McDonald's to open 30-50 new stores across Australia in 2025 to fill restaurant gaps as fast food market shows promising growth
McDonald's Australia CEO Joe Chiczewski has said that the company is set to open up to 50 new stores at new locations across the country in 2026. He said that the decision has been taken with the main focus to address 'restaurant gaps' across Australia.'We're going to open more restaurants over the next 12 months,' Chiczewski told News.com.au. 'That is a key priority for our growth strategy. Not just the next 12 months, but over the next few years,' he said.This decision of McDonald's, one of the world's biggest fast food chains, comes at a time when many experts believe that the Australian fast food market is set to witness continued growth in 2025 with the success of several established brands and the rise of exciting newcomers, according to commo.com.au. Chiczewski further signalled that Perth may see a large number of new restaurants. 'I would expect over the next 12 months that we would open somewhere between 30 and 50 restaurants,' he said. 'We're absolutely committed to continuing to invest in the Aussie community.'
According to Sky News Australia, there are currently 1,050 McDonald's stores across the country. This comes as McDonald's announced on Thursday, July 3, 2025, that the franchise would lock the prices of select popular menu items to help Australians struggling with the cost of living.
Chiczewski stated that items such as the McSmart meal would remain $7, and Loose Change Menu items would remain $4. 'My commitment to Australian customers is clear: 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, you can count on us for great value at Macca's,' he said, Sky News Australia reported.'We're kicking off a year of value with a 12-month price promise on our McSmart Meal and Loose Change Menu. Since launching the McSmart meal, we're selling 600,000 McSmart meals a week,' he further stated. The announcement comes after the Fair Work Commission's ruling that McDonald's workers in South Australia are now able to negotiate better pay with their union and the franchise.According to the IMARC Group, known for sector-specific research and consulting solutions, the Australian fast food market size reached USD 18.0 billion in 2024. The Group has projected that the market will reach USD 26.0 billion by 2033, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 4.12% during 2025-2033.
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