Entry and expansion
McDonald's entered the Philippine market in 1981 with McDonald's International partnering with Yang's McGeorge Food Industries due to the prohibition of majority foreign ownership in the country. This gave Yang's firm exclusive rights to manage the operations of McDonald's in the Philippines. By the 1990s, there were already 375 McDonald's outlets in the Philippines, with around 150 operated as local franchises.[3]
In the mid-1980s, multinational fast food chains based abroad with presence in the Philippines began to introduce food items meant for the local market. During this time, McDonald's Philippines began to introduce meals served with steamed rice, spaghetti and fried chicken with gravy.[5]
In 1991–1992, McDonald's expanded its reach to Visayas and Mindanao with the opening of new restaurants in Bacolod, Cebu City; and Cagayan de Oro, respectively. In 1996, George Yang launched the Ronald McDonald House Charities in the country.
By 2001, the operations of McDonald's in the Philippines were managed by two entities. McGeorge Food Industries served as the master franchise holder, while the Golden Arches Development Corporation (GADC), also owned by Yang, was responsible for operating more than 200 company-managed outlets across the country. That same year, a merger of the two entities was proposed,[6] and in November 2002, the merger was approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission, with GADC as the surviving entity.[7]
In 2005, the company concluded its deal with the American management as the Philippine division of McDonald's became a 100% Filipino-owned company when GADC teamed up with Alliance Global Group Inc., a company owned by businessman Andrew Tan, to buy the remaining stake owned by McDonald's Corporation in its local division.[8][9]
In 2018, McDonald's Philippines introduced NXTGEN, bringing self-ordering kiosks, modernized menu boards, card payment acceptance, split counter system, and with the specially trained Guest Experience Leaders to the country.[10] It opened its flagship NXTGEN branch at McKinley West in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, Metro Manila on October 5.[11]
In 2020, McDonald's Philippines closed down 30 stores after lease expirations and some financial concerns but opened 16 new stores despite the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] In April 2021, it launched its first Green & Good store, promoting eco-sustainability,[12] at United Nations Avenue corner Del Pilar Street in Ermita, Manila,[13] as well as its Bike & Dine facilities which provides outdoor eating areas and bicycle parking for cyclists.[14][15] On December 23, 2022, it opened its 700th store in Nuvali, Santa Rosa, Laguna.[16]
In 2025, the McDonald's Philippines master franchise agreement was renewed for another 20 years, through 2045.[17] That same year, McDonald's opened its 800th store in the country, at the Davao Global Township in Davao del Sur.[18]
