McDonald's
Global fast-food chain with franchised model
Software Engineer 1
+ Bonus
About the job
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or similar engineering discipline.
- Previous technical internship(s), if applicable.
- Programming experience with at least one modern language such as C#, Angular, TypeScript, SQL, some DB familiarity, and including object-oriented design.
- Experience in optimization mathematics such as linear programming and nonlinear optimization.
- Ability to effectively articulate technical challenges and solutions.
- Adept at handling ambiguous or undefined problems as well as ability to think abstractly.
- Solid knowledge of Computer Science fundamentals including object-oriented design, data structures, and algorithms.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, are self-driven, demonstrate initiative, and deliver high quality results in a fast-paced environment.
- Highly quantitative with great judgment and passion for building a phenomenal customer experience.
- Contribute to all aspects of the agile development life cycle including design, development, documentation, testing and operations.
- Actively participate in and execute the scrum process.
- Design, implement, test, deploy, and maintain innovative software solutions to transform service performance, durability, cost, and security.
- Provide frequent progress updates to the direct manager and other stakeholders.
- Work in an agile, startup-like development environment, where you are always working on the most meaningful priorities.
- Build distributed storage, index, and query systems that are scalable, fault-tolerant, low cost, and easy to manage/use.
- Ability to design and code the right solutions starting with broadly defined problems.
- None
About the company
McDonald’s operates a global network of fast-food restaurants offering burgers, fries, and other items, serving customers quickly and affordably. It uses a mix of company-owned and franchised locations, with revenue coming from store sales, franchise fees and royalties, and income from owning and leasing real estate. It relies on digital ordering, third-party delivery, and a rewards program to boost convenience and loyalty, plus family-friendly amenities. Its goal is to lead the quick-service restaurant space by delivering scale, a strong brand, and a broad digital ecosystem, while expanding through franchising and real estate.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Chicago, Illinois
Founded
1955
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- September 23, 2026 investor day unveiled $8.5 billion for franchisee modernization.
- A 450-restaurant U.S. ad pilot starts a potential billion-dollar media business.
- Hand-breaded chicken, meal bundles, and digital offers target share gains through 2030.
What critics are saying
- U.S. comparable sales stayed slightly negative July-August 2026, pressuring 2026 results.
- Only 60%-65% of restaurants follow under-$3 pricing, exposing execution breakdowns.
- If low-income traffic keeps falling, franchisee returns compress and the system stalls.
What makes McDonald's unique
- McDonald’s franchised real-estate system still compounds cash from operators and rent.
- ArchIQ and Restaurant NEXT standardize operations across 14,000 U.S. locations.
- Its app, kiosks, and menu boards create direct customer data and monetization.
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Benefits
401(k) Company Match
401(k) Retirement Plan
Performance Bonus
Long Term Incentive
Company News
McDonald's shares hit a 52-week low of $234.04 after CEO Chris Kempczinski told CNBC the company isn't expecting conditions to improve. The stock closed down 4.8% and is off 20% year to date, whilst the S&P 500 gained 12.6%. Global comparable sales have declined sharply, falling from 5.7% growth in Q4 2025 to just 1.3% in Q2 2026. Management reported US comparable sales turned slightly negative in July. Kempczinski noted that low-income consumer traffic has dropped nearly double digits over two years, eroding McDonald's core customer base. The stock now trades at a forward P/E of 18, well below Wall Street's consensus price target of $308.
McDonald's (MCD) shares are on track for their worst month since March 2020, falling 9% amid weak US sales. The stock dropped 5% on Wednesday, its steepest one-day decline since April 2025. CFO Ian Borden told investors that US sales were "slightly negative" in July and August. Whilst September is expected to turn positive, the third quarter overall will likely remain in negative territory. CEO Chris Kempczinski said the company expects industry traffic to remain flat and inflation elevated for years. McDonald's is testing a revised entry-level value programme, with details expected next year. The chain will emphasise meal bundles, digital offers, and simplified restaurant operations to capture a greater share of customer visits in this challenging environment.
McDonald's has unveiled its "NEXT" growth strategy at its investor day in Chicago, aiming to improve food quality and customer experience. The fast-food chain plans to gain 0.5 percentage points of market share in chicken and beverages by 2030, whilst targeting operating margins in the low to mid-50s. The company will invest $8.5 billion to help franchisees modernise restaurants under its "Make It Golden" plan. The initiative comes as McDonald's shares have fallen 10% this year, with same-store sales up barely 1% last quarter. The strategy includes bringing back human interaction at locations, moving away from digital kiosks that customers have found frustrating. McDonald's aims to recreate the customer-focused experience that previously made it a destination for families.
McDonald's is reviving its Monopoly promotion on 6 October, offering a $1 million cash prize and other rewards as it seeks to boost momentum. The promotion, based on Hasbro's board game, runs through 1 November and includes prizes such as vehicles, vacations, and free McDonald's for a year. The fast-food chain's shares have fallen more than 17% this year. McDonald's is hosting an Investor Day on Wednesday to outline its medium-term strategy, with analysts watching for updates on menu innovation and promotional activity. In the second quarter, McDonald's reported adjusted earnings per share of $3.38, beating the $3.32 analyst estimate, whilst revenue rose 4% year-over-year to $7.099 billion.
McDonald's is testing a retail media network on menu screens. By Sean Cao September 22, 2026 McDonald's is piloting ads from other brands on the digital menu screens at its restaurants, as the company looks for a new way to boost its revenues. According to Bloomberg, the third-party ads show up on the screens as customers wait for their burgers and fries after placing orders. The test is being carried out on drive-thru digital boards and in-store self-service kiosks at several locations in the US. With more than 13,700 restaurants across the market, the move is expected to create a new revenue stream for the company. "This limited menu board advertising pilot at select company-owned restaurants is exploring ways to share post-purchase content that customers may find helpful, relevant, or interesting, while ensuring the McDonald's experience remains at the center of every visit," a McDonald's spokesperson said in an email to Bloomberg. The move comes as the company reported a 1.3 per cent increase in global comparable sales for the second quarter ended June 30. In the US, comp sales grew by a more modest 0.8 per cent, a major step back from the 3.9 per cent growth seen in the first quarter, as the business faced falling traffic.