Joe Erlinger is President, McDonald’s USA, leading operations of nearly 14,000 U.S. restaurants. During his six-year tenure, McDonald’s USA has delivered strong growth, including more than 35% systemwide sales growth across U.S. restaurants, driven by the 2020 launch of the Accelerating the Arches USA strategy.
In this role, Joe led the system through the disruption of COVID-19, rapidly implementing enhanced safety and operational protocols and supporting franchisees when consistency mattered most. He also accelerated customer access through delivery and digital ordering, quadrupling the number of 90-day active users in the McDonald’s Loyalty program since its launch in 2021, building one of the largest known restaurant loyalty audiences across the quick-service restaurant industry.
Joe has built a high‑performing team culture and developed a strong pipeline of leaders who support the broader McDonald’s system, while also improving crew culture and experience in restaurants. Under his leadership, the U.S. system added 635 restaurants and nearly 400 new franchisees, strengthening overall brand and franchisee health. He has also led culture‑shaping, high‑impact marketing—including the “Famous Orders” platform—while reinforcing the fundamentals that make McDonald’s one of the world’s most enduring brands and strongest franchise opportunities.
Prior to leading the U.S. business, Joe served as President, International Operated Markets, responsible for 6,000 McDonald’s restaurants across the brand’s biggest markets including Canada, Italy, Poland, UK & Ireland, France, Germany and Australia. During his tenure, the China and Hong Kong markets were converted to developmental licenses in the largest re-franchising transaction completed in McDonald’s history.
After joining McDonald’s in 2002 in Strategy and New Business Development, he took on several roles of increasing responsibility across McDonald’s USA before taking his first international leadership role as Managing Director of McDonald’s Korea in 2013.
Joe lives in Chicago with his wife and three children and is active throughout Chicago, serving on the Board of World Business Chicago and on the Executive Committee for the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry where he chairs their Talent & Compensation Committee. He is a Georgetown University alumnus.
In 2025, he was recognized on Fortune’s “Next to Lead: Most Powerful Rising Executives” list.
