Why Macca’s spends $60m on training annually
1 in 12 Australians often get their first job from the fast-food chain.
McDonald’s Australia spends $60m annually on training to equip first-job hires and managers with the skills they need to run great restaurants, a commitment Joe Chiczewski, CEO of McDonald’s Australia, links to being a “great first employer” for many Australians.
Chiczewski said many Australians get their first job at Macca’s and that employers across industries prize the brand’s training and work ethic. CEOs he meets often either began there themselves or treat McDonald’s experience as a strong hiring signal.
“One in twelve Australians started their career at McDonald’s. We take that responsibility incredibly seriously to be a great first employer,” Chiczewski said during the QSR Media Conference & Awards 2025.
He outlined McDonald’s training as a mix of on-the-job learning, online courses and training courses completed at the Charlie Bell School of Management (Hamburger University) and training centres across the country.
‘Macca’s Only Experiences’ are also on the menu for manager development, with Chiczewski sharing details of the recent Restaurant Managers’ Convention in Prague, attended by more than 800 Macca’s restaurant managers to build capabilities, skills and teams.
Chiczewski said hiring conditions have ebbed and flowed, with stretches where recruitment was incredibly difficult and required the company to lift its efforts. He argued the sector needs to tell its own story more clearly—not only about what employers offer staff, but also about the industry’s economic role through jobs, new restaurant openings, supply chains and Australian farmers—whilst noting ongoing friction with local councils on approvals.
As part of competing for talent, he said, employers must sharpen their employee value proposition to be an employer of choice.
More recently, he described the labour market as stronger, with store-level needs and actual headcount “much closer together” than in the last two to three years, and said reputation as a first-job employer remains an important lever for attracting candidates.
Value and menu innovation
Findings from investment and advisory firm Jarden revealed that consumer confidence is at a three-year high and disposable incomes are rising, yet spending in the QSR sector has not caught up, with shoppers buying fewer items and prioritising value, keeping growth modest for now.
Chiczewski agreed that value right now is of utmost importance to customers. He believes that McDonald’s has been doing really well in this regard, citing the McSmart Meal, which is a full meal at $6.95 and the Loose Change Menu, where consumers have a choice between eight different menu items for $4 or less.
“We made a commitment to the customer that that value's going to be there for them for the time being, and they know exactly where to get it on our menu,” Chiczewski said.
