McDonald’s has kicked off a series of popups celebrating its crew members, past and present, as part of a broader “Employees Only” campaign. It focuses on the one in eight Americans who have been employed by the quick-service giant at some point in their career, and the more than 70% of those crew members who say they learned key skills, like communication and leadership, while working there.
The Employees Only events provide past and present employees with access to networking and mentorship opportunities. The series kicked off in Chicago with comedian and Saturday Night Live alum Chris Redd, who worked at McDonald’s twice, James Beard award-winning chef Kwame Onwuachi, who worked as a crew member running a McDonald’s kitchen, and actress, TV host and Emmy Award winner Clarissa Molina, who spoke about how her time at McDonald’s prepared her to become Miss Dominican Republic 2015, place top six in Miss Universe, and win Nuestra Belleza Latina VIP in 2017. They were joined by Faith Taylor – an Archways to Opportunity graduate – and franchise owner Gianna Funkhouser on a “Fryside Chat” panel. In addition to networking opportunities, attendees received professional headshots, toured a historic uniform exhibit showing crew apparel over the years, and participated in a skills challenge.
“We’ve heard from members of the one-in-eight that they feel a sense of pride in being part of this exclusive club and the shared experience a job at McDonald’s brings,” national field people officer Alma Anguiano said in a statement. “Employees Only is just one example of our ongoing commitment to connect past and present crew members, provide them with exclusive opportunities like mentorships with notable alumni who’ve gone on to make an impact in the world, and so much more.”
Throughout the next several months, the Employees Only series will roll out in cities across the country, including San Diego and Washington, D.C.
Perhaps the one-in-eight number isn’t much of a surprise given just how big McDonald’s domestic footprint is, with around 13,500 restaurants. Still, this campaign comes as the chain targets even more growth with its sights set on adding about 900 new restaurants in the next four years and 1,000 in the next five years.
Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]
