Back in 2018, McDonald’s spent $250 million to open a new headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. Fans of the fast-food company can take a visual tour of the incredible facility, even if they aren’t able to see it in person. The new building opened on June 18, 2018, with CEO Steve Easterbrook saying that the new structure is part of an effort for McDonald’s to be a “more modern and progressive burger company.”
“We were based on the edge of the city for about the last 40 something years,” Easterbrook added while speaking to CNBC. “It’s been a wonderful facility for us, but it was a little detached from everyday life.” The new headquarters features state-of-the-art workspaces and an employee exclusive McCafe that offers delicious eats and treats for workers. Scroll down to see photos and learn more about the new McDonald’s HQ!
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Hello, Chicago!
A little under 50 years ago McDonald’s moved its headquarters from downtown Chicago out to the suburbs of Oak Brook, Illinois. Now, the fast food conglomerate has returned to its roots, setting up its gorgeous new facility in Chicago’s West Loop, a trendy and up-and-coming area of the city.
A “Royale with Cheese”
Bearing the company’s classic logo on the front of the building, the new McDonald’s facility features a restaurant that is open to the public. Interestingly, this is not just any regular McDonald’s spot, as it offers McDonald’s menu items from all around the world, such as the McSpicy Chicken Sandwich from Hong Kong and the Cheese & Bacon Loaded Fries from Australia.
“Hamburger University”
Dubbed “Hamburger University,” the second floor of the new McDonald’s headquarters is where managers are trained. Originally founded in 1961 by Fred Turner — McDonald’s grill-master turned senior chairman — Hamburger University has trained more than 80,000 managers, mid-managers, and owners/operators.
McCafe
When McDonald’s staff who work at the new headquarters get hungry, all they have to do is pop down to the employee cafe, which features stadium seating so that they can work on projects if they feel creative while they munch on some lunch. The eatery also features a genuine McCafe, complete with international pastries and barista-style coffee.
“Work Neighborhoods”
One of the new concepts that McDonald’s has implemented with their new facility is called “work neighborhoods.” These are areas that, rather than segmenting workspace by cubicles, use an open floor plan with different environments that allow employees to choose what space works best for their creative low at the moment. Each work neighborhood comes equipped with communal tables, huddle rooms, individual workstations, personal lockers, and private phone rooms.
Collaboration Space
While there are plenty of spaces for individual work to get done, McDonald’s also created plenty of space for collaborative efforts as well. In addition to the many conference rooms — including one that is large enough for 700 people — there are numerous benches, couches, and cafe-style tables that are unassigned and always available for whenever groups may need to get together for project discussions. After all, teamwork does in fact make the dream work.
“Top of the World”
Finally, the brand new headquarters features a fitness center on the ninth floor for employees to use at their leisure. There are also adjacent outside areas that allow employees to have a beautiful view of the city while they get some fresh air.
