McDonald’s £1million make-over is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland

The McDonald’s restaurant in Connswater, east Belfast, has reopened following a £1 million refurbishment project.

The significant investment in the new-look restaurant is set to create more than 20 additional jobs over the coming months, bringing the total number of employees at the restaurant to 180.

Connswater is the first restaurant in Northern Ireland to invest in McDonald’s newest restaurant upgrade programme, which is seeing the brand shake up the way its stores across the UK and Ireland operate.

The upgraded restaurant design has been developed to reflect the variety in ordering methods, as well as keep pace with customer expectations now and in the future.

Upgrades to the restaurant at Connswater Shopping Centre and Retail Park will include a dedicated courier waiting area and a new kitchen design with a bigger order assembly area, helping to deliver a seamless, faster and more efficient experience for customers, couriers and crew.

With the rise in deliveries, the restaurant will now have a separate ‘McDelivery only’ area, which will allow delivery drivers to access a dedicated courier entrance and service seating area. This will enable delivery drivers to collect orders more efficiently, reduce congestion in the dining area and give walk-in takeaway and dining customers more space.

A new kitchen design will see a bigger order assembly area that will allow extra capacity for crew to undertake more orders and serve more quickly than ever before. Improvements have also been made to the crew member room to create a more relaxing and comfortable space for employees.

The Connswater restaurant is led by Franchisee Paul Connan, who also operates the McDonald's restaurants in Donegall Place, Boucher Road and Ballygomartin.

“At McDonald’s, we are passionate about feeding and fostering communities, and we are looking forward to welcoming our customers back to the new and improved Connswater restaurant following this extensive six-week refurbishment programme, so they can experience the new changes first-hand,” Paul said.

“Our job is to ensure that every experience is a great one for customers, delivery partners and crew. These upgrades will help us deliver a quicker, more seamless and more convenient experience for all.”