McDonald's opens its 35th restaurant in Northern Ireland after £4m investment
McDonald's franchisee Bruce Bailie is the operator of the new 80-seater restaurant in Coleraine, its second in the Co Londonderry town.
Each of the 35 McDonald's restaurants in Northern Ireland are owned and managed by eight franchisees, who are all businesspeople from here.
Mr Bailie, who owns and operate both units in Coleraine, said he was pleased to build on community links he had developed in the town since first opening 30 years ago.
'McDonald's has been an important part of the local Coleraine community over the last 30 years and the opening of a second restaurant in the town is an indication of our commitment to the communities in which we serve here,' he added.
'Feeding and fostering local communities is at the heart and centre of the McDonald's business operation.
'With a lot of our crew at the restaurant hailing from the local area, we have a team that are passionate and looking forward to continuing our partnerships with neighbouring community groups, sports clubs and businesses.'
McDonald's said customers can order their food in store, at the drive-thru or via the MyMcDonald's app. The new restaurant has 39 car parking spaces
They will also be able to use McDelivery through McDonald's delivery partners, it added.
An economic impact report from McDonald's launched last year said that in 2023, McDonald's supported over 6,600 jobs both directly and indirectly in Northern Ireland.
It also said that the company contributed £322m of economic output (GVA) and spent almost £184m with Northern Irish businesses from its supply chain.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
17 hours ago
- Daily Record
McDonald's confirms change to McChicken Sandwich
The 'classic' burger has been on UK McDonald's menus for decades McDonald's has confirmed a change to the fast food giant's "classic" McChicken Sandwich. The iconic burger, a staple on UK McDonald's menus since the 90s, features crispy chicken with lettuce and a special "sandwich sauce", all nestled in a soft sesame seed-topped bun. And for one day only, McDonald's is to tweak its McChicken Sandwich offering. On Monday, August 11, fans can snap up the sandwich for £1.39, which could mean a saving of as much as £3, depending on local restaurant pricing. A spokesperson for McDonald's explained: "This McDonald's classic is available both in restaurant and on McDelivery via the McDonald's App", further noting that diners can "get familiar with the Deal Drop platform" and will be prompted to check out deals through the app or via email. The £1.39 McChicken Sandwich can be claimed in the "offers" section of the McDonald's app, and is valid from 00.01am to 04.59am, and from 11am to 11.59pm, on Monday August 11 for those aged 18 and over. McDonald's notes that this deal is "one-time use during the promo period" and only at participating outlets. The offer is also "subject to availability and restaurant opening times". McDonald's points out that promotional offers are not automatically included in your order and must be selected through the offers section of the McDonald's app. When placing an order at a kiosk, counter or drive-thru, you're advised to "use the 4-digit offer code or QR code (where applicable) ... if the offer showing in your McDonald's (UK) app account provides that functionality".
Time Out
2 days ago
- Time Out
Solange Levinton: 'Pumper Nic was our American portal just a block from the Obelisk'
Solange Levinton was born in Buenos Aires, is 43 years old, and lives in Villa Ortúzar. She defines herself, above all, as a journalist: she worked for almost two decades at the Télam news agency, contributed to various media outlets, and trained in narrative journalism workshops. Although she says she feels more like a journalist than a writer, in March she published 'A Dream Made in Argentina', a book that reconstructs the history of Pumper Nic, the first fast food chain in the country. After two years of research, Levinton goes far beyond nostalgia: her work explores the connection between food and memory and paints a portrait of a time that speaks to culture, consumption, crisis, and desire. I think there were several things. The first spark came when, out of nowhere, I remembered that Pumper Nic had been the first fast food place in Argentina. It was where my grandmother used to take me, and that memory made me reflect on those lunches with her. The only thing I knew was that Pumper Nic had been the first, and I started wondering what that new way of eating must have meant for Buenos Aires society. Who brought it? How did Argentines learn to eat fast food? What was it like for the workers, for the customers? I started googling and found different threads, different facts, and realized there was a story there. I discovered the owner was Argentine, the company was Argentine, and the owner was the brother of the man who created the Paty hamburger brand... That's when I understood it was a family of entrepreneurs. Also, I thought Pumper Nic was from the '80s, but it actually opened in 1974, a very violent year in our history. That context caught my attention too. And the final push came when I realized it was a brand that evoked strong nostalgia for a lot of people. That made me want to dig deeper into the story behind the company. 'Pumper Nic was where my grandma used to take me, and that memory led me back to those lunches with her' Beyond nostalgia, what do you think Pumper Nic says about us as a society in the '80s and '90s? Pumper Nic says a lot. First, it reveals our eternal admiration for the foreign, especially anything American. There's something about that which has always dazzled us. In the '70s, when traveling to the U.S. was nearly impossible, Pumper Nic became our American portal just a block from the Obelisk. It also reflects that Argentine ability to make do with what's available. We're so used to living in crisis that it's practically built into us. It forces us to be resourceful, to lean on a kind of street-smart cleverness (sometimes a good thing, sometimes not), but it helps us ride the wave. For example, when McDonald's arrived in 1986, three years later hyperinflation hit. McDonald's was in trouble. But Pumper Nic thrived, because they knew how to stock up, how to adjust prices, how to operate in an unpredictable economic environment. That crisis-adapted mindset says a lot about who we are. 'In the '70s, Pumper Nic was our American portal just a block from the Obelisk' In your interviews for the book, which testimony surprised you most or made you see Pumper Nic in a new light? The one that surprised me most was with Diego, the eldest son of Alfredo Lowenstein, the creator of Pumper Nic. Diego was president of the company from 1991 to 1996. Until then, all the accounts I had gathered were about nostalgia, about memories of a place where many of us had been happy. He brought a different perspective: the business perspective. At first, it was hard to embrace, because business and emotional attachment often don't go hand in hand. But he helped me understand why a family might let go of something that inspired so much affection. His testimony brought balance to the narrative. Without it, the book would have been just a string of lovely memories. 'Diego, the eldest son of the Pumper Nic founder, gave me the business perspective' As a writer and journalist, what kinds of stories are you interested in telling today, in such a fast-paced, information-saturated world? Honestly, I don't know. Everything moves so fast now, everything is instant, and journalism is so precarious. It's hard to take your time. The book took me two years of research, and that kind of time doesn't exist in journalism today. I think I'm drawn to stories that make us think about something deeper when we tell them. For example, the way we eat also speaks to who we are. The story of Pumper Nic lets us think not just about a brand or a family of entrepreneurs, but about the context of a society—what it values, how it adapts. That's what interests me: seeing what's beyond the surface. What dreams or projects do you have for the future? Another book, another urban myth to uncover? I'd love to write another book, but right now I don't have a topic I'm passionate enough about. It takes a lot of time, effort, headspace, and hours. And for that, you need to have certain aspects of life sorted out—which isn't my case at the moment. But yes, I'd love to write another book. I just don't know what it will be about yet. FINAL RAPID-FIRE One word to define the '80s: Nostalgia. McDonald's or Pumper Nic?: Pumper Nic. A journalist you admire: Leila Guerriero. Also Natalia Concina, a science journalist. And Paula Bistagnino, who wrote a book about Opus Dei. Dream interview?: The creator of Pumper Nic, who never agreed to give interviews. What food takes you straight back to childhood?: There's a certain smell of burgers and fries that takes me back to those lunches with my grandmother—especially the mix of ketchup, onions, pickles. Or really, any traditional Jewish food. A corner of Buenos Aires you love?: Plaza San Martín.
Belfast Telegraph
2 days ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Legacy or leverage? Making pensions work harder
The UK's new Pension Schemes Bill, set to come into force in 2026, will facilitate defined contribution (DC) innovation – particularly regarding how retirement savings are structured, communicated, and invested. It will also make it easier for a sponsor to access its defined benefit (DB) scheme surplus and identify other uses for that money. With many businesses in Northern Ireland now sitting on DB schemes that are comfortably funded and increasingly de-risked, this new flexibility represents significant growth potential. 'We're at a point where pensions can become a source of finance for businesses. Released surplus could be reinvested to support a company's wider plans and ambition,' Mark Shimmons, director in Isio's Belfast office, says. Employee benefits packages for current and future employees could also be strengthened by these additional funds, as Mark McClintock, partner in Isio's Belfast office, points out. 'Say you have a £100m scheme – this new legislation could free up £15m to £20m of surplus over 10 years' he says. 'Some of this could be used to support better outcomes for employees. 'The Bill encourages a mindset shift. Rather than viewing DB pension schemes as a burden, they can be considered valuable strategic opportunities.' One thing that will become simpler is using DB surplus to bolster DC funds. As things stand, DB surplus can be extracted and put into a same-scheme DC section; the Bill will enable it to be redirected into an entirely separate DC scheme. This should help mitigate concerns about the underfunding of DC schemes via auto enrolment. 'We'll see more cases of people using defined benefit surplus to fund DC contributions,' Mr McClintock says. 'It's already happening in a limited number of cases and it doesn't cost the business a penny more.' Get ready to act Pensions no longer need to sit on the financial sidelines. With the right insight, governance and innovation, they can become an engine for workforce value and financial agility. Isio has been helping Northern Irish businesses rethink the pension conversation – from de-risking legacy schemes to creating better futures for today's workforce. Our growing presence in Belfast is here to help you make pensions work harder.
