How McDonald’s Suppliers and Partners Support Our Customers and Our People

By Chris Kempczinski, CEO, and Francesca DeBiase, EVP and Chief Supply Chain and Sustainability Officer, McDonald’s

Dear Global McFamily,

Our work, home and personal lives have all changed considerably over the last few months as we continue to manage through this challenging and unprecedented crisis. It’s clear that we are all facing a very different world, and it has become more important than ever that we work together to serve our customers.

We’re here to serve communities. That has been our guiding compass for the past 65 years and remains at the heart of everything we do, now more than ever. One of our biggest differentiators in doing that is our System – the three-legged stool of our people, our franchisees and our suppliers – which has been in full force over the last several months working tirelessly and safely to supply our restaurants and serve our customers.

Being transparent with each other and our stakeholders is key to managing through these uncertain times. The work happening with our suppliers and third-party partners is an excellent example of that principle in action, so we wanted to share a few highlights.

A resilient supply chain

Our supply chain plays a crucial part in ensuring our food reaches customers, and we are proud to count supplier partners as members of our McFamily. We’ve all heard about or witnessed the amazing work taking place in our restaurants, but there is some equally amazing work going on behind the scenes as our dedicated suppliers continue to work together to get us everything we need to serve our customers.

We are pleased with how our supply chain has adjusted, but we are also not surprised. We have the best supply chain in the industry, and during this challenging time, our supply chain has played an even more crucial role than usual. Our tightly linked, global network of suppliers includes a mix of large companies and smaller, family-owned businesses, all connected by an infrastructure of shared values, partnerships, processes and technology. 

Our global supply chain teams and suppliers have been in constant communication, ensuring our efforts are always aligned and that our operations remain strong. Despite the disruption to our business, to date we have had no break in supply for any food, packaging materials, toys, equipment, logistics or other solutions globally. That means we have been able to continue serving customers the food they love. 

Keeping our restaurants open where possible not only allows us to continue serving our customers, but it supports thousands of jobs in our supply chain as well. 

In addition to the goods and services suppliers continue to provide to our restaurants, suppliers have helped to maintain our commitment to protecting the health and well-being of our customers and our people through their efforts to responsibly procure safety materials such as masks, gloves and hand sanitizer, as well as ensuring the protection of their own employees. 

Our suppliers also have partnered with us to identify and fill the needs of our communities through generous support for Ronald McDonald House Charities and contributions to relief efforts globally of food, medical supplies and financial resources.

Ramping up McDelivery, safely

Our delivery ecosystem is another network where we have adapted our ways of working to ensure we continue to serve affordable and great-tasting McDonald’s food within the boundaries of the various guidelines in place around the world.

Above all, the health and safety of our customers and people remains our number one priority. With that guiding principle, we are stepping up hygiene standards in our restaurants, including by fully sealing delivery bags by using more stickers, posting hygiene information and making hand sanitizer available for couriers, when possible. We also are working closely with our delivery partners to communicate guidelines for courier hygiene and safety in accordance with our high standards.

We also are taking advantage of the flexibility of the delivery model and our own technology to adhere to social distancing guidelines. We have several contactless solutions in place for restaurant pick-up and delivery. That includes having couriers pick up orders at the front door or through the Drive-Thru lane, as well as encouraging customers to elect for a contactless drop-off for their orders. 

We are focused on getting customers what they need by working with our delivery partners to closely monitor their number of couriers to ensure that we can continue to meet customer demand and deliver hot food quickly. All of this is designed to give our customers a familiar, feel-good McDonald’s experience, even in the midst of widespread change and disruption.

Drawing on our collective strengths

These are just a few examples of the three-legged stool working as it is meant to: doing what is right for our customers and being there for our communities through teamwork and operating with transparency and agility across the system. This unwavering spirit is an inspiration to all of us. It’s what makes McDonald’s special.

Looking ahead, as the days, weeks and months unfold, we will continue to draw strength from all three legs of the stool. We are at our absolute best when we have open conversations and learn from each other. We should continue to do that as we work through this period and plan for the long term, while also considering how we might need to adapt to a new reality.

We have always supported each other, and that is one thing that we know with certainty will never change. Thank you for everything you do.