Who wouldn’t know McDonald’s? It is a popular brand all around the world, and many people who became famous later in their life had their stint “flipping burgers at McDonald’s” early in their career, for example Sharon Stone or Carl Lewis. If you also want to follow their path (and perhaps become an actor, or an Olympic athlete later on in your life, after having worked at McDonald’s), you will typically have to complete an application form and pass an interview. One of the common questions you will face is “What do you know about McDonald’s?” How should you handle it?
First of all, remember this isn’t a history exam, though McDonald’s has quite a history… The hiring managers aren’t looking for an encyclopedia-style answer, full of numbers and years. More than anything else, they wonder what McDonald’s means for you. What associations you have with the brand, why you find it interesting to work for them, and so on. Of course, you can throw in one or two facts you find interesting about McDonald’s, perhaps even something funny. Doing so, you show them that you did your homework, and learned something about their place.
Alternatively you can focus on more practical things, either related to your job with the fast food giant (the wages they pay, the working hours, their academy, etc), or on things customers associate with McDonald’s, things that always bring them back to the store (predictable taste of food, clean toilets, fast service, etc). Let’s have a look at 7 sample answers to this question. I tried to come up with a nice variety of answers, and after reading all of them you should have a good idea about your own answer. Enjoy!
7 sample answers to “What do you know about McDonald’s?” interview question
- In my eyes, McDonald’s is the most successful franchise in the history. And numbers prove that: McDonald’s operates in over 100 countries, and has been founded almost 70 years ago. You aren’t going to find any franchise with such a track record of achievements and expansion. What’s more, I know it is it a great place to work for students looking for their first working experience, since you give a chance to almost everyone, and no previous experience is necessary. I also know that some people say bad things about working for McDonald’s, but I feel these people do not see the entire picture, and the role companies like McDonald’s play in the economy.
- I know that in the past McDonald’s used to own more property in the world than Catholic church. And that’s incredibly impressive, when you consider the power of the church. What’s more, I know that success of McDonald’s hasn’t been impacted much by all the crises we’ve experienced in last 50 years, and that’s something super encouraging for people who actually want to make a career in the company, because we live in unstable times, with wars, inflation, climate crisis, etc.
- Well, I know the entire story of McDonald’s, or at least the core of it. I saw the film Founder twice, and it is actually one of my favorite movies. It shows what the original American dream was about, and also demonstrates that you do not have to be young to dream big, and make something with your life. This resonates perfectly with my own career, and although I know I am not going to become the next Ray Kroc, I believe I can make some nice career with McDonald’s, perhaps even running my own restaurant one day!
- I basically know everything that’s important for a job applicant with the company. First of all, that I will start at roughly $10/hour. That’s not the best, but everyone has to start somewhere, and I have to be realistic about my chances with no previous working experience. I also know that as a part time food service worker, you’d expect me to work at least 25 hours a week, something I am fine with. Last but not least, I know you have a great system of work in place, and I will learn how to take care of my job. In my view, these are the most important things to know about McDonald’s for someone considering working part time in the company. Everything else I will learn down the road.
- I know you have the best burgers in town. People love to come here for the taste, the menus, the clean toilets. I know that this chain of fast-food restaurants isn’t going to bankrupt anytime soon–if ever, and that it is a pretty good place for students to work, in a way that the experience itself should motivate them to try hard in their studies, so they do not have to work at McDonald’s for years on end. And I do not mean it negatively. One can certainly learn a lot here, and I am looking forward to it.
- To be honest, I do not know much about your history and similar things. I’ve been at McDonald’s many times in my life. Know the menu inside-out, the special offers, the tastes. I also realize the dangers this kind of diet carries, and that perhaps it is better visiting this place only once a week or less, which is something I haven’t achieved yet, since I just love the place so much. And now I want to work here, so it would be even harder. Anyway, I know this is a big company with a lot of history. If I get a job here, you can be sure I will try to learn as much as I can about McDonald’s and especially about doing my job efficiently and to the greatest satisfaction of the customers.
- I know the most important thing: That you hire felons here, that you are a company which gives equal opportunity to people from all sorts of backgrounds. You know, I made my mistakes when I was young. Paid the price, lost almost everything in my life. And I am terribly ashamed of my past. Yet we have to look forward, and now, once I paid for my mistakes with long years behind bars, I want to prove that I am a different person, and can contribute something to society. McDonald’s is one of the few retail giants that gives people like me a chance, and it means a lot to me…
Final thought and next questions
So that’s it. I hope you find yourself in one of the answers, and have now a good idea about your own response. Remember, you do not need to come up with something groundbreaking. Just show them that McDonald’s isn’t just a random company to you. On the contrary, you have some associations with their brand, and their name means something to you in your present life situation, whatever that situation may be…. Once you are done with this one, I also suggest you to check 7 sample answer to “Why do you want to work for McDonald’s?“, because you will almost always face this question. Alternatively you can check the entire list of most common McDonald’s interview questions. One way or another, I wish you best of luck in your professional career!
Matthew
