The local Northern Ireland economy is set to receive a boost with the announcement of a £3m investment in a new McDonald’s restaurant on the Boucher Road which will create 100 jobs locally.

The new dual lane drive thru restaurant will feature state of the art technology and will be the first in Ireland to have a touch screen ordering service, delivering an even quicker service for customers. Located close to Broadway Roundabout at the end of the Westlink, the 85 seat restaurant is scheduled to open tomorrow (19th August 2014), and will increase the McDonald’s portfolio in Northern Ireland to 27 restaurants.

Speaking about the investment, franchisee Paul Connan said, “As a local businessman I’m keen to ensure steady investment in the area and I am pleased to be able to provide 80 new full and part time positions for the local area. The restaurant will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week,  and will provide our customers with the perfect place to enjoy a quality meal and friendly service.”

The new restaurant concept, which has been completed by Marcon Fit Out, is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland with its fresh, modern design. The restaurant will feature the most energy efficient technologies including environmentally friendly air conditioning, low voltage lighting and solar panels. State of the art technology, varied menu choices and the availability of free WiFi will provide customers in the new restaurant with added value for their eating out experience.

“McDonald’s is committed to growing its business in Northern Ireland and this major investment has created significant direct and indirect employment including a boost to the manufacturing, construction and service sectors. We are also continuing to invest in our staff to 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 to benefit their career,” continued Paul.

McDonald’s opened its first restaurant in Belfast in 1991 and Northern Ireland now has 27 restaurants employing over 2,100 people locally. McDonald’s also supports a further 1,500 jobs by purchasing goods and services from businesses located here. In Northern Ireland McDonald’s and its suppliers make a combined annual contribution of £76 million to the local economy. In 2013 McDonald’s in the UK spent almost £99m sourcing goods and services from Northern Ireland, £14m of which was spent on agricultural produce.