Reflecting on Our Accomplishments This Year

Hello McDonald’s USA,

As 2022 quickly approaches, I’d like to reflect on all we have accomplished together the last 12 months.

There’s no question – as a country, we continued to see new and difficult challenges this year:

• Managing COVID-19 and the discovery of new variants reminded us that while we may be done with COVID, unfortunately, it’s not yet behind us.
• Labor shortages and the fragility of the supply chain also continued to impact the country.
• And we saw how multiple, extreme weather events have left a trail of devastation in our communities.

Despite these obstacles, McDonald’s USA is ending 2021 in an incredible position as a result of our System’s collective ability to navigate challenges with strength and power.

That doesn’t mean there haven’t been personal challenges along the way – things that happened this year which we didn’t see coming and couldn’t have prepared for.

So, I ask that each of you take a moment to pause and acknowledge the significance of your collective resilience and perseverance this year.

Witnessing our System come together to support one another and our communities time and again, while continuing to execute successfully and selflessly, is truly a privilege I do not take for granted.

Daily, I am honored and humbled to serve as President of McDonald’s USA. Thank you to each of you for your continued focus and commitment.

REFLECTING ON OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

As I reflect on the last two years in this role, I am encouraged that the strategic decisions we have made continue to yield results and strengthen our business for the long-term.

Our decisions to modernize our restaurants, invest in our digital platforms and Drive Thrus, grow our delivery services, and double down on our core menu enabled us to enter the pandemic in a position of strength. And, we continue to grow as we transform the way our customers engage with us.

While none of this has been an easy undertaking, our strategy reinforces our approach to think big and be bold.

We accomplished some tremendous things together this year. To highlight just a few:

• We launched our Crispy Chicken platform and gained share in a competitive category.
• We continued our Famous Trays platform with celebrity partners - an initiative that has helped us reconnect with youth and reclaim our position as an enduring part of America’s cultural fabric.
• We invested in our people and continued to move the needle on standards to cultivate a safer and more respectful workplace.
• We successfully launched our loyalty app, MyMcDonald’s Rewards, with more than 21 million enrollments through the end of the third quarter.
• We also showed up for our communities, including Thank You Meals for one of America’s most precious resources – our educators.
• And, we reinforced our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion across all areas of our business, including our Supplier Mutual Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – letting the world know we are not afraid to do what is right.

These weren’t short-term accomplishments – they were decisions that will drive our Brand for years to come. And as we look ahead, our continued focus will be on anticipating and meeting the changing needs of our customers – today and tomorrow.

So, I’ll close as I started. By saying thank you:

• To our operators for the many ways you continue to show up to support your teams.
• To restaurant crews for showing up for our customers each day.
• To our suppliers for faithfully ensuring we have what we need to serve, day in and day out.
• And to our employees for all you do to support and elevate our business throughout the year.

I hope you all enjoy a safe and happy New Year’s holiday. We have much to look forward to in 2022, and beyond.

I look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

Joe

Joe Erlinger, President, McDonald’s USA?