MCDONALD'S SPRUCEFIELD ANNOUNCES 50 NEW JOBS WITH THE OPENING OF NORTHERN IRELAND’S FIRST DUAL DRIVE THRU- Restaurant invests £750,000 in refurbishment -

McDonald’s Sprucefield has announced the creation of 50 new jobs and an investment in the region of £750,000 in Northern Ireland’s first dual drive thru restaurant. The additional jobs have been created following an extension to the restaurant and will bring the current employment to 140 full time and part time staff.

The investment includes the extensive refurbishment of the interior and exterior of the restaurant and the new look drive thru will enable two cars to order simultaneously using dual order displays improving the overall efficiency and speed of service.

Local Franchisee John McCollum said “McDonald’s is a modern and progressive company and we are really excited to have opened Northern Ireland’s first dual drive thru restaurant.  Previously we were able to serve 100 customers every hour through the drive thru however with the new dual lanes we are estimating we can now serve 150 cars every hour providing customers with a quality meal and speedier service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“As a local franchisee I’m keen to ensure steady investment in the area and I am pleased to be able to provide 50 new full and part time positions. Investing in the development of our staff is also important – it will help us to continue to deliver consistently high levels of customer service and we want to ensure our crew have a good learning ladder of opportunities ahead of them to benefit their career.”

The new look restaurant will offer 160 seats inside, an extended outside seating area and free WiFi for customers looking for added value from their eating out experiences.

-Ends-

Notes to Editors:

• McDonald’s operates 26 stores in Northern Ireland and currently employs over 1,975 crew• McDonald's is investing in new restaurants and in remodelling its existing stores. By the end of 2012 95% of our restaurants will have a brand-new look with the rest of the estate completed in early 2013.• We are creating an extra 2,500 new jobs in 2012 across the UK, and plan to invest around £30million in the training of our restaurant staff this year.

For more information contact Louise Carson or Caroline Murphy at Aiken PR on 02890663000 or louise@aikenpr.com