This is the story of how McDonald’s – world’s most democratic, iconic brand, took various inequities head on to drive true inclusivity and growth in India.

Despite our promise of "making delicious feel-good moments easy for everyone," McDonald’s faced challenges when trying to appeal to a wider audience. Business had plateaued and COVID led to a steep nosedive – in terms of both guest count and sales. People shunned us, with 61% of customers stopping eating out and 19% reducing it. (Sentiment Track 2020).

We needed to go back to what McDonald’s does best – set up every part of our business from staff, products through to store, packaging and communication to serve feel good moments for every segment, community and customer. Through these efforts we built meaningful connections, to improve our trust and inclusivity scores -indicators with a direct correlation to guest count / sales-driving healthier, sustainable business.

EATQUAL BURGER EXPERIENCE

Working closely with design experts and non-profits we created a packaging innovation and launched it on International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The first-ever widely available fast-food burger packaging across 500+ stores for differently abled individuals, making the joy of eating a burger equal for everyone.​

In year two, we highlighted day-to-day challenges faced by people with disabilities that often went unnoticed by the able-bodied majority, emphasizing that inclusivity is a two-way street. In year three, we committed to inclusivity even further by promoting normalization of unique ways of living, irrespective of one's abilities.

EATQUAL LEADING CULTURE

We further expanded the EatQual platform, featuring inspiring women like Rashmika Mandana, honoring every community with Diwali, Ramazan campaigns, catering to a broader range of dietary preferences, including vegan and Jain options, taking intentional steps to create a welcoming workspace ensuring that all felt seen, heard, respected at all stores.