The offering on McDonald's menus across the globe could be set to change as the burger giant's boss hints at simplifying choices amid a major restructure of the firm.
Fast food fans everywhere were bracing for major changes as McDonald's CEO, Chris Kempczinski, looking set to lay off thousands of corporate staff, hinting the restructuring could see menus simplified.
A reduction in variery of items in different countries, such as chicken sandwiches, could be on the cards as McDonald's Corporation temporarily closes its US offices this week to inform corporate employees about layoffs, as part of the broader company restructuring.
The changes could see the recipes of chicken sandwiches, of which there are currently 70 globally, to be changed or ditched.
While McDonald's is known for its classics like the Big Mac and McFlurries, the company offers many local variations of popular items, including the UAE's McArabia Chicken, India's Veg Surprise Burger, and Spain's McCrispy Honey Mustard.
A report has claimed that the company asked employees to work from home from Monday through Wednesday as it delivers staffing decisions virtually.
“We want to ensure the comfort and confidentiality of our people during the notification period,” the company said in an email, reported by the Wall Street Journal, and ordered those without access to a computer to give their personal contact information to their manager.
During this week, McDonald's corporation plans to communicate key decisions related to roles and staffing levels across the organization.
The company declined, however, to comment on the exact number of employees being laid off, Wall Street Journal reported.
The move follows multiple international corporations that have let go of thousands of employees across the world in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
McDonald's restructuring is likely to affect the restaurants' menu, Mr Kempczinski also noted in the email.
The corporation's CEO said: "We had across the globe 70 different, distinct versions of what a crispy chicken sandwich would look like. I don't need 70 different permutations of a chicken sandwich."
In January, McDonald's had announced plans to make "difficult" decisions about changes to its corporate staffing levels by April as part of a broader strategic plan for the burger chain.
McDonald's has more than 150,000 employees in corporate roles, with about 70% of those employees based outside the United States. It is feared the firm will slash many of these staff.
The company reported its global sales rose nearly 11% in 2022, while sales in the US climbed almost 6%. Total restaurant margins rose 5%.
In its latest annual report, the company cited difficulties in adequately staffing some of its outlets.
In January, McDonald's said its “Accelerating the Arches” program would focus on “deliveries, Drive Thru, digital and development.”
“We’re performing at a high level, but we can do even better," CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a January 6 letter to employees.
He said the company was divided into silos and that the approach was “outdated and self-limiting."
As the company reshapes its strategy, he said, “we will evaluate roles and staffing levels in parts of the organization and there will be difficult discussions and decisions ahead.”
Layoffs have been mounting across the US labour market and worldwide as well.
Major lay-off waves have been seen mainly in the technology sector so far, where many companies over-hired after a pandemic boom.
IBM, Microsoft, Amazon, Salesforce, Facebook parent Meta, Twitter and DoorDash have all announced layoffs in recent months.
Policymakers at the Federal Reserve have forecast the unemployment rate may rise to 4.6% by the end of this year, a sizable increase historically associated with recessions.
