McDonald’s will hire 20,000 employees as part of the UK and Ireland expansion

McDonald’s will hire 20,000 employees in the UK and Ireland as part of a wider investment boost, despite the damage caused by the pandemic to the hospitality sector.

There are plans to open more than 50 new restaurants next year on the street labor shortage which has led to an increase in salaries for restaurant staff in the UK. Both Brexit and the pandemic have prompted foreign workers to flee to Britain.

Relaxing social exclusion rules that will allow more employees to join restaurants has paved the way for a hiring push, the U.S. group said.

Its openings were part of a broader investment plan, according to which existing properties would be upgraded, including by adding “Grab & Go” options to sites with a large number of employees. McDonald’s has said it will also test more flexible store designs.

Restaurants and other hospitality businesses have received support from the furlough scheme during the pandemic, as well as a business rates on vacation and a temporary ban commercial releases.

However, the Covid-19 has taken a heavy toll after multiple locks forced it to sell closed places or only takeaways. They have many smaller places closed and others say they don’t anticipate being able to pay rent delay it was built during the pandemic.

However, some well-funded companies are taking advantage of the opportunity to expand.

The blind, high-street sushi chain said Sunday it had sold its stake to private equity investor Bridgepoint, opening 100 stores and hiring 2,000 more people over five years. This is despite the fact that the group managed to reduce rents under the company’s voluntary agreement last year.

Blind founder Julian Metcalfe said the team is returning to pre-pandemic levels of customer visits.

“The pandemic has caused chaos and so much suffering in our industry over the severe shortage of young European chefs and the major challenge of horrendous food inflation,” he said. “Actually, despite these difficulties, Itsu’s modern menu keeps us busy and fast.”

Paul Pomroy, CEO of McDonald’s in the UK and Ireland, said: “There is no doubt that the pandemic has had a huge impact on the employment opportunities of many people and has threatened the future of major streets up and down the country. they reflect a commitment to continue innovating and investing in communities and economies. ”

McDonald’s has 1,300 restaurants in the UK through a franchise system, with around 200 local franchises and 120,000 employees.

The company has been pretty much hit by the pandemic, thanks in part to its delivery and leadership offerings. Comparable global sales fell by 7.7% in 2020 compared to the previous year.