitable organisation in Ireland with Charity Number CHY12553 and Charities Regulatory Authority Number 20037000.

About Ronald McDonald House UK 

Ronald McDonald House UK helps families with children in hospital cope with the practical and emotional challenges they face. They provide a place families can stay together for weeks, months or even years while their child is being treated in hospital. 

• Ronald McDonald House UK has been working with McDonald’s since the Charity was founded in the UK in 1989. 
• Located just minutes from children’s wards at 14 NHS hospitals across the UK, their Houses allow families to be at their child’s bedside within moments.  
• Since 1989, McDonald’s and its Franchisees have raised an estimated £140 million for the Charity which goes towards the running and building of Ronald McDonald Houses across the UK. 
• As well as donating part of their profits, McDonald’s and its Franchisees also hold annual fundraising days, provide free office space, business resources and advertising. 
• Ronald McDonald Houses are more than just a place to stay. They offer practical support, welcoming shared spaces and a compassionate team, as well as the comfort of connecting with other families who understand what they are going through. 
• Since the charity’s founding in 1989 they have supported more than 100,000 families. 
• In 2025, the charity accommodated 8,488 families, who stayed for an average of 16 nights. 
• In 2025, Ronald McDonald House UK saved families, on average, from travelling 79 miles to and from hospital each day to be with their child. In total, families were saved from travelling more than 10 million miles to and from hospital. 

For more information, visit www.ronaldmcdonaldhouse.org.uk and Communities - Our Plan For Change | McDonald's UK

About Ronald McDonald House Ireland

Ronald McDonald House Ireland helps families with children in hospital cope with the practical and emotional challenges they face. They provide a place families can stay together for weeks, months or even years while their child is being treated in hospital. 

• Ronald McDonald House Ireland has been working with McDonald’s since the Charity opened its first House in Ireland in 2004. 
• Located just minutes from children’s wards at Children’s Health Ireland in Crumlin, their House allows families to be at their child’s bedside within moments.  
• Since 2004, McDonald’s and its Franchisees have raised millions for the Charity which goes towards the running of the Ronald McDonald House in Crumlin. 
• As well as donating part of their profits, McDonald’s and its Franchisees also hold annual fundraising days, provide free office space, business resources and advertising. 
• The Ronald McDonald House is more than just a place to stay. It offers practical support, welcoming shared spaces and a compassionate team, as well as the comfort of connecting with other families who understand what they are going through. 
• Since opening its House at Crumlin in 2004, the Charity has supported more than 5,500 Irish families.